Considering how many times I was out in the rain today, it came as no surprise my feeling, and likely appearing to be a drowned rat. I’m continuing to hold my breath in hopes our waterways, streams, and rivers won’t be spewing water over their banks. It’s got to the point where I don’t even want to walk on grass since our lawns have become so spongy. For sure we won’t be having to worry about any trees and bushes suffering from a winter kill due there not being enough moisture in our soil.
Now is the best time to plant bushes and trees so they can get settled in the soil before the hard frost arrives. Personally, I’ve always had better luck with Fall plantings than I’ve had with Spring. And for sure you don’t have to do as much watering the following Spring because they got a good head start.
Since I was showing a rental several times today, I decided to drive past a home that I sold a number of years ago, and while turning around, I noticed a familiar tree which nearly everyone in our City is un-familiar with since it’s definitely on the edge of its normal growing zone.
At a glance, most would think it to be a Green Ash, but yours truly knows different because of its bark. When describing it, I’d have to say it has leaves similar to a Green Ash and bark that appears belonging to a Silver Maple. As I drew closer, I noticed the squirrels were having a heyday eating the nuts that had fallen from it. So now you’re wondering what kind of tree bears nuts, has Green Ash leaves, and Silver Maple bark. Well my dear readers, we have a tall, broad, and healthy Shagbark Hickory thriving in our City’s limits. I personally know there are several others growing around town, but not one as mature as the one I visited.
For sure I’d rather see Shagbark Hickory trees dotting our landscapes instead of the many hundreds of Black Walnuts we’re plagued with, because as far as I’m concerned, walnuts are one of the dirtiest trees we’ve unfortunately been blessed with. It would be interesting to know how many people have turned their ankles, tripped, and/or fallen because of those nuts.
Just today I heard about yet another young person having taken her life, which has created all the more concern over what’s causing their increase in numbers. No matter what the circumstances, there’s always a deep sadness that moves through me whenever hearing about one.
Unfortunately, there are always some specific reasons given by those who were close to the decedent, but I believe it goes much deeper and spans a lifetime of build-up. I consider one of the main causes to be a resignation of hope. For them there’s nothing special about living because they’re convinced there will never be a comfortable assimilation for them within today’s society because there’s not been any real understanding from others. They also have the inability to comprehend the hurtful words and actions of the general public, and above all, there’s never been someone close enough on a daily basis to genuinely care.
From a distance, I’ve noticed that many who take their lives, possess heightened sensitives which is normally not acceptable in our near-android world, which in turn leaves them to turn all the more inward. Now if these highly sensitive people have very little self-esteem, it makes it all the harder for them to justify living in our cookie cutter world. China is a good example where you are to be just like everyone else, and if you don’t, you’ll be sent somewhere and forced to fall into your pre-assigned pigeon hole.
Our social medias are no help with the promotions of what perfect lives, jobs, and personal lives should be like. Personally, I’d rather converse with the sensitive ones because they have all the more interesting views which nearly always go unheard.
All I can say is, “If there’s someone you believe to be falling into the abyss of hopelessness, please do take time out of your lives to share, encourage, empathize, and above all, listen.
The above photo is of the four nuts I found under the canopy of that mature Shagbark Hickory.
Tonight’s one-liner is: Death and vulgarity are the only two facts in the twenty-first century that one cannot explain away.
