(no subject)

There are people cutting down the massive Norway maple in my neighbor's yard right now, and while I'm not sorry to see that tree go -- Norway maples are an invasive species around here, and the thing clearly looked old and sick enough that I've been convinced for years it's going to fall on our house and kill us in our sleep -- I was also not pleased to hear a massive thump coming from the backyard a few minutes ago.

There are still several huge and very tall branches left to go, and if one of them totals my tomato plants, THERE WILL BE BLOOD.

ETA: Have I ever wondered what a chipper-shredder being run less than five feet away from me sounds like? No, I have not. And yet now I know, and will probably continue to know for the next half-hour or so.

PLANT RAAAAAAAAAAAGE

The tree pruners finally left, so I went out to the backyard to check on the damage and discovered that not only is our yard now full of impact craters, my beloved giant rudbeckia is GONE. One hundred percent, totally, completely gone, cut down to a few inches of stalk. It was in full bloom and one of my favorite plants to look at.

I have to think that something large fell on it, and the guys had no choice to cut it back. But I am very, very, very angry that no one checked with me first.

If this plant doesn't come back next year, the neighbor is buying me a new one.