a pain in our ash

This is our Ash tree in our backyard. Taking this picture made me realize it is not a beautiful tree... but it is a tree and (1) mature trees are one of the reasons we bought this house, (2) it provides the perfect amount of shade on our patio for a suppertime barbecue, and (3) it is really fun to chase people around.

BUT, thanks to the Emerald Ash Borer, our tree is dying and could be dead and ready to flop down on our house in as little as seven months. So we need to cut 'er down. I am in mourning... our backyard will look so sad without the tree and shade and what will we run around? So, goodbye lovely tree. I will miss you. And this view.