TREES

We said goodbye to our faithful and messy walnut trees today. Knowing this was their last season is one reason I took some photos of the walnut gathering the other day. (see the Walnuts post). These trees have stood tall in the back yard for the ten years we've lived here. Most importantly they provided solid anchors for the giant swing we installed with worn out climbing rope and some cables. We celebrated many happy swooshes into the air thanks to our old walnut trees. With the trees demise, memories must because a little more solidified with no visual reminder out back.

Saying goodbye to trees is always hard. If I had it my way, I'd never cut down any of them. But, in neighborhoods where trees, houses and people coexist, the later to generally outlast the former. Such is the case in our yard. Hurricane Ike reeked havoc in our yard when the winds came through and a huge, dangerous limb came crashing down off the front poplar knocking out neighborhood power for a matter for days. A scenario we didn't want to repeat, especially on top of the house!

The good ending to the saying goodbye: Our dentist friend, Kevin, is an amazing woodworker. He's going to take the wood and get it to the saw mill and use it for furniture. We're hoping he'll come through on the promise (was it a "promise"?) "I'll make you guys something!" Oh YES! Would we ever LOVE to have something made from our friends the walnut trees.

When summer roles around we'll especially miss the walnut trees, but there will be a little more sunshine in our yard. Maybe enough to grow some real grass.