Scrivener's Terror Volume Three

Two things here - one, referencing old documents instead of typing out the description drives me batty, but in this case, the drafter had the courtesy to copy the property description from the older deed.

That referenced description has as its starting point "an iron stake driven into the roots of a maple shade tree". Why? Why would someone do that? Using as a starting point the corner of a previously existing building is enough to irritate me, but I can't for the life of me figure out why someone would use a marker that is guaranteed to be overgrown.