Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Timber............

Do any of you live in a Tree City USA? If you do, you'll understand the frustration that comes with needing proper authorization to remove trees on your property. We've had this blue cedar in our front yard majestically cracking our driveway, blocking the view of our house, dripping sap, shedding needles and pods and driving me crazy since we've lived here. We finally got the permit to cut down the tree, and I couldn't have been happier. Until I saw the tree on it's decent to oblivion. Then I got this really sick feeling in my stomach. We electively killed a really beautiful tree because it was a nuisance. One can actually see our house from the street now, and I'm thrilled about how it looks, but I still feel a tad sad. Part of that may be though that now I either have to get window coverings or stop scampering around in things I don't want my neighbors to see me in. Sigh.
Going, going, gone.
The tree pre-death.

12 comments:

Debra said...

You can see the house so much better now. I thinks it looks better with the tree gone. We had SO many trees at our last place. I am glad that I am not raking leaves this fall!

Your house is beautiful!

AutoSysGene said...

Wow, a permit to take a tree down? Was that an associtation thing? It looks pretty nice without the tree in the way.

As for scooting around in the unmentionables, maybe it's time for a robe ;)

Kristin said...

that was a big tree. I don't think we have to have permits, but no one I know has ever wanted to cut down one of the 100yr old trees on this street!

Tamara said...

Didn't know you had to have a permit when the tree was on your property. Funny that you've been working on that. We have a tree outside our place that we've been begging the property staff to cut down. It is a crab apple tree and leaves huge messes every year with the apples dropping on the sidewalk. Don't forget about all the bees and yellow-jackets that come along with the squished apples!

I recently wrote up a complaint letter along with pictures of the mess and got signatures of several of the neighbors in our building. I think it may have finally gotten their attention. One of the maintenance guys told me just the other day that it looks like we will finally be getting rid of our beloved apple tree.

Sorry tree but I don't feel one tiny bit of guilt!

I am Arizona; a person, not a place. said...

I lived in a tree city, but luckily I never had to try to have a tree removed. We were allowed to prune them all we want, so that's what we did. Our neighbor had to go through the whole permit process to have a tree removed and even have someone come out to see if it was really necessary! Hilarious. Sometimes people take a great thing and make it a pain in the butt.

Are You Serious! said...

We live in a tree city and when we got rid of our rotted out tree in our front yard we didn't ask if we needed a permit we just did it. That was 2 years ago. We never even thought to ask if we needed one... I guess we're okay. Can you imagine our leaf problem with one more HUGE tree? No thanks!!! :)

Stephanie said...

Your view does look better now, but oh, I understand the sadness. We just had to have two huge oaks cut down last week, and I hated losing them. They were dead, but had red-headed woodpeckers calling them home. I'll miss seeing the birds, but am hoping they make the trees across the street their new home.

We had to cut down three other oaks when we first bought our home - a disease called oak wilt had taken out many of the trees in the neighborhood. We have a wall of firewood now, and since we so wanted a wooded lot, my husband planted at least 30 trees that same year. They are growing, growing, and someday the kids will be raking, raking!!!!

Casey's trio said...

We have to get permits also...even if we just want to have the tree trimmed. We have a huge Oak tree in our backyard that is such a mess with all the acorns it drops.

My name is Tammie said...

Yep I have been trying to get the city to even just trim our tree so that it stops dropping branches when the Santa Anas pick up to no avail.

Your house is beautiful. Your (sorry I know you just posted about it but I am tired and its late) red tree is sooo pretty and now you can see it! Total bonus!

Happy tree cutting day!

Anonymous said...

It looks great! I didn't realize how much of the house was covered by that big tree!

Laura said...

I hate monster trees like that! I think it looks so much better without it. Enjoy more light in your house now too!

hi my name is mommy said...

Ahhhh, what a beautiful home! It's nice to have a visual to associate with the "you" that I feel like I know personally;)