Tree Today

This is a very special episode of "Tree Today!" Please note the reddening leaner tree to the right of Today Tree in the above shot. Last night, our cat, River, got chased up that tree (see below shot) to too high of a perch for any of us to reach. We got out ladders, brooms, rakes, old screen doors, sleeping bags and Barbie pop-up tents, and, even with all of those tools deployed in all sorts of interesting ways, River cowered in a Y of the trunk about 30 feet off the ground. Darkness was setting in, so we did what years of TV watching have taught us to do--we called the fire department. Indeed, a giant, flashing fire truck soon was rolling into our little Madisonville neighborhood, and just its mere appearance prompted River to take the leap of faith! She landed upright with a thud and then scurried off into our open garage. The firefighters ended up giving plastic, junior firefighters helmets to our 5-year-old daughter and her down-the-street bud, who had raced down with her parents to see the show. Almost 24 hours later, River seems pretty OK, except for a bit of a swollen and grass-stained snout--we're thinking she landed not only on four paws but her nose, too.