My home used to have a tree line of pines one side when we first moved in. In the years that have gone by life had been too busy and chaotic to notice that some invasive brush had taken over that patch of land and that the pines trunks are obscured from view entirely. A few months ago, while staring in that direction while having my morning tea, I remembered the old owner used to have a bird feeder nailed on the trunk of the pine visible from the kitchen window. That feeder was nowhere to be seen with the wild brush covering everything. My neighbor P who also happens to be a master gardener had told me the name of this invasive bush which I can no longer recall but the best plan was to get rid of them she said. That would be a slow and painstaking process.
We got started a few weeks ago and each weekend as time permits, we clear the ground around a pine tree, give it some air and light to grow. And the process takes several hours and I am bit by mosquitoes and other insects to the point of soreness and oblivion despite my best efforts to protect myself. The past weekend after we had "liberated" the fifth pine a thought crossed by mind - giving anyone - human, animal or plant a shot at a better life once things have gone truly south (as it had for these trees with over a decade of neglect) is back-breaking work and the rewards are not nearly as spectacular as one would like for the degree of task difficulty. You just have to grin and bear the pain hoping that somewhere, somehow your effort will have act as a force multiplier of good.
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