What Were They Thinking?

I've lived in my little rural valley for 14 years, having moved here from a much, much larger city some miles south. We came here for the space, the fresh air, the small town feel and the slower pace. When you go to the bank, you rarely have to stand in a line of more than 3 people, the clerks at the grocery store know your name and the staff at our corner video store know our viewing preferences *and* our account number, so they don't even ask.

Along one section of the road as I drive to and from my home there are pear orchards on both sides of the highway. The near-by shopping center is called Pear Tree shopping center; and the locally owned and operated gift shop in that shopping center features a number of pear related jewelry, home decor items and gifts. This view is similar to what I see in the spring.

If you walk among the rows of trees blossoming they're active with the buzzing of bees. It sounds like the orchard is alive.

Today on my drive home from work I was *shocked* to see all the trees on *both* sides of the road flattened, uprooted, bulldozed into burn piles. I was *sick* I have no idea who or why... probably to make room for another #$% vineyard. But whatever it is, the death of those trees hit me like the loss of a friend.

I came home and described it to DH. I recalled the scene in The Two Towers by Tolkien where Treebeard is not interested in getting involved in the battle between the wizards... until he sees that the forest has been devastated.

"Many of these trees where my friends. Why I knew them when they were just acorns. They had thoughts of their own. There is no curse among elvish, entish or the tongues of man for this treachery."

I usually restrict my blog posts to cheerful or quilty topics, but I am moved.