Friday, November 14, 2014

Oh, say can you see...

Seemed a fitting post title in a week that held Veterans Day, my birthday, and bombardment by weather. Unfortunately, my view by the dawn's early light was not as buoying to the spirits as was Francis Scott Key's.
The very first Japanese maple I bought after moving to Oregon and falling in love with them was laid low by its burden of ice.

The lovely, leafy arch over the sidewalk to our front door is no more. My heart is leaden.
Nightcicles by barn light

When we got home last night from errands and Brian's fencing class, there was more ice coating surfaces than there had been when we left. Part of the flowering plum tree in our island bed blocked one side of our circle driveway. I worried about what daylight would reveal.
The flowering plum could stand a good pruning, but please, not that maple, too
Rick made eight of these decorative plaques for my birthday surprise;
he used glow-in-the-dark paint and affixed them to posts along our driveway.

Since taking the photos above, the sun has come out. It didn't take long to start loosening icy fingers.
Icicles on the sunny side of the bird feeder disappeared first

I think I'll bolster my courage by riding my horse before trying to assess the full extent of the damage.

Not feeling very brave, at . . .

8 comments:

Mama Pea said...

So sorry to see so much ice storm damage on your property. The photos you posted yesterday were so beautiful, but of course didn't bode well for a good outcome. We certainly do not have any control over nature and sometimes it can be brutal.

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Oh gosh, Michelle...that ice storm did some terrible damage. Please, dear Lord, give me anything but ice. I hate wind, it sucks the heat from the house but ice...ice is life threatening.

Mary Ann said...

I don't think my comment "took".... Happy, happy birthday and many more... and be careful on the ice!

Fiona said...

Loosing trees is like loosing friends so I always plant a new one ASAP....Beautiful photos though.

Laura said...

So sorry about your trees - they are more than part of the family, they help ground us. Sure you can plant more, but it takes time for them to mature into the specimens that we love. I like the plaques - how fun!

Spinners End Farm said...

Oh dear...I hope the damage isn't too bad! :(
Rick did a nice job on the plaques!

Wendy said...

Wow! Ice storms are the worse. I'd take snow over ice any day.

Unknown said...

Oh no... It's a heart breaker to lose beautiful trees!! So sorry. The ice...beautiful...but sometimes ... destructive.

Love the plaques on the posts. Very nice!!