Thursday, November 05, 2009

Hoy en Parroquia San Cristóbal

Today is Día de Colón, which is Columbus Day in Panamá. I guess any country in the Americas with more than twelve people of Italian descent is required to celebrate the arrival of Small Pox and Christianity.

This means we had the day off again! Yay! So how did we celebrate? We cut down a tree. This represents the Tree of Indigenous Sovereignty which was destroyed with the arrival of Columbus and his germs. Okay, not really. This tree, located in front of Parroquia San Cristóbal (remember, it's Día de Cristóbal Colón), has been severely munched by wood ants and the roots are very dead and the dang thing threatens to fall over in the next big storm. It would either hit the roof of the parish or fall into the street, blocking traffic and tearing down the power lines. So It Must Go. I sent a letter to our local gummint representative requesting permission and the use of the Neighborhood Tree Choppers and Big Honking Truck in January of last year. I sent another letter before I went on Sabbatical. El Junto Comunal promised that someone would be out after Easter. As you may be aware, we are way past Easter. Heck, Advent is just around the corner.

This morning I received a call from our Senior Warden, Mr. Keith Green. He hired some guys to cut down "Sleepy Hollow" (that's what we've been calling the tree). Do I want to come get photos? Yes I do. The archivist in me wanted copies for the Parish Archives, and the Blogger in me will take photos of anything, as you are well aware. Well, it was down when we got there, but here is its rotting carcass. I'm not sure what we'll do with the wood; it's not like anyone needs to heat their house!

Happy Columbus Day!

The Tree at its Sleep Hollow Best, a bit before it totally croaked.


The rotted trunk and roots




Wood ant nest


Los Tabajadores


Mr. Green contemplates the dead tree.


The Lovely Mona surveys the damage




2 comments:

susan s. said...

Yes, it was good that school was out so that no one could possibly be injured in the removal. And as you said, it was time.

Great pictures.

June Butler said...

"After Easter" has many different meanings.

R.I.P Sleepy Hollow.

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