Monday, March 11, 2019

In Which The Tree Show Was Watched Plus Crazy


Boppy got up this morning before the tree crew got here but I stayed in bed until the lad woke up. He popped up, said, "Where's Boppy?" and I told him that Boppy was probably in the kitchen and to come give me a hug. He looked straight at me and then ran for the kitchen.
Sigh.
I got up and by the time I got to the kitchen, Mr. Moon had things well under control with August. I gave them bananas and told them I'd heat up the pancakes which I'd made the day before and they went outside to begin watching the show.
SO EXCITING!
Dear god, I don't even know how many men and how many units of large equipment were on my property today.


Here were the guys after breakfast watching the old, rotten cherry laurel coming out of a different part of the yard. 

So all of that happened and eventually August got bored and Boppy had to go to work and there were books and puzzles as chain saws roared and men yelled and our trees got taken out and then Mommy and Levon came. At that point August had eaten the banana, three pancakes, a piece of bacon, and then asked if I could make him "another foods," so I did and he had a peanut butter sandwich on top of everything else. As he told me when he sat down to eat his pancakes, "I have so much room in me!" 
Jessie took Levon out to see what was going on and that boy almost lost his mind. When Jessie tried to bring him back in he yelled and screamed, "NO! NO!" Heavy equipment operation may be in that child's future. He kept making the sign for "more" and saying, "See! See!" 
He wanted to watch some more. 

And then the boys and Jessie left and the tree guys finished up. They did such a good job that I expected one of them to pull a whisk broom and a dustpan out of his back pocket and sweep up the last of the saw dust and detritus. They did use a blower on it. 
Here's what my tree looks like now.


I am so sad. But there was definitely rot in the ancient thing. 


I'm not sure why they didn't just take the last remaining trunk of it because I have no doubt it will come down sooner or later too. 


Here's what the play set looks like that Boppy built some years ago.


I heard him and August discussing this as they watched and August told his grandfather that he should build it back. "I can help," he said. "I will bring tools and help."
"Great!" said Mr. Moon. "We can do that!"
"Let's DO THIS THING!" said August, throwing his arms up into the air. 
And you know that pleased his Boppy immensely. 

So. After all of these months, the tree is gone and after all of these years, the cherry laurel is gone. I found a pretty little piece of crockery over near the stump of it. 


There are bits and pieces of housekeeping remnants everywhere in this yard. I used to collect them all but now I just look at them and appreciate them and give them back to the dirt. 

I've been a bit melancholy today. Melancholy and something else I can't quite name. In two days I'm heading over to Gator Bone to help Lis get ready for their huge, amazing, fantastic, out-of-this world, three-day pot luck picking party. I have been to many of these and reported on them and they are always wonderful but I haven't been in awhile. As I have grown older my ability to function around other people (and there will be literally hundreds) has decreased and my anxiety related to stimuli has increased and I have been cowardly despite the fact that I always know there will be so many people there whom I really do love and so much good music and so much pure, plain community and I have bowed out. But this year? I just have to go. Lis AND Lon have helped me out with each of my children's weddings. I mean, from arbor building to wedding cake making. And beyond all of that, FAR beyond all of that, true love and moral support. 
So. I simply have to go. 
The helping part is easy. I love what I do in the kitchen there. I make soda bread and corned beef and cabbage. I make angel biscuits and whatever needs to be made. I will be glad to do whatever needs to be done from ditch digging to holding Lis's lipstick. 
But oh, the party part...
Well. I'm going. I told Lis the other day that I would be coming on Wednesday and leaving on Friday when the people started getting there. She laughed her merry Lis laugh and said, "I knew you were going to say that."
"Could you get some of that crime tape and wrap it around the kitchen so no one will try to come in and talk to me while I'm cooking?" I asked her and then added. "God, I must love you."
And she knows I do. And Lon too. 
And this year, Jessie and Vergil and the boys are coming and will be camping and so I'll have my little posse which is a good thing. And Mr. Moon will be coming too, later in the week. 
And so all of that has affected me, I'm sure, because I am one of those people who freak the fuck out for no real reason except that of course my reasons are real, despite the fact that they're in my head. 
Everything is in our heads so I'm over feeling bad about that. 
But this is definitely a situation where love conquers all and so it shall. 

Here's what I picked tonight for our salad. 


How pretty is that? 
Do you like the running carrot? I do. 
It's going to run straight into our mouths. 

Love...Ms. Moon



21 comments:

  1. One does wonder why they didn't take the other part of the tree out. How many times do you have to have giant trees falling in your yard? The play set looks so forlorn.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with you, Allison. The tree is going to come down but that's what the railroad company (and the tree is on their property) paid for.
      And the play set- forlorn indeed.
      Sigh.

      Delete
  2. Those are gorgeous salad ingredients.

    I have plenty of "freak the fuck out" moments myself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe I should get a tattoo that says, "FREAK THE FUCK OUT! And then get on with it."

      Delete
  3. That baby with so much room in him, that is just the best! On so many levels!
    Sad about the trees, just as sad happens about all passing, Trees are special.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. August even showed me his leg to indicate where he had room. Boy was hungry!
      Trees can be sacred, can't they?

      Delete
  4. I'm sorry for the loss of your trees. I hope your anxiety doesn't get the better of you at the gathering...it sounds like a good time. As an introvert, I always plan downtime after events like that, otherwise, exhaustion can set in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right, e. I need to let myself hibernate for a while after the party when I get home. I can do that!

      Delete
  5. Losing a tree does that to me too. Like losing a friend. Such an immensely long life, gone in a morning.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hundreds and hundreds of years old. And how many hurricanes did it stand tall to before this one? Who knows?

      Delete
  6. I wish you the best and hope the anxiety is under control(!)while you are in your kitchen. I have made exit plans,like yours,my whole life and share your apprehension about masses of people. I am sure it will all work out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And we need to not be ashamed of how we are and who we are. There are plenty of people who love to be around lots and lots of other people but they are no more "right" than we are. We are all just different and we can still love each other and try our best to honor our differences.

      Delete
  7. I hope all goes well for you this week.

    I love August's declaration that he has so much room in him. Too sweet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Obviously, he DOES have so much room in him! It's crazy how much that tiny boy can eat.

      Delete
  8. I just love August and his love of his Boppy. so sad to lose trees, especially old ones. I have a gorgeous craggy tallow in the little backyard that I fear is nearing the end of it's lifespan as they are not long lived trees. it will leave a huge hole if it goes before I do.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My skyline is definitely completely changed since the hurricane brought that old tree down. It's sad and change is hard.
      August does love his Boppy so much. And nothing could make his grandfather happier. He truly does recognize and cherish that.

      Delete
  9. I had the same thought you did -- why did the tree crew leave that last trunk? I'm sure it WILL fall at some point. I guess it gives the tree a few more years (hopefully) of life, though, so that's something. Another opportunity for birds to build nests in its hair, or however that poem by Joyce Kilmer goes.

    Those boys are so funny. I love August's "LET'S DO THIS!" and Levon's enthusiasm with the heavy equipment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep. I didn't really think about how every tree has its own ecosystem going on in its branches until a few years ago. So maybe this one can support some life for a while longer. I hope so.
      I've never seen a one-year old as obsessed with anything as Levon appears to be with trucks and bulldozers and all of those big machines. It's sort of wonderful.

      Delete
  10. Levon wanting to keep watching is so sweet. And August's playset plans.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SEE MORE!!!
      Yes. It's precious.
      And August- I love that he has no doubt that he can help his Boppy rebuild the playset. No doubt whatsoever.

      Delete
  11. The sight of August and his grandad, big Boppy and Little Boppy, sitting together watching all that man and machine stuff, just fills my heart. And you’ll be fine once you actually get there and are in the mix but I sure do understand the anxiety beforehand. We are sisters in this. Love.

    ReplyDelete

Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.