Growth and Changes

God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow in them. ~Author unknown

Sometimes growth and change happen in the smallest of ways. Ways nobody really notices.

Other times, the differences hit you like a load of bricks.

Most bloggers love when readers remind us to do an update on something we posted that piqued their interest. Something they wanted to fill in. “The rest of the story,” as it were.

This post will attempt to do just that.

Tiny Tree

My formerly “tiny” tree has grown and prospered through a long, occasionally-bitter winter season. See for yourself:

I set a yardstick beside it, but I was looking right into the sun when I snapped the photo, and now I realize you can’t see the numbers. Or the yardstick.

Duh.

So I’ll just come right out and tell you — it’s 24 inches tall!

Who’d have thought?

I’m pretty sure the red ribbon I tied around its truck many moons ago is still there, but it’s buried under the snow. That, or some bird decided it would make a perfect doodad for its nestlings!

More good news — If you’ll look real close in my next shot, you’ll see that Tiny Tree has become a parent:

Yep, there’s a baby tree growing off to the left, beside that bigger rock. See it?

I’m definitely not happy with the location Tiny Tree has selected to grow in — next to the drainage pipe and the antenna we used to need before cable TV came along — but who am I to argue with success?

Abandoned House

Last September, I posted about an abandoned house Monkey and I often pass by on our walks.

About how deserted and lonely this limestone ranch house looked, now that its former owner had passed away.

About how hard it must be to sell houses that haven’t been well-cared-for, yet how forlorn such a dwelling must feel.

Guess what? A buyer has appeared!

As you can see from the trailer and dumpster, the new folks have been doing a lot of work — removing the unsightly bushes and overgrown weeds, re-roofing and fixing the chimney, trimming big trees, hauling out stuff too old to serve any purpose today.

When the weather turned cold, they started working on the inside. Since the house has been abandoned for so many years (at least a decade, maybe more), I would imagine they have to redo flooring, paint, appliances, cabinetry, and such.

And, depending on their desires, they might even have to knock out walls, redo the electrical system and plumbing, and certainly undertake a ton of cleanup.

But it’s nice when a house gets another shot at serving and protecting a family that wants it, isn’t it?