A shady spot has lost its value

"He's got it made in the shade." That old expression came back to me as I was mowing the lawn in 90-degree midday heat. Part of the lawn was in bright sun. Part was in shade. The sunny portion of the yard was unbearably hot in my dark T-shirt and shorts. The portion shaded by a big chestnut oak was pleasantly comfortable with a soft breeze stirring the leaves.

I was reminded of youthful days before air conditioning, when summer Sunday afternoon visits often retired to the screened porch or to a couple of chairs dragged beneath a sheltering tree. Windows were thrown open to catch whatever breeze might stir. A shady tree provided quiet relief from the heat you could not otherwise escape.

People still complain about the heat on days like this, but those complaints carry less weight when the heat can be so easily escaped by simply walking into an air-conditioned house or turning up the AC in the car. And shade means so much less to us when there are better, more convenient and more liberating escapes from the midday heat. A big oak or maple that would have been a cherished asset 50 years ago has become an object of suspicion and doubt these days. There are the leaves that fall and must be raked. The tree's thirst for water competes with the fescue in the lawn. And a big tree can fall in a storm and destroy a house. Or so the thinking goes these days.

Many grand shade trees have been toppled as a prophylaxis against some future storm. What these timid homeowners are losing is the comfort of shade that can provide a quiet respite from outdoor heat and reduce the cost of air conditioning by reducing heat buildup on the home. And they might never understand what a cherished sanctuary a shady spot can be. They will never have it "made in the shade."