A squirrel planted a chestnut tree

Photo by Barry Wallace

I took this photo of my neighbour Rob's house, across the street from mine, because of the 35 ft. chestnut tree behind his house, on the right of this picture.   The chestnut tree is in full bloom and it's a beauty to behold.   10 years ago, I watched a squirrel bring a chestnut from that tree, across Rob's backyard, across the street and into my backyard where it buried the nut in a flower bed.   I chuckled to myself at the time and thought "...we shall see what becomes of that nut".   It flourished and three years later a decision had to be made.   Either we pull the young chestnut sapling out of the flower bed and pitch it, or we transplant it to a spot where there was actually room for such a tree.   My wife suggested a corner of our lot that faces onto to two intersecting streets.   I planted the young tree, with the bare root, but was not expecting much.   That was seven years ago.   In the picture above, that chestnut tree is the dark image on the left.   It's 10' tall and thriving, but still too immature to have blossoms.   My neighbour, Shirley, a couple of doors away, said yesterday that she just loves our  beautiful, young chestnut tree and if anything untoward happens to it, she'll be very upset.   We've been warned!   Yes, and nature does have its persevering powers.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace