{"id":3708,"date":"2014-11-17T04:10:01","date_gmt":"2014-11-17T04:10:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/?p=3708"},"modified":"2014-11-17T04:10:57","modified_gmt":"2014-11-17T04:10:57","slug":"requiem-for-a-maple-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/?p=3708","title":{"rendered":"Requiem for a Maple Tree Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

It finally happened. \u00a0They came and cut the big maple down this week. \u00a0 When I got the phone call they were coming, I almost felt like I had heard of someone’s death and that night all I could think about was that the next day the big maple would be gone.<\/p>\n

We have lived under the shade of the big maple for decades. \u00a0In the Summer when it would be hot outside, the big maple would shade the north side of the house and make the house a little cooler. \u00a0 In the Autumn, the big maple would drop its leaves and allow the sun to shine on our house to give a little warmth.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9787\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I took a final picture of the tree. \u00a0 It looked so beautiful against the blue sky.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9800\"<\/a><\/p>\n

My last view of the tree through our kitchen window.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9791\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Then it began. \u00a0The saw began its cutting of the smaller branches first.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9799\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Each branch was carefully lowered down with a rope.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9790\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One by one the branches came down.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9796\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The smaller branches were put into this industrial strength chipper shredder. \u00a0Wow, \u00a0I wish I had one one these. \u00a0David does not think it would be a good idea for me to have this for a playtoy.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9801\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Then the big branches were cut.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9812\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The big maple was a mere skeleton of itself.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9814\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Finally it was down to the large logs.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9818\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Logs too big to lift. \u00a0These will have to be split.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9819\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I’m not sure what this tool is called, but it was used to move the large logs. \u00a0These logs are still beside our house. \u00a0David has his work cut out for him. \u00a0The men asked me if we had a log splitter and I said, \u00a0“Yes, my husband.”<\/p>\n

\"DSCN9805\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We ended up with a lot of fire wood.<\/p>\n

Now the yard is bare on the north side of our house. \u00a0Next Spring I plan to plant a whole new perennial garden with lots of fall color. \u00a0Sumac, Japanese maples that come in all shades of reds, oranges and yellows, hydrangeas, maybe a fir or two. \u00a0Color will return to the yard by next Autumn. \u00a0And I won’t have to mow there any longer.<\/p>\n

I will leave you with a poem I found online about cutting down a tree. \u00a0It’s kind of how I feel.<\/p>\n

Tree I was<\/p>\n

That shed its leaves<\/p>\n

In winter to let<\/p>\n

Sunshine enter<\/p>\n

\u00a0Your home<\/p>\n

\u00a0To brighten life.<\/p>\n

Tree I was<\/p>\n

That grew leaves<\/p>\n

To provide shade<\/p>\n

In hot Summer<\/p>\n

\u00a0To cool your home<\/p>\n

\u00a0Providing comfort.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Tree I was<\/p>\n

Where birds made<\/p>\n

\u00a0Nests and lived<\/p>\n

And you said<\/p>\n

\u00a0How lovely it is<\/p>\n

This lovely tree.<\/p>\n

Yet you forgot all<\/p>\n

\u00a0And didn’t hesitate<\/p>\n

\u00a0To cut me and slice<\/p>\n

For the timber needed<\/p>\n

\u00a0To build your<\/p>\n

Vacation home.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Tree I was<\/p>\n

That lived a while<\/p>\n

Tree I was<\/p>\n

Tree no more.<\/p>\n

Tirupathi Chandrupatia (2014)<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0Except for cutting down the tree for a vacation home, that’s my sentiments exactly. \u00a0Here’s to beautiful trees. \u00a0May there be more of them. \u00a0Bye.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It finally happened. \u00a0They came and cut the big maple down this week. \u00a0 When I got the phone call they were coming, I almost felt like I had heard of someone’s death and that night all I could think about was that the next day the big maple would be gone. We have lived […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gardening","category-things-on-my-mind"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3708","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3708"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3708\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3735,"href":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3708\/revisions\/3735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/snicklefritz.net\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}