(08-30-2021, 09:11 PM)homebiscuit Wrote:

(08-30-2021, 08:56 PM)Jags Wrote: I had two trees taken out and their stumps grinded today.  I’m surprised by how much it opens up the conservation area  behind my fence. Now I can see all the trees without all the damn trees.

You couldn't see the forest for trees, quite literally.

My house was one of the first ones built in my neighborhood. The first thing I did was remove the oak tree saplings they planted in the front and back yards. That was 18 years ago. Within the last couple of years, three houses on my street have paid to have their oak trees removed. Oak trees don't belong around a house. Not only do they stunt the growth of grass, litter the ground with little leaves that also plug up the drain passages on cars and push up sidewalks and driveways, but also have a nasty habit of creating insurance claims on your homeowner policy when storm and hurricane winds kick up. Oak trees belong in the middle of wide open space and places not also occupied by structures.

I have a gigantic live oak tree in my back yard that hangs over my house, and a gigantic live oak tree in my front yard that hangs over my house.  They drop so much stuff on my roof that I have to go up there constantly to clean off my roof.  I leave an extension ladder against the back of my house.  There's no reason to put it away.  So, yes, oak trees are pretty, but they are a pain in the [BLEEP].

I will say this, though, in their defense, when that big hurricane came through a few years ago (Irma?) what they did was let go of little branches, like they were releasing things to minimize wind resistance.  It was 2 feet deep in the front and back yard, just leaves and little branches.  But no big damaging limbs came down.

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