Weeping

This month marks thirty years since we moved to New Zealand. Back then, when we uprooted our family and moved countries, our children ranged in age from literally days off turning eleven down to almost two (the same month). At the time, I thought we were coming for three to five years. I'm not sure I would have agreed had I known it was long term!

But we settled in, made a life here, and to this day still feel that God led us here for a purpose. 

For me, this new climate was eye-opening. I had never seen so much rainfall before in a year. In fact, I remember feeling like Mrs Noah that first year. Was it really possible for it to rain so much in one place? 

I also found the cold difficult to tolerate (not a lot has changed although our house is now certainly a lot warmer than it was when we first moved in).

So when Spring rolled around that first year - the first time I had probably really ever experienced a true Spring as our seasons back home tended to be hot for most months of the year with a cold month or two thrown in in the middle of the year - I fell in love with all the Spring blossom and promptly went out and bought an ornamental weeping cherry tree for our garden.

Several years later the tree got moved from its original spot without any apparent harm. And for the next two decades it delighted us every year with its blossom.

Until 2025.

At first we didn't notice. There were other concerns occupying our time, and so it wasn't until two months later that we realised it had neither blossomed nor sprouted new leaves.

In fact, it was looking decidedly sad.

We gave it time (after all, there were a few leaves - perhaps it was just late this year?) ... and more time ... and even more time, but it soon became evident that that tree was not going to come back to life. Online research indicated that the trees only have a short lifespan - something we had not known when we planted it.

We had a decision to make. It appeared that we had no choice but to remove it but what to plant in its stead? Further online search revealed that there was a weeping apple tree - a rare Australian variety that had a natural weeping habit with gorgeous blossom and, a definite bonus, apples in season. It sounded like a winner.

We found a supplier, bought the tree, brought it home, and planted it.

It's looking quite small in the space that had once been adorned by the weeping cherry, but given time, it should be just as glorious as its predecessor. I can hardly wait!

(P.S. I also miss  yellow sand beaches, and thunderstorms. But not the snakes.)

(Note: The tree is known as both Wandin Pride Apple or Wandin Glory.)