blueberry 'tree'

This 'tree' or bush suddenly sprung up the spring before last in our backyard where a blueberry bush was once planted for Jeff's birthday (his favourite berry and pie). When it sprouted, Jeff wondered what it was. I proclaimed in all my 'infinite wisdom' that it was the blueberry we had planted a few years previous. Jeff had his doubts. We made a small wager. I was smug thinking that I was right. Early this past Spring, Jeff again doubted its' lineage. Less certain, I still maintained that it was a blueberry bush; although it had grown four or five times larger than the surrounding blueberry bushes. Now, at the end of this growing season, I am ready to say, "That is NOT a blueberry bush. It's some sort of swamp loving willow. I was wrong." But he's not here to hear me. And it makes me giggle to remember how he once told me that he wouldn't admit it often, but that I was almost always 'right'. Well, I wasn't. So I am going to remove the 'swamp willow'. It saddens me because I won't have the reminder of our 'bet' in the backyard...and because I hate to kill plants. But Liv and I have decided to plant an apple tree where this things grows. Right beside all the blueberry bushes that we planted each birthday(except for his last birthday - we planted one after he died) for Jeff. And I'll say he won. And when we get apples from the tree, I'll make him a blueberry apple pie to make good on our bet