Trees Gone
Along with my 50 year old house, I had some 50 year old trees that were dying. I'd had a couple trees cut before so I thought this would go fine too. Well the cutting and removal did go fine but it is so sad to see the back yard, minus the largest tree. It provided shade and a perfect limb for the tire swing. It had large dead branches and the bark was falling off, but it was not dead, well not until I killed it. Loss of this tree is not a good thing and I have regrets. I don't have another 50 years to grow another tree. Crazy what makes me melancholy. I'm checking the internet for replacement ideas. Fast growing ones. Thought about a cotton wood but not sure those roots would be good anywhere near my septic field. Ever heard of a Royal Empress?
Speaking of trees, I recently read a book titled The Shade of My Own Tree by Sheila Williams. It is a first-person novel about the courage to change. "If you keep looking backward, you can't more forward." Okay, on this the last day of September, I get the message.
Fall and Grilling
We are having very warm weather for this time of year. But the days are getting much shorter. The nights and mornings are cool. It is interesting how different parts of our vast country look at this time of year. Here in MI I see things shutting down. Leaves, and those pesky nuts too, falling. Woolly worms and wasps building winter homes. Squirrel tails flying everywhere to get those nuts buried. Checking the furnace and windows for the winter weather we know is coming. Not my favorite time of year. Then I listen to those folks living in places like Florida and parts of California who are so happy to be turning off their air conditioners and opening their windows. They are headed into their favorite time of the year. Yup, I'm being drawn their way for a few months.
Yesterday, I finished cleaning up and painting the inside of the garage. Before I rolled it back in, I just had to cook on the charcoal grill again. What is your favorite food for the grill? I like lots of things, but roasted sweet potatoes are high on the list. I cooked five of them yesterday and will put some in the freezer. I also like to cook hamburgers there and do a whole bunch so I can freeze them too. Really good in goulash, chili and hash. Watch out here comes another memory, this one from my childhood. There were lots of old trees in our front yard resulting the lots of leaves. My dad would rake them into the ditch and burn them. Sorry folks, we didn't know better then. Back then people would have thought it impossible that in 2007, people would be buying bags to put the leaves in and then pay for people to pick them up. But, back to my memories. Those leaves made super coals and I always ran into the house to get potatoes to throw into the coals. It didn't take long until they could be raked out. The outsides were black but inside were the very best tasting fluffy white potato, just waiting for a hunk of butter. I've never been able to resist putting potatoes into glowing coals. My kids remember me doing this during their growing-up years. It was never the treat for them that it was for me. They ran for the marshmellows.
One more item on my non-quilty ramble today. Have you found anything worth watching on the new fall TV shows? The War series on PBS is good. Only problem is that it is so visually presented, it is hard to sew while "watching." And I liked ER on Thursday. This show has been on TV forever and is as fresh and well written as ever. I haven't seen any new shows that I'm likely to watch regularly. I did just see on TV that it is the anniversary of the creation of the take offs of the smiley face for computer correspondence. So I leave you hoping you have a happy day. : = )
6 comments:
Thanks for the book recommendation. I've been looking for a good book to read. And I agree with you - roasted sweet potatoes grilled are the best.
We planted a lot of Cottonwoods but they all got some sort of fungus and huge branches fall off in the slightest wind. I would not recommend them although the original ones are among my favorite trees. These are hybrids that don't have "cotton" but aren't strong like the old ones.
It is sad to lose an old tree. Even though you may not see a new tree grow to maturity, someone else will get to enjoy it. We need to plant trees here too.
Fall here in AZ is odd, with nothing falling but the temps. But then, all the seasons are odd and not what I grew up with.
Its a shame to lose a tree but also a chance for a new beginning. How about something that would bloom in the Spring?
When do you head for Florida?
Hi Katie, so very sad to lose an old tree. I've always hated the process of them needling to be taken down, and avoid it if I can.' I can't think of anything that is both fsst growing and sturdy, and sturdy is important. Maybe the nursery would have some recommendations for you.
Can't help you with a grill favorite either, as things cooked over charcoal have too much of the smokey smell and taste for my asthma. Shuts the breathing right down tight. As do some BBQ sauces...weird huh? It's the smoke.
On a gas grill, I'm ok and love both steak and potatoes cooked that way.
With childhood bonfires, no food was ever involved...LOL. I have excellent memories of the smell of burning leaves tho, and loved seeing the smoke trail straight up from the smudgy little fires burning along the curbs in our town. Older men leaning on their rakes in the early evening twilight. The voices of children playing just a bit longer before having to go inside.
Love the silk embroidery on your vest...absolutely beautiful!! Don't care for the pictures quite as much, they don't seem as spontaneous.
You have done alot of different things, haven't you??? Hugs, FInn
What wonderful memories - I remember my grandma's burn barrel. The whole town always smelled so good on those burn days *s*
So sad to lose the tree. We had to take out a much younger tree from our front yard a couple of years back. Seems the previous owners saw fit to plant directly on top of the sewer line . . . it was a happy, healthy tree; however, our plumbing bill was not. We still haven't come up with a good replacement plan.
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