Tree Stories

 

In Feb. of 2011 I posted the saga of the butchered trees in my back yard neighbour's grove of Birches. It was a massive and severe pruning that killed the two birches in the photo above. Now, more than 3 years later, I am getting concerned about the possibility of these trees toppling down and doing damage, not so much to my house, but my next door neighbour's house. There are also two small boys playing in the shadow of these 'stumps' daily, and this concerns me greatly. When Birch wood is not split, the tight bark seals in the moisture and instead of the wood curing hard as it dies and dries, it turns pulpy and soft. The weight of the tree will then topple it without notice. These are massive trees and their weight is considerable.

I contacted the engineering and parks dept. of city hall and explained in an email, with the above photo, the situation. They stated that it was a dispute between me and my neighbour, on private property, so they suggested that I talk to him about it, send him a registered letter, and then see if he does something about it. Because I was contacting the city on behalf of my endangered neighbour, it is not my dispute. But, my neighbour is on holidays and only the renters in the basement are home.

The issue was driven home to me on Saturday afternoon when I was in my driveway washing my truck. I heard a loud crashing across the street and looked up in time to see a tree falling into the back yard of the house. Before I could check to see if anyone was hurt, the lady of the house came running over in a panic asking me who she should call at city hall. She is new to the house and our city, and was eyeing the trees on the adjoining property and was going to get an arborist to check things out. But now a big rotten Birch tree had fallen across her fence, destroying her dog run, clipping her patio on which she had been sitting, and smashed into a trampoline and sand box. Fortunately her young son was not in the yard at the time. Had the big rotten trunk struck him, he may well have been killed or maimed.

A few minutes later a city arborist did show up on the scene and investigated. As he was leaving, I accosted him and pointed to the big dead birch across the street behind my house. He was quite taken aback when I told him the trees had been standing dead for more than three years already. Because of their size and their tendency to lean over already, he took photos and was going to pursue the issue.

Now I have to wait for the city or wait for my neighbour to return from holidays. (Aug. 14th) I have done what I can.

In the Friendship Garden

 

We live two blocks away from the Japanese Friendship Garden, a seldom used little gem behind the Library. I went there on a sunny morning and found a few little delights to photograph.

Photogenic

 

You would think it would get boring walking the same route several times a week. It can be, if one is not observant. The trail at Fish Trap has its moods, changing as the day progresses and as the seasons change.

 

For example, I noticed two days ago that the Buffleheads and Teals are back, ducks that winter here instead of in their natural summer hangout in northern Canada. I also noticed that the thick covering of Water Lily is subsiding as it dies and is washed away by the heavier rains of Fall.

 

This favourite thing of mine to photograph also has its moods as the reflections vary, as well as the light and surrounding foliage. Sometimes there is a human on the deck to give the structure scale.

 

The leaves are all gone now, as is any colour in the park. I still walk there and will all winter. It is quiet and peaceful, I meet and greet friendly people, and there is always something new and interesting to see, if you watch for it.

Rotary Park

 

This series of photos is from a few weeks back. The trees are now bare, but back then they were quite spectacular. Just a short jaunt around the west side of Rotary Park yields some interesting tree photos. Above, Twisters Gym rood showing beside a Maple Tree.

 

The drive down to the parking lot by the stadium.

 

 

 

Alongside Tretheway Street there is an old threshing machine display.

 

Very near the pedestrian tunnel that crosses under Trethewey Street.

 

An old hay rake near the threshing machine.

 

The view of Mt. Baker as seen from the parking lot north of the stadium.

Polar Avenue

 

On one of my photo jaunts through the rural areas of Abbotsford, I took a little side trip down Polar Avenue. It is a short street made up of 5 acre lots and some nice high end homes. Not wanting to invade anyone's privacy, I left any images of homes out of the collection.

 

Lamplight

 

Sunlight

 

North toward Mission and the mountains beyond.

MacKay CreekTrail

 

It was one week ago that we went for walk along the MacKay Creek Trail which runs along the dike of the Sumas River.

 

It is usually windy here but on this day it was sunny, warm, and only a slight breeze

 

Every few hundred yards I snapped a photo and here are some of them.

 

We especially like the blueberry bushes that were turning red.

 

Near the end we pass the back of a large mushroom farm.

 

Midway on this trail is a park bench that is dedicated to our friend Erv Doerksen who was killed in an accident three years and four months ago. Above, busylizzy is sitting on it, and below is a photo of the spot from across the river. There is a small stream running into the river at that point where the sand bar is raised, and that is where the bench is.