It's a beautiful summer Saturday morning in North Central Texas, so what do you do? What you always do, stroll down sylvan streets to the Pick 'n Steal, aka "Gas Station" for a cheap coffee refill. As you do, reflect on the trees and the generous wisdom of the people who planted them.
Good to look at? Yes, beauty's important. Allies? For sure, they turn persynkind's ancient enemy, Carbon Dioxide, into life giving Oxygen. Oh yes, our friends in the War on the Weather, but more than this, they give us shade.
Don't laugh, this is important when the sun sears down like an incinerating laser. Step into the shade of a tree and feel the drop in temperature; trees make the oven bearable, and that's partly why they planted them. Not just for good looks or their facility for hanging criminals, but as a natural cooling system.
That in mind, why did the genius patrol who run this place chop down all the trees leading up to the Square? Yes, they left the Hanging Trees standing at the courthouse but pretty much everything else had to go. Their roots messed up the sidewalk, they claimed. Chop them down.
Net result? A sun blasted parade square of concrete on the approach to the halls of justice. Walk it at your peril. Did someone profit off the replacement of beautiful cooling trees with hideously ugly hot concrete? Surely not.
Stay Frosty,
LSP
13 comments:
I'm glad they left the hanging trees. The symbolism has some value.
As to chopping down trees - I avoid it on general principle because of the value that you set forth.
Take down paradise, put up a parking lot?
And there you have it. Green = cooling.
Who profits by the lack thereof?
Lovely trees, Parson. Thanks for sharing.
You all be safe and God bless.
I remember coming from church on Sunday and the women gathering around one group of trees while the men had their group of trees. Maybe no trees means no attendance?
Cattle raisers in Northeast Texas usually left a couple of old oaks standing in hay meadows. Had to have a not sun-seared place for lunch (or dinner as it used to be) when hauling hay. Shade seemed 10 or more degrees cooler. Sit there of a noon day, eat baloney sandwiches and an apple, washed down with well water in a cleaned up gallon pickle jar. That's the way it was 60 years ago, anyway. My wife and I mark 50 years married on Tuesday. I am glad I married a Christian woman.
The hanging trees stand strong around the courthouse, LL. Great sturdy oaks. But the rest of the Square? Not so much. Perhaps there's money to be made in concrete.
Kid, I was thinking exactly that.
You're clearly psychic.
Joni's a Devil Witch, I've done the polling.
Linda, there's this weird thing which gets into people, "Chop down the trees!"
Especially stupid in a hot climate, eh?
Good call, Anon! And I'm picturing the scene.
But 1st Baptist is doing OK, even though they CUT DOWN THE BEAUTIFUL SHADE TREES.
Sgt., congratulations!
WELL DONE.
And I don't say that lightly.
Congratulations to you and your wife, SgtBob! God bless!
All the sidewalks are supposed to be messed up by tree roots here in the Lone Star. Those that removed'em are not Texans, but damn yankees.
Another note: Glad the young soldier is alright and escaped that Kia alright.
Thanks, GenX, and yes, DON'T CHOP THE TREES DOWN, carpetbaggers.
But wow, exploding car... could've been very different.
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