Trees, I Like Them

Vacation House on Cape Charles
OAFS Photo

My brothers and I, with the other kids in the neighborhood, grew up playing in the woods. Our street went up a hill then dead-ended at the woods. The street was pretty much wooded on two sides. Behind the family dwelling were woods, which, with the exception of a couple of small neighborhoods, stretched some 40 miles to the New York border. Those woods then go on for another 15 miles until you hit Hudson Falls, NY. Some fairly wild country.

One thing I love about our vacation house this year and last, is that it's surrounded by forest. The trees don't run all the way down to the water, but they screen the place from the afternoon sun. With Chesapeake Bay lying stretched out past those trees, it's a very lovely place indeed.

Now Chez Sarge in Little Rhody is pretty suburban, but there is a nice patch of forest not far to my east. There are quite a few deer and turkeys living in those woods. Of course, now some asshole wants to build a hotel in part of those woods.

For years the state had declared part of that area as wetlands. Now some local politician (the aforementioned asshole) at some point bought the land where he now wants to build a hotel. Being a politician he knew that in Little Rhody if you cross the right palms with a bit of silver, rules can be waived or outright ignored.

A lot of the townsfolk don't want the damned hotel. So far the town seems reluctant to let the politician go forward with his money making idea. Personally I hope he loses his shirt.

"Backyard" at Annapolis
OAFS Photo

Chez Nuke et Tuttle is in a very wooded area just off the South River. There are a lot of deer in the area, along with foxes, raccoons, and other assorted wildlife. Last year the area behind their house (seen in the photo above) was cleared out, it had been heavily overgrown and visibility into the woods was very restricted. Now you can see well into the woods and it's a lot prettier.

By now you've probably guessed that I like trees. Not one here and there, but vast stretches of forest. Though that concept can be taken too far. My first venture into northern Louisiana freaked me out, it's flat and the forest is thick, growing right up to the road in spots.

With the heat and the humidity it felt too close, the lack of high ground was disconcerting to this Vermonter, born and bred. But other than that, I do love me some forest. Especially if it's near a beach!

You no doubt noticed the brevity of Sunday's post. Well, I was tired and feeling a bit ornery, so I didn't sit down to write. That seems to be my default mode lately, ornery. I need to get out more, even if it's just out in the yard.

I'll work on that, the Muse is threatening to return and make me write, she claims she has "an idea" but I have no clue what that might be.

For now I'm content to coast along and smell the roses.

Which are plentiful at Chez Sarge, so I've got that going for me.

Happy July!