Tuesday ~ The End of a Dynasty

“House on the left with the two palm trees.”

That is the house description I have given to people for the last 14 years of my life. That’s more than half of my life and certainly all of my adult life. Those two palm tree have sat like twin sentinels in giant brick planters in our front lawn, providing center pieces of my life, especially the shorter of the two giant trees. I was tied to and “burnt at the stake” on that shortest palm tree when I was young. Every winter we’ve wrapped white Christmas lights all around the trunk as a fog beacon to those of us driving home in thick fog that frequents my area. I’ve weeded around the palm tree, watched the owls roosting in its lofty fronds, and each morning as I’ve woken up, that palm tree was always one of the first things I’ve seen out of my bedroom window. For fourteen years. That’s a long time. 

{one of the two beautiful palm trees that have lived in my front yard}

And yesterday, they cut it down. It was not our choice. Instead of simply trimming off a few overextending branches that were getting close to the power lines, the power company waved their scepter of indisputable authority and had the entire tree in all it’s beautiful glory brutally cut down. I was sitting on my bed when the tree people pulled up and as dramatic as it sounds, I wanted to be that crazy lady who runs screaming out in front of the demolition crew, wrap my body around the tree and swear that I would not let go until they vowed they’d leave the tree alone. It took them a day and a half and I could barely bring myself to look out the window as the fabric of my memories was unraveled.

{the travesty begins}

{Stuart and I watching through my bedroom window}

{beheaded}

{being there for it during it's last moments of grief}

{mortal remains}

{the stump had an overnight stay and it did just beg to be play one...}

{my crazy-brave sister!}

{I only made it this far before chickening out...}

I know it’s crazy to get attached to inanimate objects so much, but I do and I did. I don’t handle change very well and even these small, seemingly miniscule variables that get removed from our lives will leave “change” in its wake. And this tree was a big part of my life. And now it’s gone and I honestly feel a massive sense of loss. My front yard is now marred, brutally stripped of one of its ancient landmarks, and there’s a solitary palm tree that I’m sure is grieving its sibling palm right along with me.

No longer is it the “house on the left with the two palm trees” but “the house on the left with just one sad, lonely palm tree.” I will miss that tree for a very long time.

Not to mention that there is certain snowy-colored owl that’s now without a home.