Me & the Trees

"Think of it as a day of rest," she said, when I told her over the phone that yesterday had been "wasted" with a migraine. Thank you, Shelly; that's a much better attitude.

But today, now ... today! I'm fit as a fiddle and was out the door and walking down the road in the sunshine. My spring/fall jacket was off and on a few times; so was my tuque; but that's Saskatchewan weather. It's not a lot different in full summertime. The wind blows, you're cold. The sun comes out, you're hot. Back and forth, off and on; the temperature fluctuates.

It's so nice out today that Scott's gone to town for wieners so we can make ourselves a little fire and roast them for supper. It's a perfect time to be out there, enjoying the days before the mosquitoes come out.

It was jarring, when I went north, to see that a bunch of trees have been knocked down on the other side of a field since last time I looked that direction. It always feels like an affront, one about which I can do absolutely nothing. I'd like some kind of environmental controls to be put in place by the government so that there are limits to the amount of trees farmers can bulldoze from their property. (Are they really gonna take them all? as Dennis Lakusta's song says.)

Sure the trees belong to the landowner, who needs (does he really? it must pay; it costs plenty to get rid of trees, and heaven knows farmers don't like to spend money for no good reason) the acres to grow crops. But I don't think the landowner actually "needs" to take out so many trees, does he? And in the long run, owning property shouldn't mean that you have the right to fuck it up for the wildlife whose habitat has already been decimated, and to increase soil/wind erosion ... and these things do matter, not only now but to future generations. There oughtta be a law, since it does look, alas, like far too many landowners don't give a shit about any of that.

I know, I know. They've gotta make a living. Money talks, and I understand and empathize. Nevertheless, I'm going to start writing letters to government. It never seems to make a difference, but maybe someday, someone with a brain and power will listen and act for environmental responsibility and integrity. I'm not holding my breath though. In the meantime I'll still feel helpless and hopeless whenever I see these wide swaths of mature trees biting the dust, and farmers will go on clearing trees while thinking of themselves as stewards of the land.