It's Crape Myrtle, Not Crape Murder!

What's wrong with these pictures?

Unfortunately, we see a lot of this around the South this time of year.

These are Crape Myrtles.  They are typically beautiful trees with smooth trunks and blossoms that occur in the mid to late-summer, with colors ranging from white to lavender, red to pink.  They are such a refreshing sight in the heat of the year, and I have an affinity for them.

So it absolutely makes me cringe to see them in this shape!

I heard someone refer to it as "crape murder."  And from what I've learned from this type of "pruning," they are spot on!

Arborists and tree specialists refer this kind of cutting as TOPPING.  Topping is, for the most part, very bad for your tree.  So why are so many people doing it?  Why is it so accepted around the region?

I still haven't fully figured it out, but my best guess is because they want to control the shape of their tree.  For example, in the photo above, the crape myrtle was planted beneath a power line.  Duh.  Next time, choose a better spot for your tree.  Planting the right tree in the right place is the first step in ensuring your tree has a long, healthy life!

Another reason I believe people top their trees, is because, in a few months, the topping will become barely noticeable.  Instead, there will be several sprouts coming out of the branches where the cuts occur, giving the tree a full look again.  The tree does this because it's in emergency mode, so in reality, those extra branches aren't really so pretty after all.    Here's an example of a topped tree where the branches have grown in:

Notice the "knobs" where the tree sprouted out new branches due to stress

Therefore, an amateur will say something like, "But it grows back."  Yes, but at what cost?

A good rule of thumb is to not prune more than 25% of the crown (branches) of the tree at one time.  When you top, you prune 100% of the tree's crown!  Not only does it look hideous and choked for those few months while it's growing back, it also causes the tree tremendous stress!

In fact, the Arborists' Certification Study Guide (ISA) lists Eight Good Reasons Not to Top your tree.

1.  Starvation.
2.  Shock.
3.  Insects and Disease.
4.  Weak Limbs
5.  Rapid New Growth
6.  Tree Death.
7.  Ugliness.
8.  Cost.

Beware of tree services that practice bad pruning.  Think about it: if the tree grows back at this accelerated rate, then guess what, you have to call the tree guys again to come cut it again.  I smell a money-making scheme.

But now that you are educated on the matter, you can insist that they only prune a quarter of the tree's crown in order to keep it in its natural form.  Tell them that hacking off branches like that are not proper pruning techniques, to boot.  If they try to talk you out of it, call another company that has a certified arborist on staff.  Or heck, call me!

When properly cared for, trees will give back exponentially.  Here are some crape myrtles in their natural form taken after their bloom....   Pretty, huh?   They are known for their graceful shape -- let's keep them that way!

Crape Myrtle in its natural form 

Rows of Crape Myrtles at the Birningham Botanical Garden

Pride, Prejudice, & the Bus Ride in the Bad Part of Los Angeles

This blog was written when I was about 60 days into the 80-day attempt to emit zero carbons into the atmosphere for the documentary I'm making called CarLess in L.A.  Contribute to the movie at Kickstarter before May 22!  

A familiar ride {source-LA Times Blog}

Happiness Is

Today, I went to a birthday party lunch for my friend, J.  It was a delightfully charming party in an exquisitely charming house in a horrendously not-so-charming part of town.

And I got there by bus.

I was so proud of myself. Woke up, did some yoga (saves me every time: my caffeine, my workout, my therapy, my church), and walked to my darling little neighborhood farmer's market for groceries. I had it all timed out perfectly. I logged into mta.net (mapquest for bus riders), and found a nifty little route that would take me an hour, but so what? I had the classic Pride and Prejudice to accompany me while commuting.

I showered, dressed, walked to the bus stop. A car pulled up with two young men in it. They asked me if I wanted to "puff" with them. I politely declined and took my seat at the bus stop. They offered me a ride. I declined again. They went away.

The bus came just on time. I sat towards the middle of the bus and was intent on my book (Elizabeth ran into Mr. Darcy and how his character had changed since their last meeting!) when I noticed the bus had stopped at a stop. And wasn't cranking up again. All the riders just sat there. There was no explanation by the driver. We were simply not going.

Now, time was ticking. I was to attend my lunch at 1. And I had timed it just so. Why weren't we going? I had another bus to catch, a transfer to make!

Finally, I asked a gentlemen in the row next to mine. He told me that the bus had hit a pole and the mirror had smashed and that it was illegal for the driver to drive without a mirror and that another bus was coming.

How I missed this I have no idea. All I can say is that I really like Jane Austen's story.

Sure enough, another bus came up from behind. We all deboarded, and as we walked to the bus behind us, I witnessed the broken mirror, shattered into pieces on the sidewalk and in the road. Interesting. I thought. Broken mirrors have always brought out my superstitious side. I was glad I wasn't the one who had broken it. Seven years is a long time.

I made it to my next stop but had missed my transfer. By a lot. I don't know how long I waited. Thank God I was smart enough to remember my book.

Finally the Metro 150 rolled up, and boy, was this bus a winner. Yuck. I sat quickly, quietly, my nose still in the book. I looked up occasionally to notice that I was not in a part of town I had ever seen. Nor had I ever wanted to see it. Nor will I want to see it again.

Pardon my discourtesy, but I was in a downright BAD part of town, which means interesting characters on the bus.

Alas, the woman next to me was wearing light pink with a red scarf, which is a great color combination according to me. I glanced over and saw that she too had a book.
The chapter title: What Is Happiness?
The name of the book: A Piece of the Mirror

Now, what was I supposed to make of this, Universe? I was just on a bus that made pieces of a mirror. And here was a woman with a book of that title with the words "What Is Happiness?" glaring at me.

Signs, signs, signs. Some of them are more clear than others. Some of them are too clear to be ignored. This one was really just a little Godwink, as a friend of mine likes to call them. A reminder that there is something bigger out there. Perhaps a chance for a little spark to happen in what may be just an ordinary day?

I did not take this as an occasion to stand up and preach about Happiness on a bus. I did not rack my brain with the wonders of why o why I was late to my party when I had been so dutiful about time. I did not take this little coincidence or synchronicity as anything but a curiosity. I didn't even think it was perhaps a Godwink until now, as I write.

There are signs. And then there are SIGNS.

What we do with them is up to us, I believe. I surely had SIGNS when considering the making of this film. I followed them, and I trusted, and although, I was, in all honesty, freaking out about giving up my car for 80 days and attempting this crazy experiment, I am doing it. I did it. I didn't have to. Of course not. But the bigger part of me, the soul part of me, whispered, then whispered louder, "Do it."

So, I'm doing it.

A piece of the mirror. I can reflect on it now (pun intended). A lot of these spiritual texts and guru people say that we are all mirrors of each other.

Here I was the only white girl on a bus in a seedy part of town, dressed up, reading a very white book, and going to a very white party, frankly. ..

When a man boards the bus, falling over himself, drunk or deaf or just sad or something, and he slightly bumps the man next to me.

He says as he stumbles his way to the very back of the bus, "Excuse me."

The man next to me says, "It's okay."

And we're all human. Once again, we're all human. I love it. Not all the time. But when I do love it, it's the purest feeling out there.

{source}

Confession #3-- CarLess in ALABAMA????

So like I said, I've been busy.

Confession Number One: I got feng shui'd (i.e. got organized).
Confession Number Two: I got certified as an arborist.

What's my confession today?   What's Number Three, you ask?

Well, as you've seen plastered all over Facebook, I have just launched a Kickstarter campaign for a little movie I shot called CarLess in L.A.

And WAHOOO!  It's already raised $3010!  And that's in a day and a half!  I'm so grateful for all the generous contributions.

So?  What's my confession?  
Okay.   I went with zero carbon emissions in Los Angeles for 80 days (...or more -- contribute to the Kickstarter campaign so the movie can get made and you can find out!)...

But I'm not car-less in Birmingham, Alabama where I currently live!  In fact.  I don't even own a bike here.

My trusty Trek (named Trusty) is still in Los Angeles, where I keep it for visits so that I can bypass renting a car.

Trusty's cousin (source)

But what?

Yes, I bow my head in shame as I write this.

So what kind of person dares to go with zero carbon emissions, for almost three months (plus?), in the hugest, most car-dependent city we know,  THEN dares to have someone follow her around with a camera while she does it, THEN dares to ask friends, family, and strangers for $10,000 to finish the movie, BUT DOESN'T EVEN OWN A BIKE in her own town????

I CONFESS!!!!!

I confess.

(even smaller now)  I confess.

But see.  I have my reasons.  I have a long, long list of reasons.  Well, actually, I only have three:
1.  Birmingham is not a bike-friendly city.  This means there are very few bike trails, no "share the road" signs, the streets have tiny shoulders, and drivers that are not happy to see a cyclist blocking their way.  Trust me, I've checked it out.   (Interestingly, it's the windy, mountainy roads that make Birmingham so beautiful yet dangerous to ride.)

where are these signs in Alabama??

2.  I have a precious daughter who is only two-years-old, and I don't want to take her on a bike in a non-bike-friendly city.  Nor do I want to possibly deprive her of her mother (me) by riding in a non-bike-friendly city.  In short, I'm scared.  I can ride like a maniac in L.A., but here, there's slight anxiety!
3.  I keep it local for the most part, so do I really need a bike?

Okay, so the first two are, honestly, lame excuses.  A new friend of mine, a fellow arborist and cyclist, Stan Palla of Trees for Alabama, lives and bikes in Birmingham.  I expressed to him Reasons 1 and 2.  You know how he responded?  "Get over it."

He's right.

Not that I'm going to go pedaling down 280!  Nor am I going to whizz down 31.  Honestly, I'm going to be very strategic when I ride and where I ride, because I have already heard of too many awful car/bike-related accidents in Birmingham.  I learned in LA, however, that these incidents should not deter the willful rider, but I do believe that cyclists must be smart and recognize that, while cars should share the road, they are much bigger, faster, and stronger than bicycles.

So what about excuse number 3?  Ding, ding, ding!!!

Ladies and gentleman, do not fear.  I would not have let you down.

You see, when you see the movie CarLess in L.A., you will understand what I am doing!  (And you know you want to see it -- go contribute now here!)

I learned so much in those 80 days.  SO MUCH.  And I so want to share with you and you and you what I learned because it's AWESOME.  It's eye-opening, heart-healing, and good.

Basically, a little goes a long way.  A little goes a long, long way.  And that little goes even longer if there are many doing a little.  Make sense?  Which is why I want people to see the movie.  So more people can do a little to go a long way.

So, I keep it local -- meaning, I walk.  I chose the location of my home so that I can go days, if I have to, without getting into my car.

My daughter and I stroll to the grocery, stroll to local eateries, stroll to the botanical garden, stroll to the zoo, stroll to the local walking trail.  Sometimes, I get a babysitter and stroll to the local watering hole.

So, despite my lack of biking, I am still, and will always be, as car-independent as possible.

I do drive though.  My friends are spread out across town.  My little girl's child care is too far to walk and too dangerous for biking.  And there are things I like to explore outside my little circle.  The farmer's market, for example.  And places like Lowe's and the art supply store.   But when I do run errands, I do my best to streamline them.   And Whole Foods.  And.... Oak Mountain (known for its amazing mountain bike trails).

I fill up my car (a Honda Accord) about once a month.  (Is that good?  I don't even know!)

And what about public transit, you ask?

Good question.  Let me get back to you on that one.   (...and I mean it.)

Oh, and I'm looking for a good used bike, probably more mountain bike than road bike, and something kid-attachment-friendly.  I can't wait to get out on two wheels with my little girl!  She's gonna love it.  Because, face it, there are some places I can still ride to.  No more excuses, right?

Confessions of a Feng Shui Consultant, Part I (with GREEN tips)

What have I been doing?

Not blogging obviously!  I've been busy, busy, busy laying some big, fat foundations.  There have been three big projects going on in my personal world.

Today I will talk about one of those projects:

Organizing Like Crazy!  I'm talking, Not Messing Around.

Those of you that know me well, know two things about me:
1.  As a feng shui consultant, I'm always singing the praises of de-cluttering and being organized because it has such a positive impact on your life.
2.  I admit, wholly, that organization does not come naturally to me.  I have to work hard --really hard -- at it.  And even then, it misses the mark a bit.

I have to come to realize that a sense for organization is a talent that a person is either born with or they aren't.  Just like some people can draw without trying, some people can organize without trying.  It is innate.  It's part of their in-bred personality.  Maybe one day they will discover the gene for it.

All I know is that I am way more in the drawing category than the organizing category of things-I-do-naturally.

So, HERE's THE CONFESSION --   I sucked it up and hired a professional organizer.

And, oh, boy, did she kick my little tush into gear.

This is single-handedly the best thing I have done for myself in I don't know how long.  She gave me a list of very specific tasks (everything from closet organizing to managing my receipts), and boy, did I have some homework.

I even cleaned out my junk drawer.  And took more baby clothes to Goodwill.  And (gulp) straightened up my art studio.  And (double gulp) cleaned out my files!!!

Here are a few tips that are simple, but I believe made a huge impact:
1.  Buy those skinny felt-y, velvet-y hangers.  Then put your closet in order by type (dress, shirt, pants) and color.  Finally, I can find my clothes.

2.  Get rid of paper.  This is eco-happy and clutter-free.  No more paper bills!  Do it now!  Just be sure to write down your password and username somewhere handy because I got in trouble with this.  You do not have to hold onto your bills anymore because they are all kept on-line.  I cleared almost a whole file drawer because of this.  Recycle all that paper, please!  (Shred first, according to Jennifer.)

everybody trash adds up!

GREEN TIP:  Remember, when thinking green, it's REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE.  Ideally, we want to REDUCE the waste we use.  Signing up for paper-free bills will do that.  If we must use something, try to reuse it, rather than throwing it away.  Finally, recycle it rather than putting into the garbage where it just goes to a landfill.  It uses a lot of energy to recycle things, so it's best to reduce first, reuse second, and then, if we have to, recycle it.

3.  Containers, containers, containers.  Junk drawers need them.  Desk drawers need them.  (You know, those little trays that separate everything.)  Underwear drawers need them.  Compact disks need them.  Magazines need them.   I cannot tell you how much I love knowing where supposed "knick-knacks" go, now that I have a nice, neat home for them.  I just have to get used to the fact that I don't have to hunt for things and that they actually are in their perfect place!

GREEN TIP:  Try to avoid containers made from plastic.  Plastic is not green at all!  Check out 5 Gyres for more on that.

The name of my organizer is Jennifer Jones.  Not only does she have "the gift," she's a lot of fun to work with, AND she's got an Earth-friendly slant that we all love!

Besides the practical advice, I think the biggest thing I got out of the session was the fact that sometimes we need that outside perspective to motivate us.  In a way, I got to see what my clients go through when they call me in for a feng shui consultation!  I knew that I needed to get more organized, but Jennifer's presence held me accountable in a way.  Sometimes it just helps to have someone tell you what to do, frankly.

Today, I am reveling in the aftermath of all that hard work.  No matter how strategically placed my home is according to the laws of feng shui, it's the organization that took my it from "happy enough" to "totally dialed in."

I'm ready to rock n' roll, is all I have to say.

my humble little newly-organized home office...artwork by Pat Snow