People from down south are always telling us what beautiful trees we have in Rochester. They aren't going to tell us what beautiful weather we have are they? Rochester has a rich history of park design with world class landscape architects at the helm. And the City has always planted and maintained trees on that little strip of land in front of your house that you have to mow but that technically belongs to the City.

The Mountain Ash out in front of our house died about fifteen years ago and the City sent us a form that allowed us to pick the type of tree we would like for a replacement. We could choose from four tree types that were already on our street. We chose a red maple. I don't know if they still have this policy or not but I can't imagine choosing these tall skinny things that so many people in the Humboldt Street neighborhood have. I never knew what that Merle Haggard "Shade Tree Fix It Man" song meant but maybe it has something to do with these trees.

And whose idea was it to spend money on signs that tell us the flowers are in bloom? I see Jack Doyle's name on the sign. Get rid of these damn things so we can see the flowers!

I caught this thing out of the corner of my eye as I drove down Culver Road. I was deeply engaged in a conversation but this visual image registered. I had to go back with my camera. It is so pink, you can see it from a mile down the road. It is so pink that it casts a pink glow on the tree next to it. It is so pink that it has killed the grass around it.

This tree is a just around the corner from our house. The mailman told me it was hit by a Russian guy who lives in an apartment further down the street. He was driving drunk and killed a pedestrian before slamming into this tree. The family of the victim keeps this tree dressed in their loved one's honor. I think I see a miraculous image in the wounded tree.

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