A Windfall From A Tree

The blustery winds on Monday night came roaring down the chimney and I could hear the rain lashing against the windows but my house was warm and we were settled comfortably reading, listening to music or watching the TV.  At bedtime I heard a very loud bang had a horrible feel that I knew what it was but did not open the curtains. Pops my dog was in the backroom downstairs, I called to her and she whimpered and I could hear her making her usual apple pie bed. She was safe.

A living Pittosporum

Next morning after making a cup or tea I went up upstairs and gingerly pull open the curtains and looked out of the window laying across my garden and resting on my bay window was my neighbours neglected Pittosporum  shrub there were several thick trunks.  The tree shrub which had  grown very rapidly to 20 metres and had been gradually taking all the light from two thirds of my garden it had become  neglected and was  dying.  Several neighbours and I had spoken the couple with this shrub explaining  that the Pittosporum was  dying and was dangerous and taking light from all our garden but to no avail.  In March this year the husband, Colin, had actually lightly pushed the tree with one hand and it had swayed sideways  several inches. But they did nothing, expect his mother-in-law called to me when I was in the garden and to be told me to stop bothering them about the tree, and that I was a very nasty neighbour.  There was no point in arguing with her or her daughter Em.

Now it had fallen and into my garden and was resting on my bay window.  I was angry - no I was  hopping mad.  I slung on my clothes grab Pops put on her lead and out I went to speak to them.    Pops had to make several stops on the way  so I could not stomp round in a rush.  I started to calm down as I got to Em & Colin’s door.  When the Em answered the door I found she hadn't even noticed  that a large part of the huge 60 foot Pittosporum  shrub had gone down in the gale into my garden.  I was polite and asked that the tree be removed as soon as possible and the five foot wall re-biult, and any damage put right.  On  the agreement that her husband would come home at lunchtime to see what could be done,  and they would come round in the evening to talk to me, I left.


My neighbour Pete came round at lunchtime, he is a roofer and a very skilled bricklayer so he was the ideal person to save the day as I was talking to him in the back room the Colin came out of his house  and stood amongst the rubble of the wall.   Pete was able to talk to him and he agreed that Pete would clear the tree trunks out of my garden next day and cut down the remaining trunks to make it safe.   Pittosporum  being a shrub rather than a tree  had grown several thick trunks instead of one main trunk they were all unsafe and more gales were forecast for Thursday.

Pops enjoying the Sun
my plotat

So today I no longer have a huge 60 foot trunks of a dead  Pittosporum  in my garden. and the five remaining dead trunks have been made safe. The wall is still to be rebuilt but I am so blessed No one was hurt Pops was safe, There is no structural damage and my garden is full of sunshine for the first time for years.  The winter sun, at midday, poured across my garden and into my back rooms and spilled out into the hall and landing. My kitchen was filled light. My lovely south facing garden is a now blank canvas to ready for me to re-design.


While the Pittosporum was standing I had sent Reiki to it to knowing it was in a very dangerous condition. I hade ask Reiki to keep us safe and if did it fall to do so safely. The wind that brought it down was a South Westerly but from a different direction it could have crashed on to the back of Sophia’s house were there are small children sleeping. I also sent Reiki to the young couple whose garden had the tree.   They had only brought the house 18 months ago and were struggling with a new baby, financial worries and inherited the problem of the Pittosporum. When I went round on Tuesday I used Reiki and Pops gentle energy to help me keep calm.


The tree instead of crashing to the ground had slide gently down and underneath it many of my perennials and shrubs were battered but will recovered. The bird feeder and pots of bulbs ready for Christmas presents were smashed but that is OK.   Neither of my fences were damaged nor my house. My garden bench was in one piece. I am blessed. 


I hope the solitary bees and bumble bees wintering in my garden are safe and the mice that live  under the canopy of summer jasmine by the back wall.  Other people may have fairies at the bottom of their garden  but I have bees, moths butterflies, beetles and mice at the bottom of mine.


I am so grateful for the returning of the light to my home and garden and grateful to the Pittosporum,  neglected for so long,  for falling so gently in the gale.  I will celebrate the Winter Solstices with gratitude and smile at the thought of the returning of light and the sunshine it will bring flooding in to my home and garden.  We will also be celebrating Pops birthday on the 21st of December and she will love the sunshine in the garden in the coming months.

 Reiki blessing for the Winter Solistices

Merry B