Two magnificent White Oak trees manage to survive in a narrow strip of grass between our driveway and the neighbor’s.

Frankly, I don’t know how they do it.

This strip of grass can’t be more than seven feet wide. The arborist we hired to inspect them said disapprovingly that they are healthy 90-year-old trees whose feeder roots were probably forced to extend hundreds of feet to find nutrients. Since both driveways have been in their current locations for over sixty years, I refused to be blamed for their poor siting.  All I can do is worry about them and provide the occasional pruning and feeding.

 Fall colors for White Oaks are fleeting and range from a golden yellow to orange that quickly fades to a uniform brown.
But when they’re at their peak, these trees are glorious. And heroic.

 Maybe that sounds odd to you. Most people only notice trees when they’re in the way. Our neighbor, for example, has a white oak the same age and size next to his driveway.  It slows him down when he backs out of his driveway and he wants it gone.

The thing is, trees can’t move to a better neighborhood. They just endure, right where they’re planted. And sometimes they prosper, against all odds. If you take the time to listen, trees are sending us a pretty wonderful message—without saying a single word.