In The Land Of Giants

It is not at all uncommon for those passing by, and seeing me flopping about in the yard, to compliment me on all the nice big trees I have. And it’s true, I have 25 trees that are at least 50 feet tall, which means, in the parlance, that I have a mature treed lot.

This is all quite wonderful during the Spring an Summer when the air is warm and the delights of flora are on full display…

But in the late Fall and Winter, however, a less delightful aspect of our life among the trees rears in annual ugly head. Big trees have the nasty habit of covering everything around it in what it no longer has any interest in, namely leaves, needles, boughs of varying sizes, and a bounty of cones, many of which are slathered with that bane of shoes, clothing, and hands: sap!

There is also the joy of those dark rainy windy days when big tall trees sway along with the weather high above one’s home and hearth. It is at these times when a mature treed lot is less than delightful. It is also the time when rather than admiration, I get consolation from passers by as they watch me rake and sweep the mountains of debris so thoughtfully returned to the earth by the giants among us.

You see it is much easier to admire than care for a mature treed lot.

And when nature’s mirth brings a special gift, like a 40 foot section of cedar tree crashing down on house and carport, there is little enthusiasm for the fun of removing said 40 foot section. Throw in the not so minor fact that is laying on top of a live power line and enthusiasm dwindles further.

There are people to call for that.

I don’t overly despair, this isn’t the first time in the nearly 30 years I’ve lived here that a tree has taken an unexpected plunge or broken apart, it is… what for it… the nature of things (A sense of humor always helps when you have to do something you don’t want to!).

Now you may say that if this is what the world is coming to, or that if I don’t like it I can just cut them down, well, you haven’t been paying attention to our evolving environmental beliefs or have no large trees to worry about. In our fair burg, one cannot, will-nilly, cut down trees. Permits and limits are in place to prevent potential miscreants from denuding their properties of large mature trees. It’s good for the Earth, makes the town look nice, etc.

I get that, but I also note that no assistance whatsoever is provided to deal with the less than delightful aspects of living with large trees. It is the property owners burden. The exception is if you’re dividing the property for multiple new residences. I’m not interested in that.

So let this be a warning to all and sundry that lo, a young tree is indeed beautiful and its flowers a joy, but like a toddler it will not stay small long, especially here where trees grow fantastically, and one day you will look up to see it towering above you in great majesty as you marvel at the mess it has made.

But, hey, the neighbors love ’em.