SoCS: trees

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “tree.” Use the word “tree” or write about a tree. Any kind of tree. 

Trees! I love trees. I prefer to live surrounded by trees and not people. Love to be in the woods. Used to love camping in the woods. My last place was in the woods . . . the woods. . . now that I’m writing it, what a great name: the woods. all different kind of woods. It almost like our culture sees trees as a commodity to exploit which we did and continue to do.

I would love to see what Southern Ontario used to look like before we clear cut it. We did not leave any old growth. Only now its too late do we understand the gravity of what we did. Tens of thousands of years growth destroyed in 100 years. Then we moved on to destroy the west.

My last last place had a long driveway through through trees and our house was in a clearing of trees. I was really sad to leave that place but luckily my settlement bought me this place which is in trees. I want to look out my window and see trees.

There are a few trees I especially like. There is the Copper Beech which holds onto its leaves all winter after turning a spectacular copper in the fall. The old leaves are pushed off by new growth in the spring; a deep burgundy colour.

The huge butternut tree was from a seedling my ex-husband gave my nephew-in-law when we started a nut tree nursery about 40 years ago. Never in my imagination would I have thought this would end up being my place. My ex is still in our old place, My nephew-in-law has passed away, this tree is constant reminder of the transitory nature of life: we can never guess how things are going to turn out.

I’m looking out my window right now at a huge Black Pine that’s up by the road. I can’t see it all summer when the leaves are out on the poplars but when their leaves drop, I can see its beautiful silhouette. In these short days the sun sets there, showcasing this spectacular Pine.

And I can’t talk about my relationship with trees without mentioning The Sisters. They are a group of six Paper Birch coming out of one center. They are deep within the woods behind me, out on the trail. I never get tired of walking this same trail over and over as I get to know more and more trees. And they get to know me.

Oh my gosh, I looked right past my Gingko to admire the Pine. It just said “What about me? Everyone admires me!”

Trees, beautiful trees! We must switch to hemp for paper products and plant more trees!

The Sisters

https://lindaghill.com/2021/12/10/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-11-2021/

SoCS: reversal

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “rev.” Use “rev” or find a word that contains it. 

I’m sorry to write a bummer post but my reversal of fortune has been on my mind a lot lately and that’s what jumped into my head. I even feel bad writing it because I’m very secure compared to a lot of people. So many are way worse off than me, I feel guilty complaining. But its my blog and I’ll cry if I want to.

A year ago I was doing better than I had ever done before. I was debt-free and starting to save money for the first time ever. Maybe go on a vacation or buy a new woodstove. A year ago I was bragging that I was saving so much money staying home in the pandemic. I guess the universe heard me and decided that wasn’t going to happen.

In February, during total lockdown and an arctic cold snap, my furnace broke down. I was really fortunate to have a credit line open from when I bought my car. Along with banking on-line, I was able to buy a new furnace and put it on my credit line without even leaving the house. For that I am so grateful!

I had been putting off going to the dentist before the pandemic so I was way behind when I finally got there. $1000. Yep. that’s what it cost me. And there were no fancy crowns, I’m talking extraction and fillings.

In the spring my lawn mower broke down. It was a very old rider mower and I could not afford to buy another rider. But my lawn is quite big so I had to choose between affording it and buying one big enough to do the job. I bought an $800 mower and don’t do it all in one day.

That’s about where the reversal took place and I started juggling monthly payments. I had to buy firewood for the year at the same time my propane tanks needed filling. And, of course, propane has gone way up along with everything else. The good part is that all my heat is paid for until I need propane again. I’m only using my furnace in the morning then get the woodstove going. It might last until February if it doesn’t get too cold.

Although its been a huge disappointment at least its not fear. If I wasn’t receiving Old Age Pension I would be up Shit Creek without a paddle. Working at that grocery store would not cover my payments right now. I can see why so many seniors have to get a part time job. I can see how young people go deeper and deeper into debt making minimum payments. Been there, done that. I’m staying tight because I pay down as much as I possibly can. I’m not digging a deeper whole.

I’m going back into shut-down mode, taking a lesson from the pandemic. If I don’t go anywhere, I don’t spend money or use any gas. I won’t be as generous at Christmas. I didn’t buy a tree but that wasn’t just the expense. Its all this “hurry up and buy stuff because there’s going to be a shortage!!” bullshit. I have a large green enamel tomato cage I turned upside down and made a tree with boughs and garlands and decorated it. Good enough! I didn’t spend any money going to SuperStore to get it where I would have spend a whole bunch more.

It nice to have this place to air my grievances. Hey! A good year to celebrate Festivus!!

https://lindaghill.com/2021/12/03/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-4-2021/