Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

📷This is my favorite part of the back yard. An old sugar maple that provides peaceful shade on blistering New England summer days.

This one has thrived despite being practically no-maintenance. Maple leaves are a bit of a pain in the fall and take forever to decompose but that's a small price to pay for this beauty.

Now my only question is how long do I have before the toddler decides that this needs to be climbed! 📷 Better Homes & Gardens: Maples