Goodbye tree

We had heavy rain and wind last night.  I didn't hear it, but this AM, I saw the results in my front yard.  The flowering plum tree which has been supported with poles and ropes all it's life, was down again!  The stake pulled right out of the ground.  This time, I am giving up.  The plum tree has such shallow roots that it will fall every time we have wet ground and heavy winds.  No point in trying to put it back up.  So, I spent an hour or so outside in the sun and humidity, cutting off branches and bundling them for pickup on Friday.  There are still many branches left to cut off and tie up, but I got too hot to continue.  The trunk will have to be sawed as well, but I will try to get the root ball the rest of the way out of the hole before I cut the trunk.  The tree is very heavy and I don't know if I can get it out and ready for the recycle people, but I'm going to try. If I wait until my son arrives, I'll have help with taking the tree out and digging a larger hole for whatever new tree I buy, so I might wait . I'll do as much as I can before then, however. It's supposed to rain every day this week, but I'm sure I can find time to work outside on the remains of the tree. Maybe it'll even be cooler, after the rain.

I'm going to miss the shade that tree provided, but I haven't been sitting out in the front yard much anyway this summer.   In the front yards of our 8 adjacent townhouses, we have two dogwoods, a red maple and a flowering cherry.  I don't want a new tree to duplicate what is already out front. I'm considering a Japanese maple, but not like the one that is a couple of doors down.  I really like them, although the ones I like best are rather expensive. Anyway, I'll enjoy shopping for a new tree.  I have to get permission from the Architectural Committee for the tree, but they pretty much approve anything that is moderate in size.  Don't expect any trouble there.

I don't know what I will do with the little birdhouses that I had hung on the tree.  They looked so cute!  I guess they will have to do into the back yard now.  No trees there either, but surely I can find a spot for them.