Good morning. Every year since I was a kid, I remember November 22 as the day JFK was shot and killed. Jacqueline Kennedy asked that it not be recognized anymore and instead to remember him on his birthday. I don’t even know when his birthday was. But I remember today.
Two days ago, we had our sweet gum tree cut down. It was commonly called “Bob’s balls” by anyone who knew the prickly golf ball sized seed pods that 80’ tall Bob flung around the street nearly year-round.
“Bob’s Balls”, our old Sweet Gum tree and nemesis of power lines met with a necessary end today. For 24 years we’ve enjoyed its canopy and shade on hot summer days. Our squirrels called it home and the murder of crows cawed at us from its branches every morning. That was the good side of Bob’s Balls. 🥰 The not so good thing about old Bob was the prickly balls it dropped all autumn long. Those balls were all over the roadway. 😂 During our summer thunderstorms old Bob’s Balls waved in the winds and threw its branches on the power lines! We lost power several times a year and so did half our neighborhood. 😳 Arborists told us that Sweet Gum trees are self-shedding. True. Very true. Old Bob’s Balls was planted by the Yates, original owners/builders of this house, Bob & Mary. Those two loved trees and planted them helter-skelter. (Three mega trees hugged the high tension wires when we bought in 2000.) Well … Hurricanes Helene and Milton (10 days apart) blew branches off and loosened the roots. There was a crane in the hood today and the 10 man team was available. R.I.P. Bob’s Balls. I will miss your green canopy. 🥲
The crane, at the angle, it needed to be, could hold 6 tons.
They whittled away at it for hours. And finally, it was done.
Mark’s foot for size reference.
That evening, we were supposed to meet friends at Lake Eustis waterfront Grill for dinner. We missed that. But, last night we were able to meet up with Sue and Wayne at Oakwood Smokehouse for ribs. That was fun.
Now today, Mark was off to the woods and I had to take Miss Belize to the vet. She has an unresolved UTI … And we are looking for the cause.
That’s it for today. Happy weekend, everybody.
