Is 2017 Over Yet?

[kHT]

So sorry I have been away and not getting here as I would like. This year has been a trip and a half! Thanks Goose for your
checking in and making sure all is well on the west coast. Where do we start? Last fall I came down with that nasty virus
and ended up see my doctor a few time, then can the allergist and the cardio folks. That virus was nasty!! Just got a half way
okay to go back to the gardens. But Mother Nature has been not nice to us out here, since the start of the rain calendar we
have had a full 45 inches of rain, less than a dozen dry days so playing outside has been fun. Below normal weather temps and when
it warms up it's been a roller coaster ride. From the lower 50 to 80s in a matter of hours. Then back down and more rain. I have
had to clean up the back gardens now 6 times due to the storms!

[Chris_W]

Wow, that is a lot of rain. I didn't realize you had that much, but heard about all the wind. I sure hope things improve in the garden and healthwise. We have also had a rough start to the year weather wise. Really early warm brought the hostas out of dormancy way too early and just when it looked like we were over the hump we had two nights of FREEZING! weather. Not just a frost but a complete freeze. Things are not looking good, but they will be back in a couple weeks I'm sure.

We will be thinking of you and hope things get better soon

Chris

[pauhaus]

Good to see you posting again KHT. I've been busy with a new job and having been checking in too much. Chris, I was worried about your place when the freeze warning was issued and hoped you might have dodged the freezing weather, I'm so sorry to hear you had freezing weather. As a nursery owner it must be devastating to walk out the next day and see all that damage. I'm sure things will bounce back quickly, good luck this season. I hope to make it out there soon.

[kHT]

Thank you Chris, hope you didn't have any loss and Congrats Paul in the new job!! Frost can be scary late in the season. The photo above was taken after the snow
melted, we had 14 inches of snow the first of Jan. at a time I was told to take it easy until I see the Cardiologist. Yea, right with 14 inches of snow and ice on the way?
I cleared 90% of the sidewalks, deck and driveway. Needs to say when we get that type of weather every thing closes here. For a whole week I had DH home as there
was no way anyone was going to work. This year we had more snow than our friends in NE had, then came the rain. We broke all sorts of records so far this year.
After the fence was damaged for the third time in 5 years, we met with our insurance agent. We learned that they can cancel our policy if we file to many claims and if the storm is classified as catastrophic, you get a free pass as they say. Your insurance will not go up or will they raise your rates. The first time we bit the bullet and paid for a new fence, we had a chairlink and was tired of no privacy. The second time was our free pass but this time it's coming back out of our pocket. The second time we also
decided it was time to write a letter to all our neighbors due to their trees were crossing the property line. We sent it regular mail and thought it was a friendly/neighborly way of letting them know there was issue. We sat there watching nothing being done. We are in a Catch 22, if we cut or trim they can come back at us for damaging their trees, the trees are all in their yards and their responsibility. The second time I stood by the window and watched the branches fall and my neighbor remove the branches and put the fence pieces back. I had a photo taken just after it happened so I had proof. So we filed the claim and I was told by the adjustor if it blows I should grab my dog and
leave the house as these are fir trees, shallow roots, lots of rain and if one comes down, they will all fall. Let's say it's pretty scary to watch 80 trees sway!! Which give you some history. This last time the branches were on the fence as I requested in the first letter they not be removed due to our claims adjustor wants to see the damage. They stayed there for almost 2 weeks.....you would think our neighbor would of seen them? Isn't it the neighborly thing to do if your trees did damage you go to your neighbor and see if you could help? Well nothing was said or done. At this time I was grounded and no way could I get them removed, so I called some landscapers for bids. 5 were called and 2 refused to even help, not our trees and they all asked if we heard from our neighbors? No!! So one guy went and talked to both east and west neighbors whom have branches hanging over our property line. Get this both stated they would allow work done but wouldn't pay for it, if we want it done we had to pay.
Yep you heard that right!! East trees hang well over our shed and the West one come all the way across the yard to the roof of our home. So after we heard back from the landscaper/tree trimmer, we went to the insurance company where we were given a direction to go. I then talked to the tree trimmer and he stated he just had a verbal
agreement, nothing in writing....so I told him what the insurance company said after we were told we would have to pay for the work. I sat down and wrote letter to all the adjacent property folks that had trees, then I sent it out certified with a signature request. Their trees and their problem and they should pay for their trimming. I then hired an arborist whom wrote a letter and told them if they didn't believe what was written they should hire their own arborist. I documented all this and when I got the cards back it got sent off to our insurance company. My next step is taking this to the County to request our taxes lowered as we can't use our yard. I spend at least 5 hours a week just cleaning up from what blows into our yard. In my letter I also requested that if any work is done, we have written notice of the date and by whom, limited access to our yard will be allowed and asked that work be done not in the growing season when plants are up. If clean up is needed in our yard, I would be doing it and my going rate is $20 an hour. Well guess what, we get the west neighbor at our door one evening and we were told they were removing trees the next day and he left.
I looked at my husband so dumb founded and after we finished our meal we went over to their house and asked questions. Shocked he hired the same folks that screwed up his trees after the second damage to our fence, he kept saying he was trying to be a good neighbor. Not a word about paying for any prior damage and they stated that they had no clue their trees caused damage. So the next day at 9am we had a small crew to cut down the two damaged trees. Yea!! Right, well they hit the fence and
popped a pole out of place. Plus the neighbor had the gall to come over when they were done and said they wanted to clean up our yard. Yea, right now!! It was pouring
rain most of the day the work was done and now I was to allow them to trample all over my wet yard. All I could do was shut the front door. We have no trespassing signs posted on our property besides video cameras. I hope he got the message!! I then called an attorney that we had used in the past, after that conversation we went and talked to the neighbor. Let's just say it wasn't a good conversation and we left them when they stated they would contact their attorney when I told they they were going to get a bill for the clean up, fixing the fence and the removal of the tree limbs as we were tired of paying for the messes that their trees cause us. I am currently awaiting for the estimate for the new damage to the fence. I have spent 10 1/2 hours in cleanup and removal, which was bagged up and tossed back to where it came.
According by the local sheriff department, we can't keep what comes into our yard and it must be returned!! When this is sent it will be sent certified and regular mail, they will be given 30 days to pay. If payment isn't done in that time, then we will be going to court. The reason we are doing all this is due to if the trees do fall and cause damage to our property and the insurance company has to take this to court, we will get the money first as we have shown cause they knew that their trees are damaging out property. We are protecting our property and our insurance company, besides we have also changed our insurance to an umbrella policy. The story continues......... Then I lost another brother to cancer and have been dealing with family drama!! See it's time to put this year to rest. A shout out to the Torro folks for their awesome blower/vac which made the clean up easy. You can pick up fir chips that are 2 inches thick.

[LucyGoose]

Hi Everyone!! Wow Karma, that is a lot of rain!! You need to slow down some....I look at your pictures and it's like...sheesh....I'm tired!

So sorry about your brother!! ♥

[kHT]

Thanks LucyGoose, can't open up the gardens with it looking like that? Still raining so it makes it hard to allow folks
to walk on the wet soil. Mental note, need more paths.

[Linda P]

The battle rages on. So sorry to hear about all this . And in the midst of you lost another brother to cancer. I have lost two as well, same cause, along with several first cousins who were very close, and another on Hospice now .
I hope that your battles with the trees are settled soon. That's way too much stress for you! Oh, and I had a virus at Christmas, 2014, that set off a long chain of health problems that I am still fighting today. Please take it easy, KHT, and remember to take care of yourself.
Linda P

[kHT]

Thank you Linda P, so sorry for your loss. Just know they are in a better place now and safe from pain. This helps easy the mind and
keep them close to your heart. Hoping for the best for the one in hospice. Also hope your health improves, those viruses can take a
huge toll.....wise to get a flu shot for those that can. My case I can't being allergic to eggs so I stay away from folks. This year I have
found a place that give non egg shots so I'll be first in line.

Was able to get the clean up done, 10 1/2 hours worth to get the gardens back to what it was before the tree removal, see photos. Only
messed up a couple hostas but they will come back. Found I love a couple more to the damage this past winter but will fill in the space
with Helleborus. But still have 4 more trees to go to the west. We had a bad storm roll through yesterday and had to cleanup again.
Came inside in time to watch the neighbor to the east fall one of his trees. It was a good laugh, they cut the 18 footer at the base and
them use the truck to pull it over. No joke!! It was trying to fall to the house but they managed to get it to go south. Thank goodness
my husband got passed before it came down. Now it's laying in their yard, wonder how long it will be there? These are the folks with
the toilet in the front yard. Life is just so interesting here at the end of the dead end circle, makes me wonder about some humans.
We have watched several of their trees come down due to neglect, this one was dead due to the huge bus that is parked there during the
summer months and no watering.

All I can say is protect one's property!!

[LucyGoose]

Hi Linda!! I think of you often, hoping your well on the mend!! So sorry for all those losses....♥

Karma, Jay and I both have never gotten a flu shot and never will.....and my dogs won't either that my vet trys to push on my because I take Toby everywhere....He is getting a dental tomorrow, and we are going to a different vet who doesn't recommend them, and only has them at her clinic for the people who want them...my vet demands it before surgery or dentals....funny thing, there have been dogs in HER clinic that have gotten sick after wards....but that is from a friend who works there.....i can say thins HERE at Hallson's and NOT on FB because she is a friend on FB.... So, no flu shots!! I think I am rattling now...

Yes, that is crazy neighbors.....your pictures are nice!

[kHT]

Thanks LG, Hope all went well with Toby's visit?

Last week was really hard, my husband, Sable and I went up to Kent to pick up my brother's ashes as his guardian
had a full plate and couldn't get away. He is now here with us and we have been doing some hiking to find a nice
spot to scatter his ashes. Lots of rules and laws governing this!!