Another weed story

I used to own my own home just a few blocks where I am now living. It is in the same 'Master Planned Community' that I have to deal with now. When I bought the house, I had purchased 3 Eastern Redbud Trees from a nursery and the price included 'installation' . I thought that was funny as I told the woman that you 'install' software, not trees. You plant them. I mapped out a plan and submitted it to the Design Review Committee for 'approval'.

Back then, I was living in the wide open desert, where tumbleweeds would blow down W. Lake Mead Blvd and I even had one growing in my yard. It became a bush, dried out and because it doesn't have a root system, would roll around the yard with the breeze. Before all the development came, there was little to stop the winter winds and I lost two of the three trees due to windstorms, once of which knocked down a marquee at a casino. I lost the third tree due to unknown causes, it got plenty of water, etc.

Eastern Redbud have leaves that look like cherry blossoms, but they are a lot of work. In the spring, the leaves come out pink, then they drop them and the second set of leaves come out green only to shed them in the fall. So I had to rake up leaves twice a year. One of the trees that was snapped in half sprouted new growth from the remaining half and I left it like that.

I moved back to Boston to work when my company's contract expired, but kept the house. A friend of mine, Don, managed the house and took care of my dog, Copa in my absense. The only thing I asked him to do was keep the HOA off my back. He kept the front yard neat and trim and he didn't mind the rules and regulations because he used to live on a few military bases.

In my back yard, outside my bedroom window was a weed. Don likes plants, just like I do and he turned the house into a mini jungle. He grew veggies in grow boxes in the back, and I doubt he got 'permission' from the HOA.

Over the years, while I was away (I planned on being away a year, but it turned out to be more like 5) the weed tree grew into a behomoth tree of 9 feet high and was taller than the house!

In September 2002, when I returned, the weed tree in the back stood there in all its glory, leaning over like a weeping willow. I kept it there for it was providing shade for the bedroom that the 'installed' trees failed to do. But once the cooler weather came, I decided to cut it down, because a weed is a weed is a weed. The root system had roots that were as thick as water pipes.

On day I went with a friend to the Cactus and Succelent Society of Southern Nevada to check out the selection. In a cardboard box, were pieces of Opuntia cactus (Prickly Pear) and for sale for a buck. I grabbed a small one, went home, planted it, (installed it), watered it ONCE and let mother nature do the rest. The following picture is how the 'pad' grew into a seven foot high 'tree'.




On the side of the house, I was located next to an empty lot that the Community Association set aside as a 'park'. This made my property 'promo' because I had the park and not another house. Landscaping was planted for privacy and it was on the side where my AC was located. Over time, weeds grew there and another weed tree grew on the side of my gouse that also grew taller than my roof. I began to cut away at these weeds because I was concerned about it affecting my AC Unit. I could only work for short periods of time, as I was out there with Don's hedge clippers in the 111 degree heat (and that was at 8PM!).

The HOA never complained about that either. So why are they being such dickheads now?