The Opossum Tree...

We have about 30 trees.

( If I counted correctly?)

The mature trees and the large yard helped us in making the decision to tackle the task of almost re-building the bungalow.

We have one tree, in the back, back yard that we knew had passed. He was a large tree that had seen his share of local history. The ends of his long branches had been shed long ago and the kudzu and privet grew around him.


Last fall we, Puppy, found this tree had residents, Opossums. A pair of red-eyed grey creatures called the dead tree home. Every evening after dark, we would walk down to the tree to look at the pair of opossums. Their eyes glowed in the the reflection of the flash light. They would become perfectly still.... playing 'possum.

Thus the dead tree became known as The Opossum Tree.
We don't think too much about names around here. Ya know, our dog's name is Puppy.

So fast forward 6 months...

We are doing the best to clean up the back yard, and the back, back yard. Picking up limbs, brush and various yard debris. Maybe in hopes of having a gathering of sorts, sometime before the weather becomes too warm.

I notice something under the Opossum Tree. I think it is a rock. A couple of days later, after the rain, I notice that it looks more like concrete. Odd, I think. A couple more days pass, and I remember to bring the broom down to the back, back yard. I brush away the leaf cover and uncover something very, very odd.



See, we are inching away at the kudzu jungle. Before you could not get with in 10 feet of this tree. But also look in the back... The kudzu is awake from its winter nap.



At first I think that it is another sidewalk. But when I dug around the other side of the tree all I found was earth. The pitch fork only hits dirt, not the clank of a rock or of concrete.

The slab is about 40 " wide, the center "aisle" is about 14" across. At about 28" inches deep, the tree begins to grow over the slab. I can't find any evidence of the slab on the other side of the tree.

Odd? A well? Maybe? I know our house is not on any of the Sanborn Fire maps or the old city directories.


Your thoughts?

Chris did warn me not to go plundering around there if he is not at home.

"If it is a well, you'll be sure to fall in." he said.

I agreed, I am a klutz.

The Opossum Tree is going to stay there for a while longer. It would be sad to have homeless opossums. So for now we still have 30 trees. But one day soon the 'possums will have to move. Their home is not going to stay there for long. A spring storm will probably toss The Opossum Tree to the ground.