Japanese Maples Need Water and Other Deep Thoughts

I have a little sadness in the garden.

My Japanese maples are wearing the effects of my illness of last year. 

While under the influence of the Epstein Barr virus, I ventured outside only a couple of times last summer and fall, and since I couldn't think properly I would just look around and drag myself back in. 

Doing anything in the yard was impossible. And I couldn't even put the thought together that in a drought, plants and small trees should be watered. I could have asked someone to do it for me, but observations and solutions were not part of my functional reality. 

So my Red Laceleaf and My Ukigomo Japanese Maples died back hard. 

The Red is sending out vigorous shoots, but the Uki is not. I hope (really, really, really hope) that it makes it. It was a beautiful tree. 

Two years ago I would have been very upset by this. Today I am not.

Even if it doesn't survive I can see that it is a small loss put into perspective by the very thing that caused it. In truth, the EBV has put many things into perspective for me, so I can add this to the list. It has also tempered me, which lessens my desire to get worked up over things. This is not a bad thing, either.

So I suppose one could conclude that I traded in some maple branches for some spiritual maturity. That's a pretty good deal.