Life in My Hood

Just another old schizophrenic spring here in Michigan. One day it's sunny (not warm, but sunny). The next gray and gloomy. Then it snows. Then it melts. Then it snows some more. I look at old photos of the lake, flowers, summer, just to remind me it does exist. Then it snows again. Just enough to be annoying.

 The birds are hungry, socking down food in their feeders like they're expecting a lockdown of undetermined length. I had to move one of Lizzie's main feeders because Bushy the Squirrel (the big one) chows it down at an abnormal pace. (So does his little, smaller squirrel buddy with the cute white belly but he's a lot lighter!) So, Lizzie has had to switch to a slightly different viewing space, made all the more complicated by bringing the outdoor flowers inside!

But she's most attentive.

Last week I had a bit of a snit with the Board of Water and Light's tree trimming service, Wrights. Their motto should be "Wrights: It's All So Wrong." They're trimming (read that cutting down) trees all over the neighborhood that might go down on power lines in an ice storm. (Yes, we can get those in April, but you'd think they would have done it a little sooner). A few days ago they were taking down trees in my neighbor's yard. I happened to notice this when I noticed their workers in MY yard, throwing all the branches that fell from their trees.

Did they knock? Ask if they could be there? No.

Did they tell me when -- wait for it -- one of the big limbs that came down took down a four-and-a-half foot hydrangea bush I'd been nurturing for two years?

Nope. The neighbor's yard went from this (with the tall trees on the other side of the fence)...

...to this.

Well, I can't help what they do to the neighbor. The trees were near the power lines and if they'd cut them down to clearance and left the tall trunks, that would be ugly too. But I did have issues with the hydrangea and called, really expecting to get not response. I sat back and waited!

I have to say I was pleased. The same day I called, the site supervisor and his boss came out, looked at the hydrangea and said they would replace and plant it. I asked them not to replace till they dealt with the trees coming out of my yard and I wanted to be present while they were working. We'll see. But I felt the response was more than appropriate.

I have been painting a bit -- trying to get a friend's dog just right.

Not there yet! But close. And hitting the theatre and one of my favorite small towns, Chelsea, last seen HERE. The occasion was seeing "The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes and the Elusive Ear" at Purple Rose Theatre with a group from MSU Friends of Theatre. This professional theatre company was started by Chelsea resident and actor Jeff Daniels. They're known for doing wonderful productions and this one did not disappoint. A special highlight was a talk-back with director Guy Sanville and the excellent cast of this premiere comedy.

Our field trip included a the bus and lunch at the wonderful Common Grill, and MSU prof Dan Smith provided context for the play en route and a lively discussion on the bus ride home.

Now onward to a new adventures!

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