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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / March 2004Goodbye my Beloved Giants
The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our house for us. There was a long line of them, macrocarpas (an evergreen conifer of New Zealand), too, stretching along behind the twenty odd houses of our street. Behind the trees is a small dead-end road that leads to the pumping station, behind the road a creek flanking the ugly sheds and warehouses of the industrial area. We loved the trees and because of them never saw the ugliness beyond. They were once the shelter belt to a market garden and the home to thousands of birds. Starlings in particular came in great, swirling flocks from the country to roost in the evening. For an hour they would fight and jostle for roosting spots and the chirpings made an amazing sound. There were also shags and kingfishers who fished in the creek. There were hundreds of sparrows, blackbirds, thrushes, fantails etc. The land belonged to the Council and one day some fifteen years ago they decided in their wisdom to ask the residents of the street if they would like the trees removed. The people said 'yes'. The council came with their chain saws and slowly removed the trees. It went on for days, the roar of the chain saws and the sickening crunch as each tree fell. I couldn't stop crying. We were the only people who liked the trees and the birds and asked that six poplars be left behind our property - amazingly they said 'yes'. Most of the birds went after the trees fell although a few sparrows remained in OUR poplars. We still had the poplars to listen to, they rustled when the wind blew and remained a great wind break. We looked at them instead of the ugly industrial buildings. They never put in trees to replace those they took. Generations of cats played beneath the poplars. I remember the cats looking up at the chattering throngs above them. A month ago disaster struck. A freak storm, the worst for fifty years, hit the province. A large branch came down from the poplars and damaged the next door neighbour's roof. He rang the council and told them to remove their poplars. This morning they came with their chain saws. I have closed all the doors and turned up the radio as loud as it will go. But I can still hear the saws and the thud as another giant falls. I an crying a little. When I feel able I will look through the kitchen window at the ugliness of the industrial area. Sixty years to grow you, twenty minutes to fell you, goodbye my beloved giants. Bev -- I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic. > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > -- > I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic. ((((((((((Bev))))))))) I'm sorry. That made me cry too. Joy Oh Bev, that is so sad! Life without trees is awful! There was a similar situation here in Norfolk. The council in Norwich wanted to remove the chesnut trees lining a street on the grounds kids playing with the conkers might hurt themselves... or slip on the falling leaves in autumn... or that the leaves on the road might cause a car accident... None of which had been happening. Thankfully, local residents got vocally upset and accused the council of "nannying". The trees were saved apart from a few which were removed on the grounds they had become unsafe and in danger of toppling - but most remain. It even made the nnational TV and press and the local council was made to look very silly. *hugs* helen s --This is an invalid email address to avoid spam-- to get correct one remove dependency on fame & fortune h*$el*$$e**nd***$o$ts***i*$*$m**m$$o*n**s@$*$a$$o**l.c**$*$om$$ That is so sad. Here in Austin you can't cut down large trees without getting a special permit from the city and if even one person who lives in the neighborhood objects, you dont' get the permit.  SignatureVictor Martinez Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM) Send your spam here: uce@ftc.gov Email me here: pistorLITTER@BOXaustin.rr.com I'm so, so sorry.....That made me cry too!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Vincent 6/27/01 Dorothy 6/4/03 " Life isn't like a box of chocolates...it's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your a.s tomorrow." > That is so sad. Here in Austin you can't cut down large trees without > getting a special permit from the city and if even one person who lives [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Send your spam here: uce@ftc.gov > Email me here: pistorLITTER@BOXaustin.rr.com The poplars had been checked recently and were all in perfect health. The storm urooted many big trees even a huge one at the end of our street. But some councils have some odd people around felling trees. In the nearby city of Hastings men were sent out to fell a street full of so called diseased trees in a certain area. They got the name of the street wrong and felled a whole street full of New Zealand's pohutukawa, the Christmas tree which has lovely red blossoms at Xmas time. By the time they had discovered their mistake they had felled the lot. Oh god the house just shook, guess they have just felled the biggest poplar of all - weep!! Bev -- I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic. I'm so very sorry to hear this, Bev. Lots of gentle hugs for you, SignaturePolonca & Soncek > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > over us for most of our lives. <snip Oh, not more desecration of New Zealand! A few years ago we visited our relatives in Kawerau in the Bay of Plenty area, and were struck by two things. The incredible natural beauty of New Zealand. And the human damage that's been wreaked on it by logging and other so-called examples of "progress". We've had some of this in areas of Canada, but this country is so huge it's not as evident as it is in New Zealand. Your country still is one of the most beautiful countries on earth, but when will the powers-that-be realize that it's also so fragile that it cannot abide further destruction of its natural glories. Normally I prefer to write about beautiful things - like cats - but I can't keep still about this, even though I'm at the other end of the earth from you. > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > -- > I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic. I might add that I realize yours was a natural disaster, not man-made. But it reminded me of the man-made destruction we saw during our visit, from what we considered excessive logging (especially up Mount Edgecumbe above Kawerau) and which triggered my comment. > Oh, not more desecration of New Zealand! A few years ago we visited our > relatives in Kawerau in the Bay of Plenty area, and were struck by two > things. The incredible natural beauty of New Zealand. And the human damage > that's been wreaked on it by logging and other so-called examples of > "progress". [snip] >The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching >over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > >Bev ---and to think this destruction is going on all over the earth! Man is his own worst enemy. Will lilacs grow in your area? Perhaps they could be planted in a line on the back of your property. They grow fast, are beautiful and smell wonderful. Best of luck whatever you do. > >The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > >over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] > line on the back of your property. They grow fast, are beautiful and > smell wonderful. Best of luck whatever you do. Thank you all for your kindness. It has been such an awful morning and one of I have dreaded as I wasn't sure when they were coming. As I type the house has shuddered and the last of the giants fell. I know DH is upset too but he is more fatalistic than I am. It is silly to cry about trees but I can't help it. The cats have been so frightened with the noise of the chain saws and have spent most of the morning cowering under the table and trembling when they hear the loud 'thumps'. I don't intend going down the back for a long time. I asked the Council if they could just top the trees so that my poplars could rejuvenate but they said 'no, it is much easier to mow bare land'. They have moved in big truckloads of soil to fill the holes that will be left when they remove the stumps! I would plant trees there myself but they would only remove them. We will plant some trees inside our fenceline but they will never be the same as my beautiful giants. Bev :( -- I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic. > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > > Bev Oh how sad and heartbreaking! I hate it when they cut down trees. Jill That is so sad. I will never understand some people :-( Purrs, -- Britta Check out pictures of Vino at: http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > -- > I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic. > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > leads to the pumping station, behind the road a creek flanking the ugly > sheds and warehouses of the industrial area. <snipped> {{{{{{{{{{ Bev }}}}}}}}}}. Such a shame to lose your old friends "in the name of progress". Comforting purrs to you. Sam > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > -- > I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic. sending you some comforting purrs, Brenda > > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] > sending you some comforting purrs, > Brenda Believe it or not there are people with trailers down the back already, grabbing the wood and the corpses are hardly cold :( Bev -- I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic. I'm so very, very sorry, Bev. Hope belated hugs are still okay. Christine (teary) > > > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > > > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 55 lines] > -- > I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic. > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] > window at the ugliness of the industrial area. Sixty years to grow > you, twenty minutes to fell you, goodbye my beloved giants. My sympathies, Bev. When we moved into our estate, there were trees - melealeucas (related to tea-trees) on most properties. They aren't particularly tall trees, maybe 5 metres at teh tmost. But there was also one gentle giant of a gum tree that overlooked the whole estate, and was part of the Gum Tree Network for the lorikeets, galahs and cockatoos. It rustled in the wind, and on rainy nights you coud catch her eucalyptus perfume. And then one day the neighbours took objection to this tall sentinel, and, because it was on their property, decided it was going to go. I cried as well. I loved coming home each day to see that tree looking out over us all, its grey-white branches peering out under the hood of green. She's gone now, but I did manage to collect a small peice of branch from the woodcutters. I am hoping that I can carve it into a smaller 'sentinel' for my home. See if you can can at least collect some of the wood to make something useful out of - even if its just a scratching post for the terrors. It will at least honour their memory a little. And remember, there's nothing stopping you from going out there and planting something else - it won't replace the poplars, but may help block out the 'view'. Yowie Do much loved trees go to Rainbow Bridge? > > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 67 lines] > Yowie > Do much loved trees go to Rainbow Bridge? Vicky, you made me feel sad for you. Your birdlife is so fantastic that you would miss that gum badly, also it is so dry there that some trees struggle to grow - a pox on all neighbours, I say. My neighbours are the ones responsible for the demise of our poplars. I am sure the poplars will be at rainbow bridge along with your gum - it is the right place for them. We have always had little poplar shoots from the trees coming up in our lawn so I might just save the next one and plant it on our side of the fence. It's a nice idea. I went down the back hunting for the kitties. I hadn't intended to go near the place but needed to locate them. It was just awful. Those shattered stumps set me off again - amazing how much destruction that can be achieved by a few men with chain saws. If the first settlers to New Zealand had had chain saws I don't think there would have been a tree left standing. When we were in England we were impressed by their marvellous trees - they really treasure them there - perhaps because they take so long to grow. Here, trees grow quickly. You put one in and in no time it is a giant. Hope all goes well for you and the yowlet, I'll be thinking of you. Hugs. Bev -- I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic. >The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching >over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > >Bev I love trees and birds, too. We have a lot of them around our house in the country. I wonder if you could put up a high wire fence and plant vigorous vines at the base to hide the ugliness beyond. And then plant some fast-growing trees, like Austrian Pines or cottonwoods. CATherine {{{{{hugs}}}}}} That's so sad. >The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching >over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > >Bev SignatureSteve Touchstone, faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Rocky stouchst@JUNKsirinet.net [remove Junk for email] Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html "Bev" <bevdun@xtra.co.nz> wrote <snip> > This morning they came with their chain saws. I have closed all the > doors and turned up the radio as loud as it will go. > But I can still hear the saws and the thud as another giant falls. I an > crying a little. When I feel able I will look through the kitchen > window at the ugliness of the industrial area. Sixty years to grow > you, twenty minutes to fell you, goodbye my beloved giants. I'm so sorry, Bev. I feel that way about trees, too. {{{Bev}}} Many purrs. SignatureMarina, Frank and Nikki Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > leads to the pumping station, behind the road a creek flanking the ugly > sheds and warehouses of the industrial area. (snipped sad story) > Bev How depressing, Bev. I am really sorry to hear about your trees. I felt much the same when the lot next door to us, which had some beautiful old trees and flower bushes, was bought and cleared to bare dirt. ------ Krista > This morning they came with their chain saws. I have closed all the > doors and turned up the radio as loud as it will go. > But I can still hear the saws and the thud as another giant falls. I an > crying a little. When I feel able I will look through the kitchen > window at the ugliness of the industrial area. Sixty years to grow > you, twenty minutes to fell you, goodbye my beloved giants. Bev, So very sad to read this. I love trees and there's nothing wrong with mourning such ancient beauties. Following on from Yowie's excellent idea of saving a piece of the wood as a memory, do you think a small branch twig would root if you were able to cultivate it? A young growing shoot, dipped in rooting hormone and nurtured indoors (away from B&C!!!) Then you can replant it where its parents once stood, but safely on your side of the fence. If there are any branches left on the felled trees, maybe worth trying this with half a dozen or so of the youngest freshest ends... Purrs Deb. Signaturehttp://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield You know, this is true! My mother took a poplar twig from a tree when she first moved into our house and just stuck it in the ground outside our back door and that twig grew into a huge tree that shades our house. She has always been amazed because she was just sitting on the stoop and decided to do that. SHe never expected it to grow like it did. Karen > > This morning they came with their chain saws. I have closed all the > > doors and turned up the radio as loud as it will go. [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Deb. >You know, this is true! My mother took a poplar twig from a tree when she >first moved into our house and just stuck it in the ground outside our back [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >Karen My sister and I planted a *huge* pecan that we'd found. It grew into a giant pecan tree (but weirdly enough, bore *tiny* little pecans). Anyway, they widened the highway and had to cut it down. It was about 40 years old by then. Sherry <SNIP> > This morning they came with their chain saws. I have closed all the > doors and turned up the radio as loud as it will go. > But I can still hear the saws and the thud as another giant falls. I > an crying a little. When I feel able I will look through the > kitchen window at the ugliness of the industrial area. Sixty years > to grow you, twenty minutes to fell you, goodbye my beloved giants. {{{{{{{{{Bev}}}}}}}}}} How terribly sad. To destroy any living thing without good reason is such a wasteful tragidy. Purrs for you and yours and hoping the birds find another home. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy, Milo & Bagheera) A house is not a home, without a cat. >This morning they came with their chain saws. I have closed all the >doors and turned up the radio as loud as it will go. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >Bev >-- Oh, Bev. This post just made me sick to my stomach. I am so sorry. Sherry >Sixty years to grow > you, twenty minutes to fell you, goodbye my beloved giants. > > Bev That's so sad. Thank you for the tribute Bev, it helps people to appreciate the value of trees. Oh this is so incredibly sad. I hate it when trees are taken down too :( Karen > The poplars flank the back of our property - tall sentinels watching > over us for most of our lives. They were here long before Ted built our [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > -- > I got rid of my husband. The cat was allergic. |
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