While we’re on the subject

[fbhjr]

Growing up we had a large wooded area behind out house. Sadly over the last few decades the majority of it has gone to housing developments. All that is left is the few acres my father bought in the 50’s. But, when I was young, it went on for a couple of miles.
The woods were a mixture of pine and oak. There were a few birch trees scattered through the woods as well. But, there weren’t very many and they weren’t in good shape. Even when I was about 5, I could push over some of the birch trees and they’d collapse.
“Why are the white trees so weak?” I asked my mother.
“They have birch blight,” she said.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“It means the devil comes up in the middle of the night and sprinkles an evil dust on them and makes them die,” she told me.

So, from then on, I always looked at birch trees to see if I could spot the devil hiding behind them. I never did. And, I never understood what the devil had against them.
I also avoided them when I could. Not because I thought the devil was hiding behind them, but because I’ve never forgotten them memory of one crashing down when I pushed on it and my fear they’ll fall on me.