The trees were talking.

Yesterday morning I went out to the backyard as the sun was just clearing the eastern horizon. I had my cup of coffee. It was windy and as I sat down I could hear all the trees talking. I took a sip of my coffee and just listened. The leaves were turning to and fro and carrying on a conversation that was deafening.

One tree said, "Hey, did you hear about that giant oak that was cut down yesterday in Kentucky? It seems that his roots were interfering with some of those people who lived near him. They said he was ruining their basement with his roots. So they killed him."

A tree nearby said, "My oh my! What next?" They shuddered in the wind.

A few days ago my wife and I drove by a beautiful home on Harrison Ave. We have driven by it many, many times. Each time we comment on how good it looks. It's a totally black home with white trim. The outside is covered with colored flowers of all kinds. It sits on a corner and everybody can see it. The grass is always cut. It's just beautiful.

The other day they had a yard sale. We just had to stop. The owners were an elderly couple of around 70. I commented on the beauty and the way he kept his home. He said, "Thank you! We try to keep it looking nice. The only problem is woodpeckers. They love to come by and peck at the black wood! It drives us nuts."

I looked at him and said, "Weren't the woodpeckers the first things here? I mean, weren't they here when you built the home?"

The man looked at me squarely in the eyes. There was a blank look on his face. He lowered his head and said, "Yes. Yes they were." And he walked away.

That's one. Only a few billion to go. True story.