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Friday 19 April 2019

The maple

Corner Brook, my husband’s birth place, was built around hills. Every day, with his friends from the upper valley, he walked to school in the lower valley. As they made the leisurely trek to school, he passed his grandparents’ house in the neighbourhood he knew so well. The familiar houses of the Mercers, Lawrences, Newhooks, and Georges were near the little maple tree which the children loved.


It stood on a slope outside a fenced lawn and was just big enough to support the young children who lined up by her every day as they walked along. Each in turn jumped to grab the young sapling and drop to earth as the tree gave way under the child’s weight. As the child let go, the tree would spring back, as if eager to accommodate another child. The ritual happened every day for years.


And they all grew up. Many of the children moved away as young people do, seeking lives and adventures elsewhere but the tree was rooted. Today, more than sixty years later, a gray haired man finds the tree on a Street View of Google Maps. It is still standing proudly, its trunk, an artifact to those from the upper valley who shared their journey with her.










21 comments:

Rhodesia said...

Great memories for your husband I am sure. Happy Easter Diane

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Gosh the old maple tree did well to survive Marie, how wonderful to see it still standing strong there 🌲

Anvilcloud said...

So poignant

eileeninmd said...

Wonderful memory and a beautiful tree. Wishing you and yours a very happy and blessed Easter weekend!

Secondary Roads said...

How beautiful to still visit the scene of pleasant childhood memories.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Did he swing on it again?

Bill said...

What a wonderful memory for your husband to have. Generations of children passed that tree and it stands collecting more memories for other people. Thanks for sharing the story, Marie.

Debbie said...

such a sweet memory!! i live only 10 minutes from where i grew up and my mom still lives in the same house. i have few happy memories from then.

ya' gotta' love google! happy easter marie, happy spring!!

Elephant's Child said...

How WONDERFUL. Most of the trees I knew as a child have met the axe and the wood chipper.
Happy Easter to you and yours.

Joanne Noragon said...

A testament to kids and trees!

Goldendaze-Ginnie said...

looks to me like that tree is mighty proud of it's past … still standing and loving it.

baili said...

ah ,you made me cry dear Marie !

thank you sooo much for sharing this such beautiful and touching story

it remind me tree in the middle of my grandpa's(maternal) fields where we used to swing and made pillow doll houses ,

it is not there anymore and it makes me sad each time i see that place

DJan said...

Love this sweet memory. You are such a good writer, Marie. Thank you for the picture of the tree. :-)

William Kendall said...

Quite a tree!

Angela said...

That is a big tree!! I love to hear when people talk about the past with much love for days gone! Happy Easter!

Barbara said...

What a nice story.

Debbie said...

2nd visit marie...i just wanted to wish you a happy easter!!!

Tabor said...

Trees have such important ties to the history of our lives, but we fail to notice until we are very old and the tree is very tall.

jenny_o said...

What a lovely story, Marie. And, isn't Google Street View a wonderful tool?

Stewart M said...

Thats a nice story - many places have changed beyond recognition.

cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

Mage said...

That's marvelous.