To tree, or not to tree?

So there's one thing standing in our way.

There's this tree.

A big, gorgeous evergreen tree.






































To tree, or not to tree? That is the question.

I'm talking, one of the largest trees known to the planet. Definitely the largest I've ever seen in someone's yard. And it has to go. Because of codes and such, we can't build up. If we built forward, we'd need to redesign our whole home and at least double the budget. There's no room in the back or to the right. The only place to build is where the tree is. I feel barbaric even considering taking it's tree life.

We vacillated for a solid year. That tree being the singular hold up.

Alas, we decided to move forward (obviously). Every day leading up to the murder of the tree filled me with guilt and dread. I found Friends of Trees and made plans to plant trees to makeup for this one. We've invited neighbors to join us in doing so. That helps a tiny bit. We'll have the opportunity to use this as a teaching moment for the kids as well.

Then of course the cable/internet and power lines are all anchored to the tree. Nothing is simple, right? Try getting PGE and Comcast in the same place at the same time. I'll spare you the details.

Then there's the cost. $1750 to take it down, another $1200 for the permit.

So, the day finally came and the tree was to come down. I walked out to take pictures and pay last respects, hanging my head in shame. Still wrestling with the decision we'd made to take it down all in the name of progress.



As the limbs began to fall, the man shimmying up the tree trunk cavalierly turned to me and said "it's a good thing this tree is coming down with this infestation."

"With the WHAT?" I asked in disbelief.

As it turned out, this mighty beauty was absolutely infested with creepy crawlies that would inevitably overtake it. A weight lifted. Sigh.

Still, I couldn't watch. I worked from the neighborhood coffee shop and came home to find it done and gone. Goodbye, great tree. Thank you for freshening the air and shading our home. Thank you for beautifying the neighborhood.