What's missing?

Yesterday

Today

Sadly, with much regret the time had come for the leaning Monterrey Oak tree to come down.  It was a large tree, much larger than the two Live Oak trees it stood between; however, it was leaning more and more.  Plus it was choking out the Live Oaks and they were choking it, so the net was that none of the trees could grow properly.  It was time.

This morning before work I decided that it might be a good idea to do one more "poop patrol" of the yard, just in case.  As I walked by the tree (do not laugh here) I had to reach over and touch its trunk and silently I apologized for the fate it would meet today and thanked it for the shade it had provided to the yard and the harbor it provided to the squirrels and birds that inhabited it for all these many years.  Silly, I know.  But still, I felt bad about destroying such a big tree.

Now my yard is filled with light and I'm amazed at how open it feels. It is almost like having a whole new back yard.  I suspect that now I can re-sod the yard and have a grassy back yard.  And, I have a feeling that the plants that I do have will begin to thrive.  In time the remaining trees will begin to grow together, but for now I have light.