My Father was a tree hugger.  He was.  When he visited his home in Hampton, South Carolina, he would return to Florida with a bag of seeds, seedlings, potted plants and the like.  He loved flora and fauna and he and my Mother’s ten acres proved it.  The entire property has been filled with plants large and small and mostly large.  

In the front yard there are  trees; huge and so big they are not even huggable.  Many are  live oaks, magnolias and cedars.  On the corners of the land area there are the large, large trees.  Down each property line, cedar trees stretch from one end to the other and this, so he would know his parameters, side lines and middle area. 

In 2019 the state of Florida banned local governments from regulation regarding tree removal on private properties.  Fees and the need for a permit was stopped and private owners could manage their own properties.  My Father needed no such ruling. He would hardly trim the bushes, he was so driven by green growth.

So, today, over 50 years later, my parents property is full and green and that is to say full and green. We can hardly move.  As a result, we have, by no choice of our own had to cut and trim in order to do some things to the property.   

With little restriction, I find that I still have a huge restriction….my Dad.  The “permit” in my mind is definitely my Dad.  Before I trim too much or cut down a tree or really even a twig, my Dad lives in my head about it and I carefully make a choice.

We have, of late removed some of the old buildings, barn and swimming pool on the property in a way of sprucing up the land and adding new features.  It’s been very difficult in that I really have to think twice before cutting or trimming.

And, yes,  as we remove, we’re already in a mode to replant new trees and bushes. It would make my Daddy happy.

See you tomorrow,