The Money (eating) Tree

This tree in our yard was pulled out a month or so ago.

This was an expensive tree.

This was the subject of an important lesson.

This post may sound a lot like your mother. Or Grandmother. Or some other wise person.

When we moved in 10 years ago, there was this wild, itsy- bitsy, cute as a button, little tree that was only 5 feet tall growing too close to the fence. Adorable, really. It started to grow a bit.  And a bit more. And a bit more.  Oh the shade!  The privacy!  The lush greenery!

At the time, I could have reached over and plucked it out with my bare hands - like a lumberjack.

 But instead....

We ignored the neighbor that said, "One day that tree is going to have to go, it's too close to the fence!"  To which I thought seemed pretty certain, but still YEARS away.  Chillax, lil' neighbor!

So throwing caution to the wind, time went by.

Well 10 years happened.  It arrived.  Dang tree took us hostage.

It demanded payment in full.  And if not, it promised to rip up the fence, the neighbor's fence, and lift the cement foundation of the shed in the other neighbor's yard.

This tree removal process is not easy.

Or Cheap.

This cute little tree required us, my Uncle Mike, and a good friend to give up an entire Saturday to rebuild the fence it had broken up.

This itsy bitsy tree required us to break through the fence of the next door neighbor to get the huge bulldozer in.

This big, destructive bulldozer held a man in its claw as someone else raised it up and down for him to cut branches.

(This would have been a great commercial for workers comp on "What NOT to do.")

So here is the lesson ....

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

Or in other words,  Nip it in the bud! Now.  While the nipin' is still good.

When someone advises you to 'Nip it in the bud', then nip it!  Nip it like it's goin' out of style.

That's it.  That's the lesson. In any area of life.  Do it. 

Tree removal :        $800

Fence boards:         $200

Lesson learned:   Priceless.

(an oldie but a goodie)