- Load #5
Last spring, the county work crew came through Oysterville cutting and slashing anything that interfered (or even threatened to interfere) with the right-of-way along the road. Even village residents conceded that some of the offending vegetation needed trimming; and in a later meeting between the good people of Oysterville and the officials-in-charge, even the county conceded that it could have been done in a more sensitive manner.
An agreement was reached that, in the future, Oysterville would take care of its own. (I do believe we’ve had that agreement in the past, but regimes and personnel change and what “we’ve always done” become words to ignore or to fight over.) After all was said and done, the Oysterville contingent decided that, come winter, we would have a “pruning party” to rectify the county’s mess.
Yesterday was the day. The men brought their chain saws, their clippers, and their pruners. The women donned work gloves and brought along their cameras, as well. The day cooperated with no rain, just a little mist, and work began with corrective surgery on the cherry trees on Territory Road in front of the schoolhouse. I know they will be healthier now and I was assured that they would even look “better.” I can’t quite accept the “better” part, though. They will forever look like a line-up of amputees to me.
By mid-afternoon, with a short break for chili and sandwiches, the job was done. In addition to the pruning, the old pear tree in front of the Jacobs’ place was tipped back up into a vertical position and staked against future wind storms. We hope it makes it. Older members of the community have fond memories of sticky fingers and juicy chins from the pears they picked off that old tree.
The huge pile of debris at the W.D Taylor house attests to the work party’s efforts. Next weekend a gigantic chipper is scheduled to erase even that reminder of past atrocities. Perhaps, with the coming of spring, as the trees leaf out and blossom, the beauty of our tree-lined street will return – at least in memory and imagination.
That is fabulous your community rallied together to help offset the awful damage those folks did along our roadways! All up and down the peninsula it looks like someone gave a hyper 5-year-old a chainsaw and told him to “go play.” 😛
I suppose Bransford England is a bit too far away for your pruning party to come and do our garden?!
Heaven’s Andrew, for an airplane ticket I’ll join Sydney and we’ll come prune away!
What a good idea! Maybe we can take that under advisement!
I have pruning envy! How great to get everyone out for a makeover.
Yes, it was terrific. However, ‘let me be perfectly clear’ — it was on the Oysterville Restoration Property and/or on trees that the county had slashed and endangered. None of us pruners benefitted directly. So we all have pruning envy, too!
What you didn’t want that hacked look you can see all up and down Sandridge?? I know they are in a hurry, but it looks as thought a hungry dinosaur munched its way up the Peninsula!
Unfortunately, there’s no way to rectify the “hacked look.” Our concern was to correct the pruning errors made by the county which, over time, can actually endanger the health of the tree. We are fortunate to have Oysterville residents who are experienced in these matters and could lead the way! But…bottom line is, what was done is done. Since the county cut its swath through town, we have amputee trees lining our street.