The trees in the parking lot at work were all cut down over the holidays. Their stumps have been ground to powder and all trace of them, other than a few stray twigs strewn on the asphalt, is gone. The parking lot looks naked and ugly, denuded and strafed by the landscapers. This was not, however, wanton destruction. The trees were diseased, attracted bees and yellow jackets during the summer and fall (I had to fight off a swarm of them a few months ago), and dripped sap on the unsuspecting cars that sat beneath them (or the ones whose owners knew better, but chose the lazier spots with a shorter walk to the building). They will be replaced in the spring, with healthier, non-stinging insect attracting, less drippy versions I suppose. But it will be a long winter with only the piles of gravel-laden snow to break up the parking lanes.