Wednesday dawned a bit brighter and clearer than the previous smoke-hazed days. It was a bit more pleasant out while setting the irrigation and letting the ducks and chooks out for their morning feed. However, they weren’t too impressed with their potato and patty pan left-overs – I guess their idea of gourmet crawls around on six or eight legs. Wednesday was the day the school scheduled an arborist to cut down the Eucalyptus trees on our border fence.

Well, she kept her word. By the time I left for my day job I could hear the saws and the mulcher on the other side of the school.

During the day I repeatedly sent Patricia messages asking for photos. I didn’t want to sit behind a dumb computer screen – I wanted to be there and experience what was happening. I wanted to ask the guys for some of the long limbs for edging pieces. I wanted to smell that fresh smell of Eucalyptus being processed. I love that smell. It’s so refreshing. It makes me feel healthier in a way.

Anyway when I got back home I could see the outcome first-hand. They’re all gone. Fortunately, after Patricia had begged with them, they also lobbed a few thick branches over the fence which we can use for edging soon.

In a way I’m sad about the trees. They were really beautiful specimens and they created the most beautiful sunset silhouettes. They were a great place for various wild birds to come and perch. They also threw some shade on the worm farm and the compost bins during those warm afternoons.

However, they sapped a massive quantity of our water – nothing wanted to grow near them, and their impact was penetrating deeper and deeper into our property – we could visually see the increased drying out effect year on year. And their falling branches did cause some damage. Anyway, it’s too late to cry. It will be interesting to observe the changes in the weeks and months going forward. I’m looking forward to see a change in water requirements, especially this time of the year.

Not to worry, on both sides of the fence plans are in place to replace those trees with more suitable and more regenerative type trees. Neither we nor the school want that bare dry soil to be baked out by the harsh sun and wind. With some assistance from the local permaculture group as well as the local nursery, we recommended Peppercorns, Wattles, Black Wood, Oaks, Honey Locust and Ornamental Pear to the school. I wonder what they’re going to select. (I would have done a wild mixture!) Anyway, I’m looking forward to some new growth.