EPISODE 786 ELECTRICITY AND THE PYTHON GRIP OF WISTERIA
alan skeoch
March 25, 2023
A python is a snake that crushes its victims in a slow death as its body Curls tighter and tighter.
We have….had…a python like plant in our garden for at least 30 years. A cute plant that is
supposed to flower in brilliant hanging purple blossoms. Never happened. Each year we
waited. No flowers. But slowly and silently the WISTERIA tightened its grip on our outdoor
lamp post….twisted coils reaching ever upward until a tendril clamped on our electricity line sit looped in
from the street. Seemed light at first. But the light grip became a twisting chokehold that
got heavier and heavier…longer and longer as the tendrils crept towards our house. Once there
the python (wisteria) pierced the house wall pulled off the eavestrough and got so heavy that
the power line sagged to the point we feared it would break.
If the power line snapped then a live and very dangerous electric cable would fall
directty on to our car and truck in the lane. Som living thing could get killed and it would
not be the wisteria. I got a 15 foot length of 2 x 8 to push up the wires. Actually aiding
and abetting the wisteria. The eavestrough nails popped out. Then A black squirrel family
found comfortable home beneath our roof.
This was bad news. What to do?
RESCUE CREW ARRIVES….BIG TIME.
I sent an urgent note via email to our electricity provider, Alectra Utilities, and overnight
action was taken. Bill Campbell and his two man crew arrived with a wisteria fighter.
The truck must ave cost $150,000 or more. A huge thing with an articulated bucket
that could put a man above our tree canopy….high above the wisteiria. The wisteria fighter
had weapons. Special chain saw, heavy duty wire cutters, hammers, etc.
So we were able to kill the wisteria we think. But the root remans and will likely seek
to not out tendrils this spring. I am not a violent man so i have given Marjorie a
heavy duty brush cutter to snip off the tendrils.
If necessary I will call Bill Campbell and his crew again. Cheerfu bunch.
How do I know they are cheerful? By one side comment.
“Glad to see you came to do battle with the wisteria python.”
“Take an hour or two but we will get it”
“I will try to stay out of your hair,” I said to Billl
“That will be easy,” hollered one of the crew.
“Why?”
“Because Bill doesn’t have any hair.”
Sure enough when Bill took of his hard hat there were only a few tendrils of hair.
Just the right man to wage a war against the wisteria python.
alan
Not my problem any more.
We have hired this bull dog to keep wisteria in check….vicious