My public open house wasn’t as well attended as I had wished, but at least it’s back on the radar with the extra advertising and signage today. My duties were a bit upside down due to the grass being so wet from yesterday’s moisture, so I figured I’d find something else to do this morning. While out back at my office, several clients happened to be out and about. We had a good visit regarding the progress being made Downtown with the new street lamps being installed and the continued sidewalk replacements. One of them did mention something that I’ve actually been noticing of late, and that’s the number of trees in the City parking that have branches hanging so low, they’re blocking the view of the stop signs and even a few stop lights. As much as I’ve always considered becoming a municipal arborist, I know there’s no changing directions with my present occupation. I wouldn’t mind being on a public advisory board that oversees the trees, bushes and plants growing on City property. I’m afraid I’d have to take one section at a time of a quadrant so to keep me from becoming overwhelmed. I used to know nearly all the names of the trees and shrubs, but since globalization and genetic engineering came to pass, there are too many mutants and imports from other countries for me to stay up to speed. I’m glad the City is now becoming more diverse with the species of trees they’re planting in and around our City. Of course persnickety Mr. Chodur considers several of them to be trash trees. Speaking of trash, I’ll never forget one of my close family members singing the praises of Ash trees a number of years ago and my saying to him, “Forget about Ash, because they’re trash!” And for the upper Midwest to be now in the midst of one of the greatest tree kills due to the non-native Emerald Ash Borer is quite ironic. I’m seeing more and more ailing Ash trees in and around North Iowa. I do hope the release of those tiny wasps that feed on their larvae with help to lessen the overall kill. I’m very glad I have only one to concern myself with should it become infected. I will be sad if it dies because I planted it, and over the years trained it to be more erect with its canopy to where at a glance, it doesn’t look at all like an Ash.
Several days ago a customer was sharing with me some of the creepy happenings in a home she used to live in which was located in another city not far from here. She spoke of small dots of light appearing out of nowhere in a darkened bedroom late at night with all the shades pulled, strange footstep-like creaking on the stairway and upstairs hallway, and finally, cold drafts that seemed to just happen without any windows and doors open, or furnace fan running. After she finished I said, “I’ll have to add your experiences to my expanded memory bank of “I swear to God” happenings others have shared with me.” I went on to tell her past stories from other “believers” who in their past experienced having a bed being lifted off the floor and shaken, a phantom man walking and vanishing into the wall of a barn, gloves in an icebox, a turn of the century woman watching a gardener working from a safe distance, and finally, being frozen with fear when feeling someone or something invisible sitting on the edge of one’s bed and sensing the pressure of its weight. So before you dismiss those things that go bump in the night as natural occurrences, make sure you’ve not found yourself with an uninvited guest wanting to spend a night or two. My customer appeared a little disturbed when, as I was walking off I said, “Is it because they’re being searched out or noticed by those living that gives them the strength to manifest themselves, or does their strength come from the trace energies that continue to linger only in hopes to find someone to notice?” That’s my question to you all this evening.
As chance would have it, I was able to get a photo of it raining Downtown while the sun was shining. I call the above photo, “Sundrops”.
