Sadly, I was blown away.

Sadly, I was blown away.

The only thing missing last week was a house landing on a witch. The state of Connecticut is recovering from the powerful rain and windstorm that tore through Westport last weekend, bringing down trees, power lines and flooding our downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

Rosebrook Gardens, although never lost power, was not exempt from this Old Man Winter storm, as three sections of my back fence took flight and headed towards my neighbor's back yard. I was lucky, but many throughout our state were not, with damages to their home, cars and property in the hundreds of thousands.

Sunday morning, after my live segment on Good Morning Connecticut, I put my Hunter boots on and assessed my own property, taking photos of the aftermath, and found myself sad and depressed as I ventured out of my own neighborhood to discover “the morning after” effects. Many old historical trees that so proudly graced my town either snapped, broke, collapsed or uprooted. I felt their pain and lost as many could have been saved if only property owners did their part to trim and maintain their elderly trees. I don't mean to be harsh, but why do we take their beauty for granted and simply discard them when they fall? Loose a tree plant two in their place is my mantra.

And to add insult to injury I learned just north of Westport, in Black Rock, area vandals took a chainsaw to 15 Sycamore trees, ringing them a few inches deep -- just enough to weaken them during the storm or kill them in the months to come. Fate would have it   that none would fall pray to the high winds yet we can only hope for a miracle to save them as the odds are bleak that they will survive.

Sometimes it takes losing a tree(s) before people realize their importance, and how impossible it is to replace a large, established tree. Now don’t get me wrong, there will   always be a tree here and there that falls unexpectedly, but it’s not that difficult to be proactive. If we notice them and perhaps cable them, fertilize them when they are sick   or trim them to build strength then maybe, just maybe, they would have a better chance. The gift of love and attention to your tree is one that will forever reward you. Know that just like us they too feel pain and need the support of others to survive.

So I ask you today to “blow me away” so to speak and plant a tree or make a commitment to adopt a tree or plant a tree for you, a friend or even neighbor. No matter how small or large it may be do this and find yourself giving a gift that keeps on giving for years to come. Create a legacy celebrating birthdays, deaths and accplaments.
Walking through my garden today and touching the bark, and discovering the blooms that await spring tell me that Rosebrook Gardens will soon have a rebirth and a magical display of beauty that will hopefully attract other to their beauty and commitment. I love them, I tend to them and I watch them grow as I’m sure they too peek through my windows proudly knowing that should they need me I won’t need to be “blown away” to be there for them.


Posted Comments (Post a comment to this page)
Laura Johnson
03/23/2010 @ 09:27 AM 		I love you mar.
This blog validates why I love you and all that you say and do. ps I love the photos and Miss Violet too.

Carrie
03/21/2010 @ 08:47 PM 		OMG
This blog has touch me so much Mar. What a gift you have to be able to express yourself and touch us so much. You look sad in the photo and so does your dog. I too will thank my lucky stars that I have wonderful trees to enjoy in my life. We all should. Carrie Miller-Scott

Grace Fowler
03/21/2010 @ 09:37 AM 		a true friend to trees
It's obvious that you care deeply for nature--in a time when it is "trendy" to be caring about the earth it's refreshing to read about people who get it for real and it comes from their heart. We missed the wind storms in my part of the country (Nebraska) so I still have my centuries-old oaks in my yard--I think I'm going to go give them a hug right now. Thanks, Mar!

Rebecca Clovey
03/21/2010 @ 09:34 AM 		mourning
My daughter and I drove to the park in your article and saw for ourselves. The damage from the storm was bad enough, but this was outrageous. I didn't know until I read your article and then read more about it online. Thanks for making people aware.