Spring in Chaos

The campus at which I teach is going through a major building project--an academic building is being constructed, a student center is being renovated and enlarged, and residence halls are being built. You might wonder, then, why I entitled this as I did. The second project mentioned (the student center) has caused massive changes to be made to the natural elements of the campus--the construction company found it necessary to "deconstruct" some 12-15 trees.

Let me backtrack a bit and explain that the campus is in a somewhat rural environment (albeit within the confines of a "city"). It sits on some 60+ acres...most of which are wooded. It's rather a lovely little campus...oaks, pecans, a beautiful magnolia, a pretty little koi pond complete with the "requisite" gazebo...

In the construction zone (and everywhere else on campus), the trees were just starting to come out in leaf--a soft, breathy-green mist had covered the dormant limbs. Birds were making final preparations for their coming hatchlings (the chirping in the mornings was nearly deafening) and squirrels were "feeling their oats"--giddly gliding from branch to branch happy to be alive and see the sun's return. Pleasing to me, the carpenter bees and bumblebees were back to their active and inquisitive selves.

And then the excavator came...

In a matter of three days, the grand oaks and our lovely little magnolia (all in "the zone") were reduced to matchsticks...the birds were evicted, their nests in shambles...the squirrels bounded for the woods. The bees are still around the koi pond, but even they are "clingy." One stayed near me as I discussed a piece of literature with my class out in the gazebo (pretty days = teaching outside as much as possible). He was an inquisitive little fellow...and very responsive to polite requests that he not do fly-bys in the gazebo (thus scaring my class).

My office looked out on that magnolia...I mourn her loss...she was absolutely lovely...I will miss her. At least I saw her before the excavator had it's way with her--I never saw her felled...I said goodbye and apologied for her demise. And then, I left my office for a while.

And now, the grey skies have replaced the clear, warming blue of Spring's return. Tonight, She will be weeping over "the zone" for those losses...and the rains will fall on my sweet little magnolia's branches and trunk...and on the oaks and palms and all the rest.

Sad...and probably avoidable...but the price of progress is cheap and transplanting is pricey. At least my little friendly bee isn't upset at us for what was done...he found a random wildflower today in the fringe of "the zone."

In the softness of the waning moonlight...