Tree Removal Part 1 and next steps

It’s taking longer to write about the tree removal than the actual tree removal did. Not that I've worked on it as long or as hard or as steadily as the tree removal guys did over the four days it took them to remove the trees, but it’s taken me nearly two weeks to post about it. 

Meanwhile progress in figuring out what to plant in place of the trees is also slow. The yard looks so barren without them. It’s depressing. I’ve long felt that our front yard didn’t have much “curb appeal,” but now with the loss of the trees it has even less. Of course, they have been dead and freaky looking for several months, but it was easier to be in denial about that while they were still there. Now there is no denying the yard is bare. 

I did try to make progress with landscaping. On the last day of the tree removal when the trees were gone and the stumps ground down to the ground, I felt so sad and the yard looked so bleak that I signed up with a referral company (Home Advisor) to have a landscaping company come to help us design a new landscape. I felt like we needed expert help and I was worried that if I didn’t do something right away we would end up doing nothing. 

But the company never showed up. 

I told Home Advisor that. Actually, I replied with the number “4” to their multiple-choice question when they texted to ask if the landscaping company came. 

I expected some sort of response or effort from them to make sure they came another time, or at least an apology. But that was a week ago and still no response. 

[Home Advisor finally called two weeks later--from Colorado. So they aren't even in our state. I told them what I thought of their services. They apologized that the landscaping company never showed up and sent me an email with a list of landscaping companies that are supposedly in our area. (Including the one that was a no show). None of them is near us though, so I don't know if they will really be willing to help us.] 

Meanwhile I spoke with my friend Susan and she recommended someone else that is closer. She also encouraged me to think about us doing it ourselves. 

She said that thinking about it is doing something. (I told her I was afraid that I would just wind up doing nothing.) In situations like this I usually get anxious and perfectionistic and then feel too discouraged to do anything at all because I am afraid of doing the wrong thing. Or, I get an idea but “second guess” myself--or let other people’s opinions persuade me too much--so that we end up doing something that is nothing like my original idea and I spend the next ten years hating how it turned out and kicking myself for not following my original idea. (That has happened before and it is a bummer. I really don’t want to fall into that trap if I can avoid it.) But I know that gardening in general is often a matter of trial and error. And experts--and the internet--sometimes give contradictory advice. Of course, things grow and change over time, or die, and have to be modified anyway. But I do want to get off to a good start at least.

Meanwhile, I have lots of photos of the actual tree removal so without further delay: 

The Removal

Monday, August 16

It’s 8:27 a.m. and the tree guy (TG) isn’t here yet

When he said he would be here in the morning I asked “do you mean around 8:00 a.m.?” he texted back, “yes”

Maybe it would have been better if I had asked “what time?” and let him fill in the blank.

8:49 TG just arrived in time for John to explain something about our drip irrigation system before John’s on-line meeting started. John said that TG seemed to understand what he wanted when he told him about the black tube and what not to do. (I really wish we had a normal sprinkler system.)

I see there is a young guy out there with TG. I wonder if it is his son or grandson, I’m guessing grandson (GS).

GS got a ladder out of the truck. Putting it against the tree by my office. That is the tree that another tree guy was working on a couple of years ago when he fell and broke bits off 5 vertebrae in his back (Thankfully he recovered!). I texted several friends last night to pray for safety.

They are doing stuff to get ready but not in a rush. 

I made a cup of tea and washed dishes.

9:31 TG up the tree. Cutting. Several smallish branches down. I took a bit of video from my office window of  GS using rope to guide down a branch. 

9:48 more branches coming down. I hope I am not distracting them by taking video or photos through my office window.

Chunks falling with a thud

10:03 I switched laundry to dryer and did a little cleaning.

TG and GS made a lot of progress while I wasn’t looking.

Switching ladder to another branch. Ladder nearly straight up!!! I would not want their job!!!

More sawing. Branches falling with a swish and rain of saw dust

John went outside and took these next few photos (don't worry he was at a safe distance!)

10:20 TG cutting up branches on the ground and GS helping

10:42 TG back up in the tree. Not much left of that tree

It’s surprising how much more light there already is coming into my office and into the front door. Even though the tree was mostly dead its trunk and branches and odd leafy clumps still provided some shade.

10:54 Took another video this time from outside far enough away to be safe. 

11:22 I’m trying to clean my office. It certainly needs it. But it’s difficult to declutter and clean and chronicle the tree removal all at the same time even though I am in my office while watching them work. 

1:49 TG starting on the other tree

5:00 They left with their trailer fully loaded with branches. 

One tree mostly gone and the other tree still to go.

It was a shock to see the tree like this. Then I noticed a large yellow butterfly sunning itself on top of the stump. I was delighted! I love butterflies and it seemed like a confirmation of an idea I had about what to plant next: since our yard will be getting a lot more sun with the trees gone, we can grow more butterfly friendly plants. 

But meanwhile we still had a few days to go of the tree removal... 

To be continued...