Tree Story

One day when I was little, my neighbor decided to plan a row of elm trees along the edge of his property line. He transplanted the trees from the woods in the back of his house to that spot where he wanted them. My neighbor was not only a New York City fireman, but also very skilled with nature and landscaping. Everyone in my neighborhood said that the trees would never take root and would not last long. However, over time, the trees grew very big and proved everyone wrong. These trees are even resistant to Dutch Elm disease.

Since these elm trees are very close to my property, my family and I see them every day and have really noticed how much they have grown over the years. Unfortunately, about five years ago, my neighbor died unexpectedly at the age of 42 while fighting a fire in New York City. So these elm trees are a special memory to me because they remind me of my neighbor who planted them. Since my neighbor had a gift for things in nature, that could be why these trees have grown so big and survived for so long. I will always remember these trees and I think they will be alive for many more years to come.

--Michelle Gulfo