It's a day for randomness. Here are some tidbits of thoughts running through my mind today.I'm mourning the death of a magnificent maple tree by the side of the road in the middle of town. It fell to the march of progress, and died for the safety of our children. By which I mean to say that it got chopped down to make room for a widening of the road and the addition of a sidewalk, both of which are sorely needed, as this is the road along which a lot of kids walk from a large residential subdivision to the highschool. I just wish they could accomplish the upgrades without murdering those lovely trees (the maple was just one of many), but I guess they couldn't. And as much of a tree hugger as I am (yes, I wear Birkenstocks), I value children above trees. I suppose you gotta do what you gotta do.
On a more cheerful note - well, sort of - I've got another task to add to my rota of "Jobs That Really Suck". This morning, there was a maintenance person painting the metal gate that closes off the highschool parking lot. Painting it a fluorescent orange, to very clearly let people know that when the gate is closed, IT'S CLOSED. Now, painting gates, that's not a bad job. However, another noticeable thing about the highschool parking lot these last few days is that there are literally snowdrifts of cottonwood fluff blown up against the sidewalks, white piles of light feathery stuff inches deep. There were several of those fluffy cotton piles right beside that gate. And there was a breeze blowing. Get my drift? Wet orange paint + fluffy white cotton - hmmm... Maybe a tarred-and-feathered highschool gate could serve as a warning to delinquent students that if they don't shape up and follow the rules, that's what their fate will be.
When I was a kid, we had a cottonwood in the backyard. I remember gathering the fluff once to try and stuff a little pillow with; but it didn't stay fluffy long. It compacted into a little lump, which was rather disappointing. I wonder if cottonwood cotton is actually any good for using as fibre?
And to go with today's tree-hugging theme, our illustration is Steve hugging my Lucky Bamboo. Don't worry, Steve, that bamboo is in no danger of being chopped down. I'll be only too happy if it lives and doesn't succumb to my brown thumb.
Life, the Universe, and Randomness. Have you hugged a tree today?
