I'm trying to keep things in healthy perspective as my wonderful, gorgeous cypress trees, willow trees and every other kind of tree in my yard comes crashing down with a sound like thunder. This ice storm is the worst we've had for trees. As my son Steve says, another ice storm or two like this one and Oklahoma won't have any trees at all.
Putting it all in healthy perspective though, I hope everyone is safe, warm, and healthy. This is not good travel weather and PEOPLE are much more important than trees. [she says as she cries over the gorgeous, falling trees and sounds in the distance of more of them falling]
Linda, I am sooooo sorry about your trees. If they are so big that they are crashing as you describe, you must have nurtured them for years. What a loss. Hopefully they won't crash into your house or onto parked cars. And also with an ice storm, power is the next thing to go. Been there, done that, 10 days, way on a high mountain in NC. Trees crashed, power lines snapped; some of them snapped due to the weight of the ice, not because a tree fell onto them. And we lived in such a remote place that it took a long time to clear the fallen trees from the roads in order to get close enough to us to restore power. Yes, you guessed it, the minute we were able to get down off the mountain, we made tracks to the nearest propane store and ordered the full propane set up.
But this isn't about me in the past. This is about you right now and about your your treasured trees. Am so sorry.
Donna G
This is so sad, Linda! Do you remember when you began asking students to send you souvenir bookmarks instead of souvenir rocks? This spring, I think we will all begin sending you seedlings to repopulate your beautiful trees.
So sorry about your trees. Stay in and be safe until the icy weather passes.
Stay safe!
Thanks, everyone. I love your idea, Peggy! :)
I'm thankful for the time I've had with some of these trees. I believe most will make it, and they'll have more character, a few missing limbs and a top broken off a cypress tree, one cypress that is bent at the top. Not sure what that's all about yet. The willow is half as tall but still as wide, an interesting look for a tree.
More 'crashing' still happening out in the wooded area, branches that were broken but still haven't fallen off the trees. The birds were not happy. They were very cranky every time a limb fell.
Many of the trees have LIFTED from the ground. I can get in and out of my front door now. The cherry tree lifted off the ground and the roof and appears happy enough. I am happy that I can use the front door again!
Thanks everyone for all the sympathy and empathy.
I'm so sorry for your trees, Linda. I'm glad that you and your house are safe. Thoughts for safety to all in the storm who are driving...
Tracey Parker
So sorry to hear about your trees! I hate seeing mature trees come down like that, we lost an old Maple in a windstorm several years ago and have a second one that keeps dropping huge branches. Glad you and your family are staying safe during the storm. This weather has been crazy, over here in SE Indiana we have been unusually warm and rainy. Meterologists here are saying December will remain warmer and snow free :(. I love snow and hiking in it and was looking forward to trying out some snowshoes I bought on clearance this past Spring.
Stay safe and warm!
So sorry for your losses, Linda. Glad you can find the perspective that people are way more important than trees. Having been through a monster ice storm in '96 and a severe wind storm here just 2 weeks ago wherein 80% of town was without power for several days, I totally get it. Glad everyone is okay!