When I stepped out on my front porch early yesterday morning on my way to watering my garden, I saw this mess.
It took a minute or so to comprehend this was not a mess, but a well planned cut back of a tree. I was sure it would still grow, even after it had been once again butchered. Five years ago, my former neighbors
removed all the large limbs over their driveway, leaving the tree oddly shaped and lopsided. However, it was still a beautiful and viable tree, that I am certain was planted at the same time as mine.
Can you believe and imagine my horror later that afternoon when I ventured out in the heat to get my mail?
Early this morning, right after I watered my garden, I snapped this picture of the two trees, or what was left of one of them. Now please understand, I am not a tree hugger in the sense that I would tie myself to a tree or put spikes in it to keep it from being cut down. But I am a tree hugger in the sense that this beauty was a part of our traditional neighborhood, and a bit of history of what came before. Now all that was left was a pile of wood, destined for the landfill. Who in their right mind would remove such a beautiful and historical tree, when there was absolutely nothing wrong with it? My heart was breaking and it was all I could do to keep from crying. Even now, as I see these photos, tears are welling in my eyes.
The only thing I could do was take this photo of MY tree, a tree I wouldn't allow the restoration company that repaired my basement after the flood last year, to cut the long branch over the driveway to facilitate their equipment and trucks.I can assure the owners of the tree, the sun is going to beat down on that house in the afternoon and it won't be long until they miss the shade and wind break of this old growth tree. I have no idea how this will affect my tree, my yard, and my craft room in both winter and summer, which was shaded and protected by the canopy of both trees. Only time will tell.
Feel free to chime in on this because I'm usually not one to rant, at least not on my blog!
___________________________________
Dollar Exchange Rate
25 thoughtful remarks:
Oh Elizabeth...that is such a bummer...a major bummer. I would be very upset too. Have you asked them what their plans are? Perhaps a better breed of tree like an Oak or a Maple? ?... (it looked like an elm they took down). Not what I would have done though. I would have kept the tree too. There is no getting that 70 years of growth back. I have told my husband if anything happened to our large tree in front of our house I would not want our house anymore. Trees are a part of your home, including those on your street. I can see why this upsets you. I hope your craft room stays cool!
oh dear. The tree in front of our house is damaged and we are having a hard time with removing it. But it is unsafe and we will quickly replace it but... And yes, it definitely affects shade for the house and the plants. oye!
We live in "the sticks" and there are many trees, with a lot of them well over a century old. Across the street was a little cabin with huge beautiful red oaks all around it. It was bought by a neighbor up the hill who has two bradford pears (opps...ONE bradford pear now) in his yard. He went into the cabin's yard and sawed down every single tree!!! Didn't even have a portable saw miller come in to save the beautiful wood from lumber. He proudly
said, "I'll have that yard looking like a golf course!"
UGH!!!
If people want a "golf course yard" why don't they just buy one of those homes built on an old pasture without a tree in sight?!?!
So sorry Elizabeth... I know you'll miss it. Maybe they will put another in it's place. I know it's sad, but try to look at it in a more positive note... Maybe you can plant more sun-loving flowers to inspire your art!
I know how you feel.
So sorry!
That is just senseless ... Especially in the heat you have there ... Shade is precious .... As is the history and the beauty of such a tree ... I am sad with you
Yes, if people want treeless lots - they need to move to new subdivisions on old farmland, etc., that have no trees. I was visiting my granddaughter and had taken her to a park to play. While there - I thought - what is wrong here? I then realized - there were no birds - because there were no trees - on this subdivision. Hope you are cool....
The people behind our house did the same thing. They had a gigantic weeping willow in the back corner of their yard that butted up to our yard. One day I heard chain saws. They took it and a couple other trees down that cold winter day. I was so sad and angry. How could they do that to a perfectly wonderful, healthy tree. Guess what they did a couple years later...planted a bunch of new trees. Doesn't make a bit of sense to me.
I am so sorry! This is happening in our neighborhood a lot, too. And then people wonder why the squirrels all winter in their attics -- uh -- cause you cut down their TREES!! And I really can't imagine the reasoning during a scorching summer. It's also bizarre when in the spring people have dogwoods and redbuds cut down while still in full bloom.
I sympathize and had a similar issue in the last house we lived in. Now, I have to opposite issue; we are surrounded by 18 pine trees in very bad condition the landlord won't cut down. Every time it is windy or rains, branches fall all over the roof and yard, terrifying us and our pets.
that is a little sad, but being a daughter of a rather good gardner i know that maybe the roots have infiltrated their house or plumbing and the old girl had to be taken down.
Sacrilege. I would have been really upset too.
Loosing trees is always sad. hopefully they plan to plant some new ones that in time will bring joy and pleasure to everyone.
...it is sad when the bigger picture cannot be seen, the effect on the environment, the wildlife, and the many hundred insects and creatures above & below ground who would call that tree with its network of roots home...if the tree is diseased than ok nature has called it, but if through sheer ignorance for cosmetic reasons then shame on them and they will live with the coming consequences...try not to dwell Elizabeth your health is more important and maybe you can plant a tree as close to your land border and watch it flourish with pride in the coming years...alas some people no not what they do...big hug...Mel :)
...sorry Elizabeth me again, forgive my bad spelling I really should proof read before I hit the send button that should be know...xx
I am so sorry this has happened, it is very sad. I grew up in a town of tree lined streets, but there are none now. The councils are so worried about public liability they can't afford the insurances if people sue in our litigious society. So sad. Not all steps forward are progress. :0)
I'm so , so sorry.......especially since this will affect your way of life also. People in my experience are so quick to cut down a tree....one lady on another blog spoke of cutting her trees because she was tired of raking the leaves......sigh.....trees take so long to grow and they hold such history and i proudly pronounce myself a tree hugger.......not that that would help now.....Can you plant another tree on your property to help compensate for its loss in a few years? Maybe near your craft room??? Hugs! deb
I cringe when I see this happening.So sorry your big tree next door has gone.
We had all our carob (street)trees cut down three years ago. Horrible. There were only three of us who picked up the pods though.They were left just lying around by most of the people in the street.Now that they are gone there is no character in the street.They were a bother when the pods dropped, but the benefit of the trees far outweighed the pods problem.
Proof that sometimes life makes no sense at all...I am sorry that you are suffering the loss of the grand tree...so careless and reckless of that neighbor and it probably cost a pretty penny to have it taken down too and for what!
We had a neighbor some years ago that would always cut down something on Arbor Day of all day's...we were happy when he moved out
Sending tree hugs your way...take care Missy!
oxo
I would be livid! The thoughtless stupidity of people never ceases to amaze me :0(
That is so sad, and I hope the shade/cooling factor on your house is not too bad.
Perhaps the only thing worse than this is to not take down a dead or diseased tree. There are two on the properties behind us, and I cringe every time we have a wind/rainstorm, fearing they will come down on our house.
So sad :^( Here we have to get a permit before we can cut down a tree. We have a main thoroughfare which looks quite absurd because they put a middle aisle in the street because there were old trees growing.Patsy from
HeARTworks and
papemelroti
I am having to play catch up as I missed this yesterday since I was in the middle of a craftin whirlwind! I am sorry too about your tree, the owner of the property behind the creek where I live cut down about 10 trees from their lot. I was so upset, and couldn't believe that more people weren't going to miss the trees. waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)
Oh that is horrible. I would really hate if my neighbours decided to do that!
I honestly don't get people.
Ciao Bella
Sensible Sarah
I'm so pained by the unnecessary massacre of this tree. I know how devastated I felt when my (much smaller) diseased old apple tree had to be felled earlier this year so I can well understand your traumas over this lovely tree.
Now you must treasure your own tree twice as much.
With sympathetic thoughts bombing over the pond from Liverpool
JoZarty x
Post a Comment