My first drawing for the paper in 2021 is a PIEBALD DEER (above). Yes, there really IS such a deer, though they are extremely rare!! I will submit it to the LOCAL paper now that I've sent the letter below to our OTHER paper, the one that PRINTS letters. The letter explains itself, and the drawing will have a new PSA attached to it....
Here's the letter!!
When I first moved down here a little over 7 years ago, I couldn’t help marveling at all of the pine trees. At first, because it was fall when I relocated, I didn’t like it. There weren’t as many deciduous trees like we had in Essex County, so there were no splashes of fall foliage to admire! I even wrote a poem, published in our local paper, describing Whiting, my new home, as “The Land Where The Trees Don’t Change.”
When the first winter rolled around, my opinion of the pine trees mellowed somewhat, however. You see, the trees were all still green, while all the deciduous trees up north were now stripped bare! And when snow fell on those green pine trees, it was a breathtaking sight like I’d never witnessed before. ‘Twas nice to have the stability of “year-round” green trees, here in The Pinelands.
Now, sadly, it seems like I live in the land where the trees DO change. They are being removed at an alarming rate! First it was Walgreens, who removed those two beautiful giant pines to build their store across from the CVS.
More recently, Dollar Tree had to remove trees so that they can make a dollar. Is this really “progress” we’re seeing? What next? In my seven years here, I’ve seen things get built up quickly in some instances, while other businesses go under and I don’t know where it’s all going. Walgreens went where a CVS was already established and Dollar Store set up shop very near a well-established Dollar General. Were these new stores really worth the loss of fully-grown, mature trees which were around for decades?
One thing’s for sure. I don’t and won’t refer to Whiting as “The Land Where The Trees Don’t Change” anymore!
Chet Jelinski
No comments:
Post a Comment