Day 185: This comes under the category of Great Sadnesses. I didn't know I had Xanthoria polycarpa growing on the hawthorn tree when I asked Joe to take it out, although it probably wouldn't have changed my decision to remove it. I'd planted the hawthorn when I first moved in here, asked by the friend who provided it if I was really sure I wanted one but not understanding her concern. It was only later that I found out how invasive the damn things can be, but by then, the tree was fifteen feet tall with several trunks as thick as my upper arm. To make matters worse, it was shading out one end of my grapevine. Joe said he was willing to take it down, and to that end, showed up yesterday morning with his chainsaw. As you know from my previous post, most of the morning and early afternoon were spent enlarging my garden space. It was after noon by the time we got to the tree, and both of us were experiencing the aches incumbent with hard work. Still, Joe started on the tree but the intertwined branches made for slow going. We called it quits when the job was two-thirds done. He'll be back to finish it off later (I've promised not to put him to work digging again, not this year anyway), but as we were hauling away the branches, I spotted the poor unhomed Xanthoria, collateral damage. It's not an uncommon lichen, but I love the colour. I hope the grape appreciates the sacrifice.
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