You have to understand: there was a huge ugly pile of brush there. It started out as a leaf pile (and bless the guy, he left most of the leaves there because I had commented I wanted to keep part of them as I used the humus in my garden) but all the horrible cut brush and clippings from earlier tree trimmings and everything is gone.
I can't believe the guy would do all that for free but I also can't believe he'd do it without checking with me first about the cost. (I left a message for him saying I'd be home the rest of the day and would be ready to pay him, so he can call back and tell me if he intended it to be free. And if it is free, two things:
1. he is my forever tree guy and I am telling everyone who mentions needing tree work about how awesome he is.
2. I am going to write a check, probably to my church, in the amount that I am guessing it would have cost me. Pay it forward a little bit.
I almost cried when I saw everything was gone because I was so relieved.
I called the city. This time I talked to the "big boss" of this department and also very carefully modulated my voice "down" so it was softer and sweeter than it normally is. (Not quite Fluttershy voice but you get the idea). She was amenable to the idea of taking me off the agenda and said she'd come back on Monday and check to be sure (she had to) but that she's "sure" I'm good. She also sympathized about how people are having to mow more because of the rain.
She then asked me if I had had any trouble with the neighbors to the south. Not really, I said, I do notice their front yard grass is a little tall, I said, but maybe they're out of town right now. She said ANOTHER neighbor (and I know just who it was based on her description of how the properties are related, and I'm not surprised) was complaining many times to her because these folks don't take their trash can back up after garbage day. I don't think it's mandated you do but I always bring mine up just because I think it looks tidier and also when we get high winds I don't want it blowing over and cracking.
She also said she couldn't see into their backyard to check on stuff that has been complained about. Hm. Makes me think maybe if I need to replace the chainlink fence some time a high paling fence would make sense.
Also, secretly? Now that my garden is a lot nuder I kind of want to get some kind of big crazy garden statue for out there. Maybe a big ugly toad or a foo dog or something. (I've seen zombies-emerging-from-the-ground but that's not quite my style). Or maybe just get a few nice big hopefully-slightly-allelopathic perennials to put in there. (Allelopathic, because that might keep down the weeds.) Or a couple of those concrete deer that people used to have.
I might get some liriope (I used to hate it but I now see its utility) and plant it around the naked base of my elm tree to try to keep down the weeds. I don't know much about this stuff (also known as lily turf) Anyone familiar? What's the best time of year to plant it?
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