Live in the woods long enough and it's bound to happen. Trees are generally peaceful beings. They give us shade and oxygen and prevent soil erosion. They are home to numerous insects and animals, and they are nice to look at.
For us, the shade has actually been a money saver. Having a canopy of trees protecting the roof from direct sunlight has certainly contributed to lower cooling costs, and has preserved the shingles longer - much longer - that they were rated for. All those benefits came to a crashing reality when a few weeks ago I received a frantic call from my wife. One of the trees had decided to jettison a big limb (itself the size of a respectable tree) dropping it a few good feet right on top of our roof.
After causing a good measure of damage to the roof (a couple of nice holes punched), it had rolled down to the deck destroying the gutters and a part of the deck, finally coming to rest on the deck with its other end near the base of the bereaved tree. Luckily there were no injuries, including our poor pet rabbit who was out playing on the deck. It had taken shelter in its cage trembling with fear. It must've been a loud bang.
I suppose this was an added insult to a recent injury. A few months ago another limb (from a different tree) had landed on my car destroying its trunk. While stressing over dealing with the insurance company, the property owner where the tree is located, and the reconstruction company, it occurred to me that we were actually pretty lucky.
Given the natural and man-made calamities that seem to be gripping the world, this doesn't even register as a blip. Tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, terrorism, and war are all around us. Countless people have lost their lives, their loved ones, and everything they worked for, never to get those back. I can't even begin to imagine what it must feel like to lose it all. I wish all devastations were of the same caliber as mine. A mere fallen tree limb on a house, or a car, or both.
trees,disasters,home insurance
