and a crooked apple tree

I want to have a little house

with sunlight on the floor

A chimney with a rosy hearth,

and lilacs by the door

with windows looking

east and west

AND A CROOKED APPLE TREE

and room beside the

garden fence

For hollyhocks to be!

- Nancy Byrd Turner-

I have loved this poem for years, since reading it in Country Living, Gardener in 1998, years before I moved into our home, here in Woodford. And guess what? I have just about all of it now.Except for hollyhocks, I struggle with those, year after year. This year I am determined to get some growing.I was a little worried what you were all thinking about me yesterday, dancing around with my tail feathers 'round my apple tree * seems most of you think it is perfectly normal. Just like something out of the divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood. But just wanted to share a few pictures of my gorgeous old apple tree - then you will know why I will be sad if it died. However, I have all the nature spirits, saints and angels & devic forces from every religion and belief imaginable, healing this tree - it will surely be ok.