Melbourne is again in lockdown due to a surge in Covid-19 cases. This is a very serious situation for our city and I wish those who are affected a speedy recovery. Disturbing times make you want to stick to the familiar, the things that you can count on, so when something negative happens in your immediate environment it can really get to you. Today the view from my studio window has changed forever and not in a good way and I’m upset.

Hearing the sound of chainsaws usually does not bode well when there is so much development going on in our once quiet suburb. I hoped that a neighbour was just having their trees pruned, but when I looked out of our family room window I saw a man cutting the top from the tall palm tree next door. My first thoughts were “tree murderer” which I shouted towards the culprit. Double glazing makes you brave. Then I became emotional and ran upstairs to the studio to write this piece with the sounds of the chainsaw jangling my nerves.

Palm trees are iconic in our bayside suburb and are found all around Port Phillip Bay. They remind us of the origins of our beach side areas which were established as places for seaside recreation in the 19th century. Some of these palms are very old and contribute to the character of Melbourne.

The Palm next door was not one of the very old ones but it gave a tropical feel to our view even in the midst of winter. Some people just don’t appreciate the beauty of the natural world and want to destroy anything that does not fit with their bleak, narrow vision. I will miss its constant presence as it made our view more attractive, especially with all the ugliness of the building that is going on next door and the starkness of the new construction on the other side. Unfortunately when the new fence was built between our properties the vines that shielded this eyesore completely fell down. As an antidote to this negative action we plan to plant beautiful clumping bamboo along our fence line that will grow tall and thick enough to hide the concrete horror that is to be built.

I  have selected some photos that show the tree through different seasons, times of day and weather patterns which are shared below.

Goodbye old friend. You gave me pleasure and were a symbol of strength through storms and heatwaves. I’m sorry that you did not get to live out your life span in peace, but you will live on in my memories.

If something like this happens in your part of the world, do something positive that can make a difference to your environment, such as growing plants or vegetables. The world needs all the creativity, beauty and oxygen it can get.

Stay well, safe and creative.

Kat