The deer ate our trees!

We planted two small Rocky Mountain bristlecone pines on the street side of our home just after we built it in 2014 and over the years they had grown slowly but nicely. 

That particular species of pine tree (Pinus aristata)is long-lived and highly resilient to harsh weather and poor soils. In the family, one species, Pinus longaeva, is among the longest-lived life forms on Earth with some trees more than 4,800 years old, making it the oldest known tree of any species.

We appreciated them a lot in our high-desert environment. This was until yesterday when the deer that have invaded our neighborhood looking for food had both of them for lunch. 

We were angry and disappointed, but could only accept that sad situation. I’ll cut the remnants of both when the snow is gone...