Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Vines (11/21/05)
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TITLE: The Egotistical Elm | Previous Challenge Entry
By Debbie Sickler
11/28/05 -
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Today is my birthday. I am now eighty-three years old and in my prime. I’ve always been beautiful, but I seem to grow better and better everyday. My parents were strong and majestic, so naturally I am too. When neighbors walk by, I can feel their eyes staring in amazement at my height and beauty.
My foliage is so gorgeous that other trees daily bow and bend their branches in reverent awe. Squirrels and chipmunks often fight for the privilege of living amongst my boughs. Birds sing my praises morning, noon, and night. My branches spread out across the yard, providing plenty of shade for my owner. It’s no wonder I’m his favorite. Ah, here he comes now…
Wow, that little ivy my owner planted is really taking off! It’s only been a few weeks and it’s half way up my trunk. Look at those little heart shaped leaves! And its whites blended with greens, perfectly compliment my own lovely leaves. I’m going to look fantastic once it grows a little more.
That poor willow two doors down is already weeping over my beauty. And that spruce across the street is green with envy; so sad his owner only planted that pathetic little ring of pansies for him. Who’s really going to stop and notice them?
Absolutely everyone will love my new adornment though! Those vines are really starting to enhance my already gorgeous appearance. To top it off, my branches are reaching higher than ever! Soon I’ll be hearing angels singing along with my little feathered fans!
My new owners really seem to love tending to all of us out here. With my awesome fall colors and these boughs completely dripping with gorgeous vines, I’m sure to win his favor, just like with my last owner. Hmmm…I wonder what he’s going to do with that thing. It’s awfully noisy!
What’s going on? What is he doing to my precious vines? No! Stop that! I’ll look so plain! Wait a minute, that wasn’t a vine; that was my branch! Stop it! There won’t be anything left of me! Nooooo!
“Here honey, thought you could use a break! You’ve been out here for hours.” Sharon handed Will a tall glass of sweet iced tea. He accepted it with a smile as he wiped the back of his sweaty neck with a hanky.
“Thanks. So whatcha think? Looks a lot different out here now, huh?”
“Doesn’t even seem like the same yard. It’ll definitely take some getting used to.”
“Yeah, but come look at this.” Stepping over piles of tree limbs and ivy, the young couple made their way over to the stump sticking out of the ground.
“The ivy started growing inside the trunk. It was actually killing the tree from the inside out.” Will pointed to a rather large root that was literally splitting the tree trunk into thirds. “With as long and heavy as all those vines were getting, I’m sure the branches couldn’t handle the strain much longer anyway.”
“Yeah, guess you’re right. It’s too bad though. I bet that tree used to be beautiful before the vines took over. When you get the new tree in, I was thinking of planting something colorful and eye catching at the base. What do you think of pansies?”
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