Cutting up

A few days ago a powerful storm passed through, strewing rain and wind everywhere (though it stopped short of throwing hail, I’m glad to say, nor did any tiles go frisbeeing off roofs — my own ballpark-way of measuring the ratio between windspeed and danger).

But I forgot about trees.  We discovered the following morning that these can also be useful, potentially life-threatening, indicators of wind.

The viale Garibaldi (not to be confused with via Garibaldi) is the shady length of filled-in canal which stretches 785 feet (239 m) from the aforementioned street to the Giardini vaporetto stop.  During the summer its enclosing rows of lime trees provide the most heavenly shade, and there is always some breeze.  The benches, especially during the heat of the day, are almost always occupied by people who are either eating or sleeping, which leads Lino to refer to this space as either the refectory or the dormitory.

We weren’t surprised to discover that a tree had been blown down, but I was surprised to see what damage it had wrought.  Lime trees bless us briefly with the most heavenly perfume each spring when the flowers bloom, but evidently their root system is not adapted to the conditions here.  By “conditions” I don’t mean the possibility of wind, which exists everywhere, but the likelihood of wet and shallow subsoil.  Even if it doesn’t rain for weeks and the leaves all turn brown, I am convinced that the aforementioned former canal (which continues to flow through a large pipe beneath the gravel) maintains some level of moisture which disturbs the balance between horizontal and vertical.  If I’d ever studied physics, I’d know what to call this. I suppose “topheavy” will have to do meanwhile.

Lime trees, or linden, have carried sacred significance for millennia for Slavs, Germans, and Greeks.  I respect the leaves’ purported healing properties also.  But I have learned that while it’s a great thing to wander among them at blossomtime, you’d better keep away when the wind rises.

Keeping as close to houses as you can manage, in case any rooftiles decide to join the party.