Yes, Iowa's 'Great State Fair' is going on. But, no. I don't feel up to that much walking. We had a different form of front row entertainment in mind.
When our next door neighbor said she was having a tree taken down, we knew it would be interesting to watch.
It was a huge old maple tree in which raccoons had been nesting for years in the rotting trunk.
Not only did it hang over her house, a large limb also hung over ours. The neighbor and I both feared a wind storm bringing the tree down on us.
The crew arrived a little before 9 a.m. and promptly set to work. The photos will illustrate the progression.
One limb already denuded, starting on the second.
Starting to feed the chipper. I could not help but think of one of the men I worked with at Wright Tree Service. Ray was the 'computer guy' - the man who had begun his career with Wright as a member of the line clearing crews Wright had all over the country. It was while working in Colorado that Ray's right arm was eaten by a chipper all the way to his shoulder. He was lucky to survive.
Even though it was several years after his accident that I worked with him, I admired him for getting the training to become a computer specialist. I also admired Wright Tree Service for employing him as the computer expert.
Ray had been right-handed, so not only did he become adept with one arm, he also had to learn being left-handed.
I was amazed that almost all the upper portions of the tree were cut with this little 12" saw as well as that one guy did almost all the bucket work.
Our neighbor said we would have to move everything off our deck, but when the tree guys came they advised only that we take down the two shepherds' hooks - that everything else should be okay. I did move that favorite green pot back under the overhang though, just in case.
After about 45 minutes of work.
One hour into the job, while the bucket guy was doing most of the work, the four other team members were looking a very yellowed, seemingly old, newspaper. All I can make out is
Enterprise. Nearby Afton's paper is the Star Enterprise. If this is an old copy, how old? And where did it come from? Was it in the hollow part of the tree?
Largest 'branch' to land on our deck.
I had some errands to run. This was the tree when I left.
And what it looked like when I returned about 45 minutes later.
Hung up for a few seconds, but coming down, limb by limb.
First load of chips just about ready to haul away.
After a lunch break and back to work. Looks almost like a couple of palm trees.
Last of the leafy limbs comes down. Now it's just cutting and dropping the bare limbs.
The directional wedge is cut and out. Time to saw through the trunk.
There she goes........timber!!
Why we were so worried about it coming down in a windstorm....it broke apart when it hit the ground.
John was the guy in the bucket doing all the sawing. He said he's only been doing this for six years. I figured it had been much longer - he worked so expertly.
No wonder the squirrels and raccoons nested inside. That looks like a pretty comfortable and warm place to bed down and raise little ones.
All that's left of a _?_ old tree. I didn't try to count the rings.
It will probably take me awhile to get used to the new view. And I'll probably miss having the shade. But I'm glad I won't have to worry about the tree coming down on our house in a wind storm.
Now maybe that young oak will have a chance to straighten out and grow.
Done with clean-up and gone by 4 p.m. This was certainly a considerate and professional tree service company.
Nice guys, too. When Bud told them how I had once gone up in a bucket when I worked for Wright Tree Service.....
.....John asked me if I'd like to go up in one again. "No way!"
But I sure enjoyed the day watching them work.
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