The Trouble With Trees
The ‘tree chair’ Doreen Mack had made from a wayward cottonwood.
How we all love trees and the beauty and shade they offer. A sapling pops up and we are so happy and excited to let it grow knowing that it grew on its own and needs very little attention because it is already rooted. That is a big plus! So we think…
Fast forward 10 years. Now we are dealing with a cottonwood tree and its large trunk pushing into the roof eves and branches growing into the garage roof line that we had re-roofed five years ago. The metal flashing on the driveway kept the roots away, but it wasn’t long before the concrete began to lift from those roots.
Lesson to be learned: If you want a tree, do your research and find one that is the appropriate size for the space. Keep it away from boundary lines. Our neighbor let his seedling trees grow until they pushed in the side wall and lifted the stone floor in our outbuilding. Fortunately, he removed the trees, but it had caused considerable damage to the inside of the building that we repaired.
We live in a 115-year-old home that we have completely renovated. About six years ago, we removed the more than 100-year-old apple tree that split in half. After it was removed a cottonwood seedling began to grow and our lovely neighbors on the other side asked us if we could let it grow, thinking that they grow fast and it would be great shade for both houses. We all agreed and rapidly learned that we made a bad decision.
The branches break easily and you hear horror stories about them falling over with a large gusts of wind, especially in very wet winters. It grew to around 100 feet tall and we all agreed to have it removed and shared the cost. Wilson’s Trees did an excellent job removing it and the one next to our garage. We love the tree chair they made for us from the trunk. The neighbors used the stumps to line their sidewalk. So, all the wood was put to good use.
The other thing to consider when planting any tree is where your roots are in comparison to your water, utility lines and foundations. If it is a fruit tree, it needs to be manageable in height for fruit picking and maintained. Our cherry tree gets over 30 feet tall and the cherries cannot be reached with a ladder, so we just had it topped. Also, any fruit on the ground attracts animals – squirrels, skunks, deer and other wildlife.
Fruitless plum, cherry, pear and maple trees are excellent yard trees for size and esthetics. With all this cold, icy weather, the city had to remove the tree branches in our alley power lines that grew into the transformers and almost caused a fire.
Elm trees grow everywhere and show up in rose bushes, planter boxes, etc. They are known as dirty trees for all the sap they continually drop and they spread like weeds, just like the cottonwoods.
You can see dwarf evergreen trees that make great fence borders and accent trees at 21 Best Evergreen trees for garden 2023 for landscaping – Homeluxuryz.
Just make sure they are adaptable to our area, not too tall to clear power lines and the branch spread is within reason. Do your research and pay attention to JoAnne Skelly’s gardening articles in the Nevada Appeal.
Safe and happy planting. God bless you all.
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/2023/feb/17/doreen-mack-the-trouble-with-trees/
How Carson City’s Main Road Became a Street
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Nevada Appeal’s BEST OF THE BEST 2022
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NEVADA APPEAL BREAKING NEWS Carson City Supervisors overturn approval of slaughterhouse
Published: Thursday, February 3, 2022
Updated:Friday, 02/4/22
The Planning Commission, on December 15, 2021, approved a request for a special use permit to allow for the construction and operation of a slaughterhouse. Carson City received three appeals of the Planning Commission’s decision from Doreen Mack, Jennifer Verive, Robert Buttner, and Kathleen Franco Simmons. Due to the appeals, the issue was then referred to the Board of Supervisors for discussion and possible action to affirm, modify, or reverse the decision of the Planning Commission.
On Thursday, February 3, 2022, after hours of discussion, the Board of Supervisors, in a 3-2 vote, overturned the Planning Commissioners’ approval for a special use permit. Prior to the vote, the Appellants’ re-emphasized their objections to the slaughterhouse approval and the effects it would have on the community.
To view the complete story copy and paste link below.
https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/2022/feb/03/carson-city-supervisors-overturn-approval-slaughte/
Sierra Nevada Powerful Women Awards
May 31, 2018
Doreen Mack, owner Lofty Expressions interior design and spearhead of the renovation of downtown Carson City voted as one of the top 20 Most Powerful Women in Northern Nevada!
RENO, Nev. — Female empowerment was in full force Wednesday, May 30, as over 700 guests gathered at the Atlantis Resort Spa Casino for the Northern Nevada Business View’s 2018 Sierra Nevada Powerful Woman Awards.
See full article here: ICYMI: Top-20 Powerful Women honored before crowd of 700 in Reno
Valley Home Magazine
I am so excited to be featured in the Summer 2017 edition of Valley Home ~ Northern Nevada Home & Lifestyle Quarterly.
Be sure and pick up a copy today!
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Downtown 2020 Bench Dedication
December 23, 2016
“This is a very important day. The benches represent the final tribute to our downtown dedication. The Downtown 2020 Bench is located by the pocket park at Comma Coffee and says:
Downtown Carson City
Our History & Future
The 2020 Vision
Founded in 2009
There are many benches and bike racks throughout our town with plaques dedicated to causes/organizations and loved ones. It is a beautiful tribute to our wonderful city.
God Bless You All and Merry Christmas.”
~ Mayor Bob and Ronnie
Downtown Renovation
DOWNTOWN RIBBON CUTTING! ~ October 28, 2016 with our Mayor, Friends and hundreds of people from our community. What a Great Day!
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NPR: Here & Now
Two Small Cities Use Creativity, Art, Parking To Revitalize Downtowns
My radio interview on “Here and Now” aired October 26, 2016. This was a 3-way conversation with David Gamble, an architect in Boston, and Debra from Iowa on revitalizing small towns. NOTE: The pictures they posted are out of order. We removed the fence, went from 4 to 2 lanes with center turn lane, removed medians, 20′ sidewalks, bike lanes, brick crosswalks, parking and landscaping.
Click here to read full article — and click on the red arrow to listen to radio interview!
Commitment to Downtown Advances Carson City
Nevada Appeal – July 8, 2015
The Downtown 2020 group initiated and promoted the Downtown Renovation plan. This took years of planning, relentless meetings with the Board of Supervisors and working with many different city agencies, City Planner, City Manager and engineers. During this process there have been meetings with all the businesses and reaching out to the college and our high school to get them involved. We had public meetings where we listened and adapted your concerns to our plan. To be successful it takes a village.
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Click here to learn more: Downtown 2020
Olde Time Christmas and Santa Parade 2014
Nevada Appeal – December 14, 2014
Doreen is Founder and President of The Carson City Downtown 20/20 Group that participates in and sponsors the annual “Olde Time Christmas Santa Parade”.
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Board of Supervisors OKs Removal of Sidewalk Fences Downtown
Nevada Appeal – April 19, 2013
The wrought-iron sidewalk fences on Carson Street’s downtown will be removed.
The Board of Supervisors made that decision Thursday night during a meeting in which three supervisors’ attempts to craft more-sweeping motions regarding traffic matters downtown went nowhere. The motion just to tear down the fencing was adopted after supervisors John McKenna and Karen Abowd voiced support and Abowd made the motion.
By consensus and with direction from Mayor Robert Crowell, though without any motion, the board told City Manager Larry Werner to have staffers work with the new Downtown 20/20 Action Advocacy Group of businesses on related issues and return within 60 to 90 days with ideas about other steps.
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Style & Substance
Vision Magazine Article
Carving a Design Niche, Helping Clients Heal
“One of the most rewarding facts of my profession is working with women in their 50’s and 60’s who have lost their spouses,” Doreen explains. “I have a passion of working with them in the design of their homes to help them let go by moving from the past and into the present.”
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Home Garden
Nevada Appeal Article
CHANGING SPACES
We wanted to achieve an updated look for our home built in 1906 on Carson City’s east side. To do this, we used transitional design, a blending of traditional and contemporary that is simple.
The wonderful thing about transitional design is that it can easily be converted by changing accessories. It also gives you the opportunity to make transitional changes from one room to the other, beginning with painting the woodwork and walls, changing furniture, window treatments etc.
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Click on the following images to see the full-size versions of Lofty Expressions Awards:
