Shady Tree

About Shady Tree

Three in the morning, February, and Long Branch is holding its breath under a nor'easter blowing straight in off the Atlantic. Shady Tree is already out in it. Plow down, headlights full of white, driveways opened one at a time along the dark streets so the first cars of the day roll out onto bare pavement. Walks are shoveled to the concrete and salted before anyone's alarm goes off. Come July the same blocks go deep green under their shade trees, and the work turns to mowing, trimming, edging and cleanups across Long Branch, Elberon, Deal and Monmouth Beach. Two seasons, one habit: get there early, leave it right.