Just about this time last year, I saved a little tree.

Someone had placed this perky little fellow, still laden with its Christmas decor, in the break room trash bin. I removed the restrictive finery and put it on my desk, where it was visited throughout the day by admirers.

My little tree is still with me. Behold Piney, a year later!

He is, thank goodness, a slow-growing pine, since ultimately he’ll be happier in a plot of land, and we just don’t have that right now. But he’s spread out some in his place in front of the window (he sits on the other side of that low cube wall) and has two other plants to keep him company.

And he still makes me smile.