Triage

The certified arborist told me this Colorado Spruce was acting like
a big baby. Outgrown its space. Trimming would have been
almost as much as removing it and would only delay the
inevitable.

Get it? TREEage? 

Even before this thing with the trees happened a couple of weeks ago, that's been my strategy for managing stuff. Like on M*A*S*H (I loved that show - was in love with Hawkeye and his wacky sense of humor). Focus on the most critical cases or situations first. Then moved on to the next. And so on.

So this year, that's meant dealing with each event in turn. The big events this spring and summer have been Lizz's graduation, then my trip to Nicaragua. Painting the back of the garage. Dealing with the trees. Next the roof.

Sigh.

I was feeling a little sentimental about the ginormous tree in the front yard. I love trees and thought it just needed a trim. But apparently it was exhibiting signs of fungal growth. And it really had way outgrown its space. It was clearly a menace to anyone on the sidewalk. I decided to suck it up and have it removed, partly so I could space out some of the shrubberies a bit better. Perhaps I'll get another small tree for that space at some point. 

When I got home tonight, this was all that remained. Goodbye, Christmas tree.

The view from the road has changed quite a bit.

Here it is before ...

And after.

I discovered a small shrubbery had been growing underneath that crazy tree! 

Now I can get in to trim a little more easily. Yay.

Here's the naughty Ash tree that caused me to triage the tree stuff ahead of 

a few other things on the list -- before ... 

And after.

The back yard looks wayyyyyy different now. It feels larger. Also much less shady.

I think I really need that trompe l'oeil mural I've been wanting to paint on the back of the house now.

But that creative endeavor will likely be triaged after replacing the flapper in the downstairs toilet, having the A/C serviced, fixing the malfunctioning light above the kitchen sink, the never-ending painting projects, getting new tires, Claudette's teeth-cleaning ...

T.G.I.F. 

I'll think about all that tomorrow. Or Monday. Soon.