Renegade Apple Tree

We have this apple tree in the back yard, about eye-level with my favorite reading spot on the back porch. I love this tree. It's gorgeous in the spring, when the tree is covered in fragile blooms, and in the fall when the apples set on.

The tree is a survivor. It got hit by lightning years ago, splitting it in half. My husband cinched it together with a tow strap until we could see if the tree would live or die, and it surprised us all by hanging in there. It's been about 5 years, and the tree is still surprising us by flourishing every season.

Unfortunately, half the tree died last year. Mike let go the tow strap, expecting the entire tree to fall over, but the dead half is all that came down, despite the fact that the rest of the tree is leaning precariously. He wanted to cut the tree down, but I couldn't bear to see that happen after the tree has fought so hard to stay alive through all of this. He met me halfway by saying he would wait to see if the tree fell over with the weight of the apples, and it hasn't. The bottom of the trunk is horribly scarred and splintered from the lightning, but it appears to be just as tough as a tree can be. Every time I think it's the end for apple blossoms and ripe red fruit, it surprises me just by being alive.