T is for Tree

My tree is going under the knife, a chainsaw actually, on April 28^th. I’m sad, because I hate to see another tree destroyed, but again, I don’t want to live through another night like I did last December.

It was the night of the BIG ICE STORM, and a frightening encounter with Mother Nature’s unpredictability. I had watched the weather worsen through the evening, with short term blackouts that threatened of something worse. I could hear the freezing rain strike against the window, saw the road glisten with ice. I was glad I was tucked in safe and sound, with no need to venture out in the cold.

Power outages were common across the county, and in many areas it would be days before power was restored. It was late when my power finally went out, and stayed out. With nothing else to do, I went to bed, huddled under layers of blankets as the warmth gradually ebbed away. Unable to settle, I read by flashlight until sleep finally took me over.

The first big bang woke me, but with no clock I had no idea how much time had passed. I’ve never experienced anything like it; the noise was incredible in the silence and isolation of my dark world. I moved from door to door, watching and listening to the frenzy outside. I could see the trees at the far edge of the property, bent over and unable to fight against the force of such a wild wind. I could hear it, and thought of the trains I can sometimes hear on a summer night, sounding louder and closer.

Every few minutes I could hear a crash on the roof, sometimes loud enough to make me jump, other times not so scary. When I looked out the window I saw twigs, small branches, bigger branches and finally limbs, some as big as 6 inches in diameter. The yard was littered with tree debris.

Now, that tree and its debris are no stranger to me. All summer long it dropped its small leaves on my patio and sidewalk, and I swept them away, to keep the area clean. I’ll admit I found it annoying. Neighbours said the positive, to balance out the negative sweeping, was the shade the tree provided, some relief from the summer sun.

That tree has to be at least thirty feet tall, maybe more but I’m not a good judge of that kind of thing. For a good twenty feet the trunk, at least 2 feet in diameter, goes straight up. The limbs and thick branches are all at the top, far above the roof, so I wonder how much shade they really provide. So many of the limbs were dead, and had no leafy shelter to offer.

The Tree Doctor was called in and his diagnosis, the tree was dying. Those limbs, so high up, would be in continual danger of breaking off and falling in any strong wind. And he was right. Throughout the winter the tree continued to disperse its dead and dying branches into the yard, adding to the litter from the storm.

The yard has been cleared of all the debris, and raked so all the ugly reminders are gone, and what is left is grass, trying so hard to be green with this crazy spring weather. We’ve gone from lovely warm spring weather right back into winter cold. Last week we had snow, and heavy morning frost.

I’m trying to think of something positive to come of having my tree cut down, and the resulting tree stump that I assume will remain. What to do, what to do?

As the tree is situated at the side of my place, right in the middle of the grassy section between the house and the walk, it could be an eyesore. Maybe a big pot of flowers, sitting on the top will give it some beauty, for the summer months at least.

But…I remember seeing the base of a cut tree made to look like a fairy house. A door was made and attached at the base, with a window too, I think, and a kind of smokestack at the top. Now that would be a work of art made out of something not so pretty. And who knows, if you believe in fairies, some just might come and live in a house made just for them.

It’s worth a try. We can all use a little fairy magic…right?