More men in trees

During my early morning spin on our exercise bike, I heard voices nearby and noticed men climbing the pine trees next door.  By the time I finished my bike routine and grabbed my camera, the team was halfway done trimming 2 of the trees.

These particular neighbors get their pines thinned at least twice a year - whether this is done for their own reasons or in response to "view conservation" requests from other neighbors, I don't know.  Unlike the men who took down our Eucalyptus last week, members of this crew liked to sing as they worked.  Unfortunately, I've lost most of the Spanish I learned in high school so I was unable to follow the lyrics - I can only say that it didn't involve finding the local biblioteca.

I don't feel the pines block my view.  Instead, I see them as part of the view.  However, when I scanned the horizon, I did notice that I have a good line of sight to the bridge leading to Long Beach.

The view toward the mountains was still obscured, not by trees, but by smog.  I could just barely see the cap of snow on the mountains.  With the haze, the mountains themselves aren't even visible in this picture.  (You'll have to trust me - they're there.)

Nonetheless, Angel's Gate, the entrance to the harbor, is visible from the right side of the yard, even with the smog, and that's a comfort.