We have been so busy with everything. (Isn't everybody?) We have neglected so much. Lately it seems like all we do is laundry and clean up cat hair. How many cats DO we have?
When I'm at work, all I can think about is everything I want to do at home. After work we've been working on drywall and patching seams at the project house, then by the time we get back to the Cat Ranch, all I want to do is sit and watch the sunset with a cocktail and Walt Kowalski.
Two months ago, in the middle of the night, I heard a big crash of a tree. The crash in the silence of the night woke me out of a sound sleep. It was a clear night with no breeze. In the morning, I told Walt Kowalski and we went out to the patio to investigate. Nothing. Maybe it was in my dreams.
Several weeks later, we were sitting on the patio and Walt Kowalski said "Look at that big branch that fell over in the forest!" We went to investigate and found the branch I heard fall. It wasn't just a branch, but a branch the size of a tree.
Last month, we were at the neighbor's cookout when we heard another branch falling in the forest. Same tree. Not as big of a branch, but still a big crashing noise. Everybody at the cookout stopped to watch.
Our trees are self-destructing.
Two weeks ago, we were sitting on the patio enjoying the sunset and having a quick dinner. With the humidity so high lately, the evening breeze has been a relief. As we sipped our cocktails, we could hear the branches in the canopy above us. We thought we heard what sounded like a cracking noise. Nothing alarming, no visible branch falling.
Several weeks later, we were sitting on the patio and Walt Kowalski said "Look at that big branch that fell over in the forest!" We went to investigate and found the branch I heard fall. It wasn't just a branch, but a branch the size of a tree.
Last month, we were at the neighbor's cookout when we heard another branch falling in the forest. Same tree. Not as big of a branch, but still a big crashing noise. Everybody at the cookout stopped to watch.
Our trees are self-destructing.
Two weeks ago, we were sitting on the patio enjoying the sunset and having a quick dinner. With the humidity so high lately, the evening breeze has been a relief. As we sipped our cocktails, we could hear the branches in the canopy above us. We thought we heard what sounded like a cracking noise. Nothing alarming, no visible branch falling.
Then last week, we were once again enjoying the remains of the day on the patio when Walt Kowalski happened to look up and say "Holy crap look at that branch!" Just off the patio, in the canopy of leaves above, was a HUGE branch that had fallen. The leaves and small top branches were caught in the crook of a branch on another tree. The trunk of the branch was still attached to the main part of the tree. It was hanging precariously over the entrance to the shed.
So what did we do? We went to look at it and stood directly underneath of it and looked up. Of course.
It was ripped, but still connected to the main part of the tree.
Everyday we looked and it was still there. Still attached. But the rip was getting longer. And the amount attached was getting smaller.
Then this weekend, while we were away helping a friend move, the neighbors called.
Neighbor: "There was a big crash of a tree up at your house. Everybody in the neighborhood came to look."
Walt Kowalski: "Oh man, the branch fell. Did it hit the shed?"
Neighbor: "Nah, but one of your tiki torches took a direct hit and there is mulch all over the patio."
So what did we do? We went to look at it and stood directly underneath of it and looked up. Of course.
It was ripped, but still connected to the main part of the tree.
Everyday we looked and it was still there. Still attached. But the rip was getting longer. And the amount attached was getting smaller.
Then this weekend, while we were away helping a friend move, the neighbors called.
Neighbor: "There was a big crash of a tree up at your house. Everybody in the neighborhood came to look."
Walt Kowalski: "Oh man, the branch fell. Did it hit the shed?"
Neighbor: "Nah, but one of your tiki torches took a direct hit and there is mulch all over the patio."
You can see how high the branch was when it was originally attached.
And the dagger that speared the mulch. We figure this is where the initial impact of the branch hit, then it splintered again.
We were bummed we missed it fall, but we're glad it fell. Had it fallen when we were home, we would have probably been working in or around the shed.
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