So, our own Giving Tree has moved beyond given us leaves and twigs to giving us whole branches.

You see, when we moved into our house in Apple Valley, we found, whaddya know, an apple tree in the backyard. Rumor had it that all the houses in this development has an apple tree planted in the backyard. Could be true; All the street names are apple vareties. However, all was not well with Mr. Apple Tree. The tree was splitting down the middle into 4 parts, and there were large areas of dead branches in the tree.

The first summer we lived here, the tree gave us apples. Hundreds of little, gnarled apples, rotting all over the yard. The second summer, there were no apples. Only twigs all over the yard. Compared to the apples, the twigs were a blessing. However, this summer, our third in this house, it seems the tree is upping the ante. My dear wife noticed that one of the four sections seemed to have shifted. I walk over, grab a branch out near the end and pull it gently toward the house (away from the nice fence that it was suspended over). Not 3 steps into my stroll did we hear a loud crack and one of the four sections (the smallest of the four) snapped off.

Which meant that my son and I got to spend the next hour and a half breaking down the large branch into small, ready-for-the-fire-ring bits. Is it wrong to burn wood from a tree that is still standing, in sight of the tree? Perhaps it will be motivation to heal up; "See? This is what happens to trees that fall down in these parts."

As for the rest of the tree, it'll come down eventually. We may even get a chainsaw and go all Friday-the-13th on it, but that requires work. And a chainsaw. And possibly a tourniquet.

I do, however, what to take a chunk out of each remaining trunk when they do come down and whittle a little canoe for each of my three boys. Just a little reminder of their own little Giving Tree.