Why hadn't I spotted it before? I was looking for something else, you know.
Some tiny sign of invaders on the needles that were turning yellow.
How many times do we have to learn, in our doctoring, to not let the symptoms lead us afield from the cause?
It was not an active invasion at all.
In a way, it was the very vigor of the tree that was hastening its death.
My discovery solved two mysteries at once.
Years ago, a dog had broken loose and run off through the bushes and lost a chain.
Eureka, I found it!