I’m thinking about the small things we do that harm nature. I planted a pyramidal Norway Spruce four years ago. I wanted the tree to block my view of a neighbor’s bathroom window, one without curtains or shades and the light always on. I selfishly positioned the tree so that I would never see the window again.

But then the tree began to die. It lost most of the needles on one side. I thought it was winterburn and that the tree would recover. It wasn’t; it was bursts of hot air blasting the tree at close range, coming from my boiler. I hadn’t noticed the vent on the side of the house at the time of planting. When I finally made the connection, just a couple of months ago, I felt sick to my stomach. A handyman installed a “plumber’s elbow” and now the hot air goes in another direction. Each day I say hello to the tree, send it love, and ask it to forgive me.

I’m submitting three photographs to illustrate the small things we can do to make the world more beautiful. I hope my devotion to the tree will bring back the needles next year.