Garden

One of the more unusual aspects of our apartment is that it looks out over an overgrown green space full of plants and trees. I mentioned it in passing several times and posted earlier pictures as the colors started to change. Unfortunately, we have no access to it and, in fact, our landlord doesn't even know who owns it. Last week I was startled to hear the sound of chainsaws buzzing nearby. After a short search I determined that it was coming from the enclosed garden space. It took three men working steadily for an entire day to clear out all of the underbrush and junk trees, leaving a beautiful open space filled with fruit trees and some grape vines. We were delighted, to say the least.

Until the next day.

When they came back and took out most of the remaining trees! It seems that the tenants in the building which actually owned and had access to the space were complaining about the shade it created and so they basically leveled the place. That is awkward, to say the least, since nobody lives on the ground floor of any of these buildings. Indeed, now that it is totally cleared out it is obvious that there aren't even any windows except basement casement windows. People, if you are in the basement you don't expect much light to come into the 1 foot by 3 foot window sitting on the ground. The remaining trees have been cut back to within an inch of their life. We just hope they are allowed to attempt to come back next spring rather than being chopped down the rest of the way. There is a nice magnolia, a cachi, several pear trees and what appears to be a citrus tree.

Perhaps the most disappointing part is that now we have a beautiful view of ... a parking lot. Can't wait until next spring when mother nature works her magic and heals the space.