About a year and a half after we moved here our bearded dragon Charlie passed away. It was the first pet death for our little family and it was devastating. Lizards are prey animals and have a habit of not letting you know when they are ill. We took him to the vet when he stopped eating but it was too late at that point.
It was early summer at the time so we went and got a baby burled oak and planted it over his grave. Then the baby oak also died. I maybe cried again, just a little.
So last spring we pulled up the desiccated remains of the burled oak and planted a sensible baby Siberian larch from the Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District.
It thrived over the summer but at some point over the winter disappeared entirely. This was, again, distressing. There was not much to do but wait. Eventually the snow melted enough to expose it, and it had just been laid over under the snow load, but not broken. I dug it out and gently stood it back up. Then we waited to see if it lived.
On May 17th I went to look at it and was super excited to see new needles budding out.
I went back at sunset and it was just gorgeous and hopeful. We’re really happy that it’s lived, that Charlie has a proper memorial ❤
I’ve taken my Canon over there at sunset a few times now, I love the little shapes the new needles make and the nice contrasty bokeh from the sun coming through the trees. I have a few ready now to print and frame.
I’m grateful that Charlie’s new tree survived ❤
Life on Little Chena Prong 