It was a beautiful Saturday here in fly-over country. The sky was that unique shade of bright, happy blue that there really is no name for. The clouds were cottony, billowy and so white they almost shined. The whole scene looked like something off of a postcard. You'd almost half expect to look at that sky and see a little 'C' in a circle in the corner of your vision, claiming a copyright on the whole vista.
As beautiful, bright and sunny as the day was, there was some sadness involved. We removed part of a valued member of our yard today. We had a terrific old redbud tree in our back yard. It has, for the past seven years, provided us with spectacular blossoms to look at, and ample shade to protect us from the sun's harsh heat.
We usually have the family father's day celebration at our home. We cook steaks, and setup a table under the redbud tree. The whole thing was very comfortable and serene. The blossoms, the gentle wind, the shade.
But sadly, the tree did not blossom this year. It did not even leaf. It is dead. Folks in the neighborhood tell me the tree was over 100 years old, the oldest tree in the area. I don't know if that was true or not, but it makes it seem even sadder that the grand old tree just suddenly up and died.
When we moved in there was an old hackberry tree that was about 3/4 dead. We had a tree service take that one down because it was somewhere around 40 feet tall, and gigantic. I watched the tree service folks and how they took down the tree. I found it incredibly fascinating. The way they tied a rope to part of a branch, then again tied the same rope to the same branch somewhat lower down. This allowed the cutter to cut the branch and keel the branch from falling uncontrollably.
I remembered that technique today when we removed the first 1/2 of the dead redbud tree. If I owned a chain saw, we could have taken the entire tree down today. But I don't, so we had to use hand saws and axes to get down what we did manage to remove. The trick with the rope worked splendidly, and thankfully no one was injured, or even came close to being injured.
We are going to have to decide what to replace that tree with. I'd like to get one that gives good shade, and grows fast. I don't really want to wait 10 years before we have good shade again, but I may not have much choice in that.
As always, thanks for visiting!
(Oh, and for the record, I know it was "Rosebud")
Technorati Tags: News From Fly-Over Country, tree removal, redbud
As beautiful, bright and sunny as the day was, there was some sadness involved. We removed part of a valued member of our yard today. We had a terrific old redbud tree in our back yard. It has, for the past seven years, provided us with spectacular blossoms to look at, and ample shade to protect us from the sun's harsh heat.
We usually have the family father's day celebration at our home. We cook steaks, and setup a table under the redbud tree. The whole thing was very comfortable and serene. The blossoms, the gentle wind, the shade.
But sadly, the tree did not blossom this year. It did not even leaf. It is dead. Folks in the neighborhood tell me the tree was over 100 years old, the oldest tree in the area. I don't know if that was true or not, but it makes it seem even sadder that the grand old tree just suddenly up and died.
When we moved in there was an old hackberry tree that was about 3/4 dead. We had a tree service take that one down because it was somewhere around 40 feet tall, and gigantic. I watched the tree service folks and how they took down the tree. I found it incredibly fascinating. The way they tied a rope to part of a branch, then again tied the same rope to the same branch somewhat lower down. This allowed the cutter to cut the branch and keel the branch from falling uncontrollably.
I remembered that technique today when we removed the first 1/2 of the dead redbud tree. If I owned a chain saw, we could have taken the entire tree down today. But I don't, so we had to use hand saws and axes to get down what we did manage to remove. The trick with the rope worked splendidly, and thankfully no one was injured, or even came close to being injured.
We are going to have to decide what to replace that tree with. I'd like to get one that gives good shade, and grows fast. I don't really want to wait 10 years before we have good shade again, but I may not have much choice in that.
As always, thanks for visiting!
(Oh, and for the record, I know it was "Rosebud")
Technorati Tags: News From Fly-Over Country, tree removal, redbud
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