One of these is an art installation by Christo, the artist who... wraps stuff. The title is "Wrapped Trees XVI." The rest are shrubs in our yard, both before and after we wrapped them in tulle. (Alternate title #1: In Which We Take Our Shrubs to Prom.) This is because the current obsession of our neighborhood is the 17-year cicada bloom, wherein lots of freakish looking but harmless bugs, alleged to be almond-flavored when cooked and eaten, invade Chicagoland and eat your shrubs. The solution to this - I kid you not - is to wrap shrubs and trees in tulle. This is easier than it sounds. If it does not sound easy, it's still easier than it sounds. (Alternate title #2: In Which We Decide the Perfect is the Enemy of the Good, and Do Our Best.)
First, you have to buy tulle, estimating how many yards it will take to cover your shrubs so that insects won't be able to wriggle in and eat the leaves. (Or the bark? Something like that.) This involves just taking your best stab at it. One woman we know stood in line at the cutting table behind someone buying 35 yards of magenta tulle. This seems like overkill to me. I ended up with about 15 yards of various colors, although as the woman at the cutting table observed, I did try my best to get complimentary colors.
Next you have to dress a shrub like a bridesmaid. Words fail me. It's harder than it sounds: that's all I can say.
No comments:
Post a Comment