Thursday, October 30, 2014

Dogwood protector

There's a dogwood tree by the drive in our front yard that has been here since we moved here in 1980. I measured it once, but can't recall the circumference, or how far the limb-span is, but it's massive.

It turns a beautiful green in spring before many of the other trees, and then the dogwood buds pop out with white flowers as big as tennis balls.

It turns that part of my drive into a fluffy white cloud that dances in the breeze.

In autumn, the leaves turn a beautiful shade of red, before putting on berries.

It's berry time now and I snapped a photo this morning.

It's the one tree in our yard that would chain myself to if the power company were to insist it has to come down.

Every four years they send a new crew of cutters around and I always see them walking around the tree before I get outside.

"You can't cut this tree," I say firmly.

"It's on the power company's right-of-way," they say.

"I don't care if it's growing through the center of the power company president's living room, you can't cut this tree."

The standoff begins.

"Tell your supervisor I want him out here," I tell them.

"He's in Tuscaloosa," and that's 60 miles away.

"I don't care if he's in Kuala Lumpur," I say glibly.

The team lead is standing his ground.

I pull out my cell phone, and dial a retired area manager that I've know for years.

About three minutes later, the radio in his truck squawks.

It's the team lead's supervisor and I hear him say, "Call me on my cell phone."

Mumbling comes from the back of the truck.

The team leads gives instructions to the crewmen standing around who are now smiling a little, and they pack up their saws and move on down the road.

"We've decided to watch this tree for a few years," he says.

"That's an excellent idea," I say.

Three or four years from now, I'll replay the scene with a new crew team lead.

I'm a reasonable guy, but there is no way limbs that are no bigger than threads can hurt the power line and they aren't going to ruin my tree.




10 comments:

  1. Civil disobedience at its best!

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  2. Keep fighting the good fight. Dog Woods are beautiful. The flowering season is too short.

    What, no picture of the whole tree?

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  3. I like the Dogwood. And I like your stance. Yep there are times...... Good for you!

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  4. Anonymous10:38 PM

    Want me to come down & chain myself to it?

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  5. The tree thanks you, too.

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  6. I'm glad they left the tree alone for another 4 years.... Such a love affair should be noted... I'd love to see a photo of this big tree you are willing to chain yourself to to protect it from those nasty boys with their chainsaws. I love trees too and I can understand.

    Can't they not just go around it to get where they need to go?

    A picture with Jilda standing next to it would be nice.

    JB

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  7. Bless you for saving this tree Rick. You're a helluva man.

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  8. The dogwood is a beautiful tree, I don't blame you for standing your ground, we had a similar incident with a tree my Father in law planted in 1978, the power company butchered it before he caught them ending with a complete loss of a tree standing over 100 ft tall.

    Keep standing your ground.

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  9. Good for you. I'll not touch your tree. I know better.

    Love,
    Janie

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  10. Way to go, Rick! That's great!

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