Tree Work: Part 2 (04-20-10)

I had misgivings about the tree people, so I called their boss in the morning and offered to pay them for yesterday's work and call it a day, but she assured me that everything was fine, she was going to be there all day to supervise the work, etc. So they proceeded with the work.

Hah! What a mistake: they cut my wisteria down! The %^&!! lumberjacks cut it down many reminders to preserve it. The base of the wisteria was enormous but very decayed. From there, it went way up the fir tree, with a huge section of tangled dead old vines hanging precariously on the left side, and a dense network of newer thin vines actively growing and climbing on the right side. So, as he was trimming the branches off the fir tree, the guy removed the dead wisteria branches on the left as he had been instructed. When they fell down, what was left looked GREAT. I was at that point really happy with the results.

Then, about ten minutes later, I saw the guy cut horizontally across the new vines, and, in disbelief, before I could yell at him to stop, the entire mass of new vines came tumbling down with a huge crashing sound. I just about died. I screamed and yelled, but it was too late. Idiot. I was EXTREMELY angry, yelling and cursing, and then the boss drove up the alley in her truck, like everything was fine.

As the wisteria lay in a heap on the ground, the neighbor across the street came running up the driveway, asking why I had the wisteria cut, “It was so lovely,” he said. I was livid, and yelling that I didn't have it cut: the Neanderthal idiot up there had done it!

Seeing that I was upset, the neighbor kindly took me to his house to show me the work that had been done to their dining and living rooms. He seems like a nice eccentric type who talks with a muffled English accent. A pole at the corner of their property display a US and a Norwegian flag which have been flown at half-mast  for the last few days (perhaps because of the passing of the Health Care bill a couple of weeks ago?)

As for my wisteria, the damage is irreversible. But after I got really upset and stormed inside the house slamming the door, they gathered the leftover of a clump that fell to the ground and tied it to the tree as high as they could, rather than leaving everything laying in a heap on the ground. I got $200 off the agreed price, big deal!, and little consolation, since a plant that old was truly invaluable, especially when part of a historic property.

Garden Wonders (04-18-10)

I planted some heirloom tomatoes in the garden today:) It’s probably too early, but I don’t care: I wanted to dig in the dirt and plant something.

Large-scale tree work is to be done (by professionals) tomorrow; we hope to save parts of the ancient wisteria.

In the yard: wisteria, tulips, peony tree, lilacs, blueberries, raspberries, currants, spruce trees, camphor elm, white oaks, rose garden, vegetable garden, shade garden, hostas, calla lilies, lavender, gold dust, daphne, butterfly bush, magnolia tree, plum and cherry trees, lawns, azaleas, rhododendrons, peonies, hyacinths... Hydrangeas...Lilies of the valley...Bleeding Heart... It's truly lovely.

Gary and I went over to introduce ourselves to the people who share the flag lot next door (West side). It looks like there are some oddball characters in the neighborhood.

The front house is occupied by a family of four, but we only met the lady. She showed us her huge cat who, she said, can’t go outside because he eats squirrels. She seemed to not like some of the neighbors around and struck me as one of those people one does not want to tell too much to.

The back house is occupied by a couple, their grown daughters, and two grandchildren. Based on the assortment of non-working vehicles, miscellaneous broken toys and items thrown about (I am especially thinking about that large white cardboard box that has been discarded in the yard for who knows how long…), it doesn’t look like they have much time for house and yard maintenance . The back of their yard is covered with piles of wood (likely place for more carpenter ants...)