Love-Hate Relationships

We definitely have a love-hate relationship with the cottonwood tree behind our house. The tallest tree in the neighborhood, it stately stands in our neighbor's yard, shading our backyard in the summer. The hate part comes when it sheds its cotton in early July. Some years it coats our backyard so badly, we think it has snowed. In July. It also serves as a home for numerous squirrels - another love/hate relationship in and of itself. And then in the fall, our yard is covered with cottonwood leaves. Lots of them. But we don't mind that as much . . . they mow up easily and mulch our garden.

The love part relates to its beauty. On hot summer days, our backyard is nicely shaded, which keeps it cooler than other yards. The rustling leaves during a light wind musically soothe us when we are outside. And sometimes, especially during storms, we get amazing pictures. This one was taken after a thunderstorm last Monday. Gorgeous.

Then Wednesday, I heard a chain saw. Looking out the back door, I saw three men in the neighbor's backyard. They were cutting down the big cottonwood tree. Oh my gosh. Watching these men risking their lives, standing in harrowing positions at the top of the tree, they slowly felled it, missing every fence and coming down unscathed. It was amazing . . . but sad.

And now, two days after the beautiful storm shot, the tree is gone. We won't miss the cotton, and the squirrels will probably migrate to our trees - not good - but we will miss the tree nevertheless.