That would describe the grassy knoll after tree trimmers had at it during the week.
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| Before |
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| After |
Curious to see what other changes had been made to the landscape, I ventured out yesterday for a walkabout.
So far as I could tell, other trees had been trimmed, but our grassy knoll is the only area that has been decimated.
Turning the first corner on my walk, I spotted Painted Rock Lady standing outside her unit watching the tree trimmers operate the wood chopper.
We considered who we might like to toss into the chopper, after which she asked, "You coming to our Halloween party?".
"Is it a party? … the flyer indicated bingo.”
"Well, we are playing some bingo, but there will be other games, costumes".
So, it looks like Halloween won’t be a complete bust after all, but why didn’t the Baker have me indicate on the flyer that it wasn’t just bingo, but a party?
I’d specifically asked her that?
I’d even let her look at the boring bingo flyer just to make sure she didn’t want me to jazz it up by adding games, costumes, snacks, but she was happy with a plain vanilla flyer.
Oh well. It’s a good thing I’ve gotten this clarification, otherwise I very well might have continued my sabbatical, not checked in on the 31st.
Also, while on that walk, a neighbor mistook me for Tech Support.
This would be a neighbor I’ve seen at various events for years, but never bothered to know his name or interact with?
I do recall he was seated adjacent to me at the July 4th BBQ and that inasmuch as he’s somewhat disabled, as though he’d had a stroke at one time, couldn’t work his hands to twist the cap off his water bottle, had motioned for me to help him (motioned because he doesn’t speak), which I of course did open the bottle for him, later bussed his dishes as he has difficulty walking.
So, anyway, he stopped me on my walk, motioned that something was wrong with his telephone, placed it in my hand to take a look.
I couldn’t make heads or tails of the problem, other than the glass was cracked as though he’d dropped it at one time and the screen was locked on hello, being flashed over and over and over in various languages.
My guess was he’d downloaded a virus, so I told him it was best to take it to the shop.
He understood, so I continued the walk which logged in as a mile in 24 minutes. Not too shabby, but not good enough for a 5K. I fear my 5K days are over.
On that walk, I did see two other residents had "decorated" for Halloween.
Bless their hearts, but I guess something is better than nothing.
Was there something wrong with the trees?????
ReplyDeleteI don't like that!
As far as I can tell, the only problem was they provided us with shade. I guess since management had to give back the refrigerator, they decided to take away our shade trees.
DeleteThere is something evil about that management group! JanF
DeleteLOL, ya think.
DeleteWouldn't it be interesting to ask the tree trimmers why they got so carried away?
ReplyDeleteThey'd say, "We are only following orders".
DeleteWhat they did to those trees is just wrong. Not only is it needed to give a little shade in the hot months, it's also downright ugly. What is wrong with your management company?
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with our management company is like the million-dollar question.
DeleteI'm thinking tree trimmers made a big mistake. Ya need to start a garden club. Grow some little plants that turn into trees. Or some that look like poinsetta bushes, or okra plants, but oh, that's really a pot plant startin' up there. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteBetter we grow an Audry, like in Little Shop of Horrors.
DeleteI’ve gotten carried away when trimming in the past, but that’s called tree removal. I wonder why. Nice to see some Halloween decorations to keep yours company.
ReplyDeleteIf one can really call it Halloween decorations, but at least the thought was there.
DeleteThe only issue I could think why the trees could have been removed was that the roots would eventually push up the sidewalks. They did that once in the last place I lived because of this. It's poor planning on homeowners and developers, who place trees to begin with too close to sidewalks, homes foundations and streets. When trees mature and get big the roots need to be a good distance out from surrounding things to ensure roots don't cause damage. I too missed the trees when they were cut down, just like the old 84-year-old white spruce I had taken down here last summer, but had I not, the root would have pushed up the potting shed foundation, not to mention the tree was leaning. Thank heavens the rest of my tress are placed in good spots.
ReplyDeleteI'm no tree specialist, but people walk and wheel their chairs on the sidewalk around the quad, so probably no roots raising the sidewalk. I do know management might have thought the trees a nuisance because of the olives falling and staining the walkways. Less cleaning for them to chop down the trees.
DeleteJudging from the picture you took. they look close to the sidewalk, but they don't look like old trees, it would have taken probably another 15 years for the roots to disrupt the sidewalk yet. And I find it hard to believe, from what you say of the management, they would have been proactive in taking them down because of any roots system problems in the future, so it was probably from laziness of maintenace.
DeleteOurs is the only area that had mess on the walkways from the trees, so it stands to reason that's why trees were removed from the grassy knoll. I wonder if they'll come back and take out the unsightly stumps.
DeleteThe before photos looked better than the after. I would not have been happy.
ReplyDeleteWith no coverage, I can now spy on neighbors I was not able to see their units before, LOL.
DeleteGiven the drought conditions in California, perhaps the tree roots were close tapping into water lines (a very costly repair) or the root balls were so dry the trees were in danger of being uprooted in a storm. Tree and shrub removal is also a good idea to protect buildings against wild fire, though it doesn't look like you live in a forested area. If the tree stumps and root balls are also removed, then you'll know it was for a legitimate reason and not just because All Landlords Are Bastards!
ReplyDeleteConsidering that, when I first moved into this complex, it was like living in a forest, trees everywhere, paradise. First thing when this management took over the complex was to chop down something like 70+ trees. No joke. Maybe it was to protect us from fires, maybe due to the drought, I dunno. I don't like being out in nature, but I do enjoy watching nature from the safety of my unit, and now that the last of what was is gone, the view is bleak. The hummingbirds that lived in those trees/would occasionally peer into my patio window, are also now gone.
DeleteSo it's the ALAB then. A bleak landscape view is especially cruel for seniors -- Management should be ashamed of themselves!
DeleteI'm lucky that my view extends over the buildings to the hills above. I feel sorry for those whose view was the grassy knoll, but they do now have a view of the pool and partial view of the opposite side of the complex. Problem is, everyone can now see them as well. Oh well, memories will fade, folks will get over it.
DeleteI really hate it when the tree trimmers come around and just decimate everything.
ReplyDeleteResidents have been complaining about this landscaping crew for some time. Management says as soon as the contract is up, they're gone. Maybe the decimation is revenge, LOL.
DeleteYour Blog Hook Title did draw me in Today. *Winks* At least you can Spy more easily on Neighbors even tho' the Before looked way better than the After. Sometimes I don't understand Landscaping Choices when something nice is butchered for something that is not an improvement at all.
ReplyDeleteSeems the ones I can now spy on are boring to watch, LOL.
DeleteDo you get trick-or-treaters there?
ReplyDeleteWe used to set up a table out front and signs "trick or treat here". Cars would pull over with their kids. Don't know why we stopped doing that, but we did.
Delete