Today, while I was out, my Pete cut down my favourite tree. It was growing so beautifully in our front yard, right near the driveway.
Ants had built a super highway along its trunk and branches.
They have chewed holes into the tree and made it weak. In the past few weeks we have had a couple of storms. Each storm had cause another branch to break and fall. It was becoming dangerous and had to go.
He completely filled the trailer, ready to take to the dump.
It was such a sad sight to see when I arrived home.
Thankfully he had filled a vase with its blossom and left it on the bench for me.
Better than flowers you buy at the shops…
Peppermint Patcher 
what are you trying to say, he wishes he was a girlie just like his dear papa?
not that there’s anything wrong with that…
I love those trees too. I want one with red blossom and one with orange.
You can always plant another and I am sure that it will grow quickly in that tropical weather.
OH NO!! I’m sad to see that tree go, too. That’s my favourite Australian Native (apart from MY Peter, of course!). The flowers are so beautiful.
ps does your Pete really dress in womens’ clothing and hang around in bars? I never would have guessed. He’s a regular Man of Mystery, isn’t he!
I hate ants.
Do they serve any purpose? No, really, do they?
Shame to see it go, I can see why you loved the tree, gorgeous flowers!
😦
Will you replace it with same ?
how old was it ?
He’s a thoughtful man, your Pete.
I have never seen a tree like that and was wondering whether you knew what its name was so I could google it and see what it looks like as a mature adult (without ants!). I can see why you are fond of it considering the lovely blooms it creates! It was very nice of Petey to save some for you! You could press some if you act quickly!
How sweet!
But He’s a lumberjack and it’s okay.
Your Pete might not say much, but boy is he a man of action. And I mean that in a very pure way. In the sense of doing kind things for others. Not in any other kind of “action” context you understand.
Beautiful flowers! Love those red gums.
Blasted ants. I hate them too. I can’t convince them to stay out of my house!
So you were inside decluttering inside and Pete was decluttering outside.
The tree was nine years old. It is a swamp bloodwood. It stood in a row of four trees. Originally we planted them because they stopped a rude neighbour parking on our grass. THe flowers are very sticky and gummy. I’m not sure how to go about pressing them.
The Blossom is lovely. This summer we were driving with the in-laws along a dusty gravel road a long way from anywhere when, suddenly, my salt-of-the-earth-country FIL stopped, whipped out a knife and cut of a branch of yellow gum blossom from the side of the road. It was apparently my MIL’s favourite gum tree blossom. That’s the closest he’d get to buying a bunch of flowers I reckon.
Gorgeous blossom.
The tree was only nine years old? Man, stuff grows quickly in Qld.
So he sleeps all night and he works all day… And I thought he was so butch.
No more scratching the paint off the top of the car as we park in your driveway. It was always worth it – she was a beautiful tree alright.
He’s a treasure all right. Plaid shirt or not.
You know, I was thinking that too Peta, but out of respect for their tree grief I didn’t say it.
There’s always the street. No one was making you park in the driveway!
The death of a tree is always sad — blasted ants —what purpose exactly do they serve? Come by for a challenge!
Ants – reminds me of Dylan Thomas who wrote in “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” that one Christmas he was given a book that told him “everything about wasps except why”. Exactly. I found out later that wasps (in Britain anyway) eat greenfly larvae. But that just opens up another question…
Lovely blooms but I don’t like the name of the tree. (The Gum bit is ok.)
Happy Valentine’s Day! Am hoping that everyone there is well and that you have celebrated it in style!
Ok, time to stop mourning that tree and come back and talk to us!
Hey! Slacktart, post already.
I’m borrowing slacktart. The French all know that standard curse words so I need a new one I can use that they don’t know.
Poor tree.
Can remember the rant dad gave when the neighbour parked on his grass. Then the rant after than when we found out he broke the pipes.