It was once a beautiful tree. . .

The tree in my front yard, at one time a beautiful Maple tree, is now debris out by the road for the town to pick up.  For years, daffodils grew at its base in the spring, followed by impatiens in the summer.  But in recent years, it began to die.   When it got to the point that I feared a strong wind would knock down its branches and cause damage, I knew it was time to take it down.  

This was found in one of the branches, but the babies and their mom were gone.

Ropes being strung to make way for the fall.

It's gone.  I learned a lesson from someone who knows about these things.  If you have a tree that you want to keep, it is a good idea to have a tree expert take a look at it every few years.  That way, problems can be caught early and the tree can be saved.