As it became clear earlier in the week that my brother would not be able to come down for this weekend either, I decided on Friday that I’d better take the bus out to The House outside town for the day, to “check on things”. Besides some very small things like hepaticas in bloom (above), also some big things to do with consenting recently to let a neighbour take down some trees… (See Signs of Spring, April 17). (The main reason is that an old road that used to run between the properties is going to be restored.)
When I was there discussing the tree-felling, I had so much to think about that unfortunately I forgot to take proper “Before” photos. I found some in my archives from last summer though. Even if they were not taken the same time of year or the exact same perspective, they will give an idea, I think.
The House, summer 2012:
The House, May 2013 (tree-felling in progress)
Garden shed and various junk, summer 2012 – pretty well hidden from the neighbours by trees and bushes:
May 2013: Ooops! Not so well hidden any more!
That huge fir tree will be taken down as well:
Contemplating the “new view”, a photo from grandma’s albums came to mind:
My grandparents at the well on the property where they were going to build their house (half the size of the present one) in 1930. The view must be very nearly the same as in the photos of the garden shed above.
“Is there anything of which one can say,
’Look! This is something new’ ?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.”
~Ecclesiastes 1:10~ *
* My apologies to Adrian :)
ReplyDeleteI liked it better with the trees and can't imagine why the neigbor wanted them down...i like that last photo of a moment captured from the past. love the shed pic, beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThe main reason is that an old road that used to run between the properties is going to be restored. It also turned out one or two of the bigger trees that were taken down were rotten inside so just as well. The trees lining (overgrowing) our garage driveway I asked them to take down while they were at it anyway. They were never meant to grow that big in the first place.
DeleteIt is a beautiful place, and although it is always sad to see a tree being cut down, I understand the reasons. So interesting to compare old and new!
ReplyDeleteThe blue flowers are so pretty. Not sure what these are called in German, but they look like some kind of Anemone to me.
Leberblümchen auf Deutsch, Meike! :) and 'blåsippa' in Swedish (blå=blue), to compare with 'vitsippa' for the Wood Anemone (vit=white).
ReplyDeleteYes it looks strange without the old trees in that corner of the garden, but since we plan to sell in a not too distant future anyway it might even be to our advantage. Gives new owners an optional road to use if they want.
What an awesome picture of your grandparents! They look so proud, and in love. A HUGE difference with the trees and shrubs gone!!! Which way do you like best? You got me again with these sweet Hepaticas! I know they are around here, and have probably seen them. Just like your wood Anemone earlier this week, now I will be able to identify them if I see them, I have written it down. My spell checker does not like Hepaticas and wants it to be Hepatitis...
ReplyDeleteLoved the photo of your grandparents....they look so happy and so much in love.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice that you have these photos to look at and enjoy such joyful memories.
I hope the right kind of folks buy the house and care for it through the years to come.
We hope so too, Virginia.
Deleteis the well there now? Once my neighbor cut his trees, used a helicopter. That would be a new phoo.
ReplyDeleteIn my childhood my grandparents still had a water pump in the yard which I think must have been in that spot, but that was a long time ago. There is no private well in use now and hasn't been for decades.
DeleteIt hurts me to see all those trees go, somehow they made the place look warm and cosy.
ReplyDeleteYes, it will look odd for a while for us who were used to the trees. New owners will be free to make their own choice whether to plant a new hedge or let it remain open though. On the other side of the shed there are still trees and bushes left. They weren't green yet last week but they might be now, or will be within a week or so!
DeleteWill your Anemone hepaticas survive without the trees?? They are my most favourite flower.
ReplyDeleteThere has been no talk of taking down that particular tree, Arija. It's not in the way of the road project.
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