The city has so many advantages. I live near my job and can walk or take public transportation, some of the best restaurants I have ever been to are within the same zip code and make a great neighbor-hood. The people are interesting and we get along great with our neighbors.

However, sometimes a neighbor can do something that really changes your place in the world. There used to be a hundred+ year old maple in the yard behind ours.  A beautiful old tree that shaded parts of the six properties around us and provided the only shade we really had. On Friday the tree was taken down and when my son messaged me at work to let me know, I cried.

It’s not my property and not my decision, but I loved that old tree and the birds and animals that lived in it.  I know the yard was useless to them with the tree shading the whole thing and the roots had ruined any hope of a level place to even put a picnic table or chairs.

I understand.  But it’s still hurts.

The positive part of this is that we now have full sun all day long on our garden and will probably see great growth in the trees that were a bit stunted in the shade.