Ode to a Trumpet Vine

They are beautiful in their peace, they are wise in their silence. They will stand after we are dust. They teach us, and we tend them. 

It was the fall of 1987 when I first met my trumpet vine tree.  I had never heard of one?  We purchased our home in Glen Elder, KS and moved in on November 6th.  Still in time to view the pretty orange trumpet shaped flowers in full bloom.  To call it a tree is probably not horticulturally correct.  It is a vine.  It was winding around a hedge pole.  I fell in love.

Through the years we never spoke about the trumpet vine tree.  I secretly enjoyed it.  It grew and grew.  We spent many hours sitting on our back porch watching our two kids and the neighborhood kids play in the side yard.  We watched around the trumpet vine.

In years to come it grew and grew and grand-kids came along - we could no longer sit on the back porch and watch "around" it - we couldn't watch "through" it either.  So my husband decided to cut it back.  He did it to the extreme and our marriage hinged on whether it bloomed again in the spring.  Luckily it did!

I never lost my love for the beautiful, extraordinary trumpet vine tree.  Wasps and bees lived inside the trumpet shaped flowers.  But they never once bothered me.  Roots grew like crazy all around it and I spent many back breaking hours pulling them up.  People commented about the strange growing friend of mine.  Family members namely son-in-law and grandson found it a 4th of July tradition to place firecrackers inside the flowering petals and you got it - blow up the orange blooms.  Amusing huh?

                                                      I was still in love with my tree.

I recently read a book that talked about the fact that maybe God gave us flowers and trees because we all need our corner of beauty in this world.  I agree.  God's creation is a miracle.

We recently decided to move as you know and so of course I spotlighted the "famous tree" when we showed the house to hopeful buyers.  Of course they would love and care for my tree/vine the way it was accustomed and enjoy it's beauty for years to come.

NOT.                                                                           

Alas, we heard the news - the new buyers had cut it down - and not only that - had piled it in a heap in the side yard.  Dying, lifeless, colorless, disrespected in the end.  But one man's treasure is another's . . . there is a saying I guess . . . and so we move on to enjoy God's creation in another place.  

I must admit I have to smile - - - the trumpet vine will win - - - I did a little research online about the unique creatures - - - they do not go away - - - ever.  Little sprouts will pop up here and there all over the property - - - and they have been proven to resist Mr. Chemical himself in trying to deter them.  You go little tree :)   I will miss you.