The Great Houston storms of April, 2016 wreaked havoc for many and are keeping insurance adjusters busy.  I posted some pictures of our experience with trees falling on the house on April 18th (most likely from a tornado), and then the rain and winds revisited us and felled another huge pine tree on the 27th.  Again, and thankfully, no one was hurt.

Bit we’re getting a little antsy when it rains now, and looking at the trees a little differently.

“Are you planning to fall on me?” I mutter to the 90-foot pines that tower over the driveway.

I’ve gone from adoring trees to almost fearing them.  There’s been a whole lot of tree removal goin’ on here at Glover Gardens the past couple of weeks, with a whole lot more to come.  Healthy trees that aren’t leaning toward the house are the only ones that are safe.

Here are a couple of short videos of the incredibly skilled and brave tree guys who are removing the fallen pines.

But I Still Love Trees

I really don’t want to be scared of our trees.  I love trees.  This lovely poem by Joyce Kilmer (1886 – 1918) beautifully portrays how I feel about trees most of the time (when they’re not falling on the house).

Trees

I THINK that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth’s flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day, 5
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain. 10

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.