• The sugar maple. You can see where the damage occurred. There was a huge limb that grew out of that section of the tree and arched over the garden. When it came down it fell right on the garden. There are large sections of the garden where I can see no trace of my plants. Plants, for the most part, that have been growing there for seven years.
It’s not easy to see our sugar maple this way. If you remember, we lost another big limb during Hurricane Irene. This is also why we now need to get it and a few other trees pruned, so that there is no unnecessary weight pulling on the tree.
Quite a gash, no? The arborist tells us it will heal. But I can feel the tree’s pain as this limb was ripped off. Oh yes, I believe trees and plants feel things. Just how and what, I don’t claim to know. But they feel. Now that Scout’s crisis is under control, I’m going to have spend some time with this tree. More than a few hugs and positive healing words are in order.
• Leaves are falling everywhere here at the cottage. Maybe because I’ve been away and missed the first signs of color change, it seems to be happening so fast. We’re avoiding any raking at the moment. Eventually, we’ll have to get out there and clean things up, but now? We’re tired.
• You all know I’m a big Red Sox fan. My sister, who lives in Florida, is a Tampa Bay Rays fan. Uh oh. Those two teams are currently battling it out in the ALDS. The Sox won last night, but the Rays are a good team and I know it will be a battle. Meredith, I like your Rays and their manager, Joe Madden. But I’m hoping the Red Sox win. All’s fair in love and war.
• I took this picture of the Gomphrena growing in my galvanized planter. It looks like I used some sort of photo effect, but I didn’t. It just came out this way. I like it.
• Scoutie is improving daily. Yesterday I told Don that I would know she was getting back to normal when she demanded something or other from me by barking. A few short hours later, she wanted more food (she didn’t have anything to eat for about 4 days when she first become ill and she’s doing her best to catch up) and sure enough, after a stare-down contest, she started barking. Careful what you wish for, Claudia. She’s still tired but her energy level in general is a lot higher. I’m so grateful. This girl has been through a lot in the past 15 months: The scare with Geriatric Vestibular Disease, when she couldn’t walk or keep her balance and her eyes darted back and forth and I thought she’d had a stroke; Lyme Disease, which resulted in hospitalization and lots of worry and finally coming home on my birthday and this latest, the tumor in her vulva.
All of the dogs we have been lucky enough to have in our family were rescued and each of them dealt with chronic problems, diseases and, in the case of two of them, attacks from other dogs. I was thinking about that the other night. I’ll have to list everything someday. It’s mind boggling.
• And finally, I didn’t get around to picking the winner of a copy of Lowcountry Bombshell until this morning. The winner is longtime reader, Claudia Ehlers. Congratulations, Claudia! (You have a beautiful name, by the way!)
Happy Saturday.
Have really been behind on my reading, sorry to hear Scout has been under the weather. Your trees are really changing, just barely some color here in IL. Now we still be friends when my Cardinals play your Red Sox? lol
Ummm….I’m not sure about that, Ann!
That poor tree makes me ache! It looks like it had to really hurt!
So glad Scout’s doing well.
Have a great day.
Judy
You too, my friend. Yes, the tree makes me sad! How terrible it must have felt.
Happy news about Scout…forgot she’s already dealt with so much. I truly feel your pain about your sugar maple…but I’m sure it’ll spring back. Did the arborist give you any specific instructions…like fertilizing? Get caught up on your sleep…looks like you are going yo need it! ;)
No, just pruning, which we have to do soon.
I’m glad Scout is doing better and returning to old routines! I hate it when trees are damaged…I remember a few years back they put sidewalks through our neighborhood and we had to have 5 huge trees taken down…I could not watch those old friends go…
They ARE old friends. And it breaks my heart when they are damaged or taken down, Linda.
So glad to hear that Scout is barking orders again..lol..So sad about the Maple..at least her main part is still standing tall and proud..and beautiful!
She is still beautiful. I do miss that limb hanging over my garden (and the shade it provides) – it’s probably going to change the makeup of the garden in the long run.
Somewhere some expert camera person is looking at that photo and he will make up a new camera program called “Fading to light”. Very cool effect, even if it wasn’t on purpose.
Smlles to you.
Linda
Fading to Light. I like that!
Okay I am glad you like my Rays, and how could you not like Joe? The problem is the Sox are so darn strong. But we have David Price pitching today and he is a beast. And my poor boys are tired from all the extra games and traveling, your guys have been well rested, we will see how they battle it out today. GOOOOOOOO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mere
Actually, for a few innings yesterday, I thought being well rested was going to work against them. I’ve seen that happen more times than I can count!
I’m sorry about your tree. All the trees here are suffering from the droughts we’ve had for the last few years. Big oaks that have stood for years are being up rooted when we finally do get a storm. Glad to hear your girl is on the mend.
My girl is doing better, but no cure for what she has.
Give your girl a hug from me and Don and Scout, Gina!
I absolutely understand and believe as you do that the trees and gardens do, indeed, have “feelings” of some sort. I don’t think it is far fetched at all as they, too, are living things. I am so very very happy that Scout is feeling better, and when they “yell” at us, as annoying as it can be at times, it is truly a wonderful thing to hear after they haven’t been themselves.
Did you ever send the posts from the birthday wishes to your Dad, or did everything else snowball when Scout took ill? I did not know if you ever posted about it?? I know you had about a 100 different things coming at you that day.
Hope this is a better Saturday for you than was the last one!! chris
I told him about the comments but I haven’t had any time to figure out how to print them out. But I’ll be on it this weekend.
So glad to see that Scout is on the mend..So happy for you..I ‘ve had pets (dogs/cats) for the last 50 years..They all were healthy and died of old age…These two..different story..Mollie is developing allergies…and throws up in the morning if I don’t feed her just a little something first thing (empty stomach)..and Max has Kitty acne so he has to have a peroxide facial daily..It seems to control it..He was on prednisone for a couple of years…I found this works….But they are loved no matter what..
Absolutely. Unconditional love.
I am so glad that Scout is doing better.
Poor sugar maple!! But it looks so pretty in it’s fall clothes next to your house. With the rain we have had ( and continue to have this weekend) alot of our leaves have fallen. Luckily I was able to see some last weekend. Depending on what next week brings there may be hope for seeing some color next week. We haven’t hit peak here. But the locust and ash trees are getting close to being done. Love your post today. It sounds like things are starting to turn around for you. YEAH!!!
Yeah, is right, Teresa! Thank you.
Oh gosh, I can feel that trees pain, too Claudia. It is wonderful that it will heal, but so sad it did so much damage to your wonderful garden. Hooray for Scout. She is a fighter, and it is good she is eating again. Rest up. The leaves will be waiting for you when you feel up to getting them cleaned up.Have a great weekend. xo Laura
You too, Laura!
So glad your baby girl is on the mend. Give her a huge hug for me!
S
xo
I will, Sue, thank you!
Hi, Claudia. When I was a bit younger, I was a city forester. Be very cautious having your trees pruned. Do not allow anyone to “top” your trees. Topping may reduce the size and weight of the tree’s crown temporarily, but will cause adventitious growth (sprouting) that will compound your problem in the future. I’ve been on a crusade to educate the public on proper tree care and pruning for many years. There are streets with trees on them so badly pruned my husband won’t drive down with me in the car because I tend to rant.
This is the first comment I’ve made even though I’ve been reading your blog for a while. I love your style and your stories about your life and family (including Scout, of course).
Thank you for your comment. A long time ago we were having our trees looked at and I did a lot of research and we learned that topping trees was not a good thing. So we are aware of that. I think the pruning will be branches that are hanging low, there are a couple still left on the maple and the catalpa. There’s also a damaged limb on the catalpa that was hit by the falling maple limb. And a limb on our other maple that hangs over the dog corral. and could fall on Scout. As far as I could tell from what Don told me, there is no topping planned. Nor would I let that happen. xo
Well, it has been my experience when something that catastrophic happens to your garden that it ends up making everything grow better…..it’s like the roots divide and multiply under there:) I hope that next spring you will find that to be true.
Glad Scout is doing so well:)
Happy Weekend,
Terri
Also: My daughter Mali is an English major in college and I am always having her read something or other that you have blogged…concerning Shakespeare or books or whatever:) Thanks.
Thanks for sharing the blog with Mali! I sure hope your prediction as to the garden’s state next spring comes true!
Glad your girl is doing better Claudia. Your sugar maple tree still looks beautiful, sure hope you don’t lose any more big limbs. There’s just something so cozy about a home with trees near the house. I’ve always loved that. New houses in a development look so bare without trees don’t they. I’m not looking forward to our raking season either, it won’t get too leaf strewn here until the end of January and my back almost didn’t make it last year. But we found that a plastic hay rake lifts the leaves into the bags really easily and they aren’t very expensive at a farm & garden center or ranch supply.
Yes they do look bare, Janie. We have some new houses across the road from us and, though there are woods about 500 ft. from the back of the house, there are no trees around the house. It looks strange and very bare to me.
It’s good to hear that Scout is getting back to her “demanding” ways. Now, we don’t want to hear any complaining about that, Claudia! Just kidding. So sorry about your beautiful tree. It took so long to grow that limb and now it is gone. Shame. We are having those Santa Ana winds this weekend and I’ve seen a lot of downed limbs and debris. Those winds are fierce! Ann
Oh Claudia, I’m so happy for the three of you that Scout is picking up – barking is a good sign!
Your Maple is magnificent – the poor darling – I’m with you Claudia – trees have feelings – they’re not inanimate objects.
Please give her/him some warm healing hugs from me too – I do feel her pain…
Congrats on Claudia who won your book!
Nature’s carpet of golden leaves is heavenly.
Much love
Shane
Beautiful pics my friend it sounds like thing are slowly getting better.
Claudia,
Our 14 year old Basset Hound had a bout of the Old Dog Vestibular Syndrome as well. We just thought her time had come and were planning on putting her down on Saturday. I had cried my eyes out on Friday afternoon thinking that by this time tomorrow she would be gone. By Friday night she had rallied and was enthusiastically jumping around for treats. Obviously we did not make that trip to the vet. However, it got me to thinking that she probably didn’t have too many days left in this world. It got me to thinking that our Border Collie might like a new, smaller playmate. I talked with a breeder in February that told me she would be breeding her dogs in March. This meant it would be born in May and ready to be picked up in July. I figured surely by July Molly would have left for that big fire hydrant in the sky. To make a long story short, we now have three dogs-a precious boy miniature poodle named Cooper, our dear 11 year old Border Collie, Zoey and a 14 and 1/2 year old Basset named Molly who seems to be getting younger every day!