In case you missed my last two posts, here's a quick recap: Our big ash trees in the front yard were severely damaged by the big winter storm this past February. Experts advised us to remove them.
Last week I recounted the first day of the process. In this post we'll look at the rest of it. (see links at bottom for last two posts)
Day 2 - Tuesday 8/17/2021
10:59 TG (tree guy) arrived a little while ago. Did quite a bit already. A different, older, man (OM) is with him this time. GS (grandson) not here today.
TG is sawing up the parts he just cut off. OM is loading them into the trailer.
Weird how discombobulating it is to have all this happening. Partly, I suppose, because I’m trying to document it and still do other things, like cleaning and decluttering. Also, because John is home and grumpy about it. [I found out later that he was stressed about some work stuff, not about being home.] Maybe I didn’t really need him to be here. But I felt like I did. I wanted him to be here in case they needed to ask anything urgently or if anything bad happened. [Like a couple of years ago when another tree guy injured his back.] So, I very much hope John won't actually be needed, accept for taking photos I mean :-).
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| John took this at 12:54 |
Sometime after 3:00 it started pouring rain. TG took shelter under the eaves in front of my office window. After a couple of minutes, he dashed to his truck to shelter in the cab. OM kept sawing but then joined him a few minutes later. I was talking to a friend on my cell phone at the time so did not take any photos. John took this one from the front porch.
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| Their truck was parked further over to the left, so it doesn't show in this photo. |
They started up again after things dried up.
They left around 7:00 p.m. Their trailer again piled high with branches.
Day 3 - Wednesday 8/18/2021
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9:45 a.m. I went outside and took the above photo this morning before the tree guys came. I surprised a squirrel that was coming down from the top of what's left of the tree on the left. It ran away before I could get a photo. I wonder what it thinks about all this.
I sent John back to his office this morning. He is stressed about work problems and our internet has been so intermittent. I hope nothing happens that I’ll wish he was here for. [Thankfully nothing did.]
10:30 TG and OM just pulling up.
10:43 I’m going to do a little cleaning while they set up.
Just after 11:00 they began the process of cutting down the trunks. TG cut around the base of the trunk with his chainsaw. He stopped a few times and OM poured something on the blade. (maybe water to cool it?). After TG had gotten most of the way around they cut a large wedge out of the bottom of the trunk on the opposite side, no doubt so it would fall away from the house. Then OM used a blower to clear the saw dust out of the cut at the base then TG used his chain saw again and cut away the remaining sections.
Here is a video of that final cut and when the trunk fell:
2:17 Both trees down. TG sawing up trunks. OM raking debris and carting giant chunks of logs to the trailer.
It’s hard to grasp. The trees are really gone. I feel sad.
But I’m glad the "tree guys" took their time (not slacking-- just not rushing). It feels more respectful of the trees somehow. (safer too)
5:55 they have been gone most of the afternoon. I assume they will be back tomorrow to grind the stumps down (and I haven’t paid them yet). I have a dental appointment in the morning though, so we will be away until noonish.
Thursday, 8/19/21
Got back from my appointment around 12:30.
TG here-- alone this time-- blowing wood chips off the walk ways. He's already finished grinding the stumps.
Later: I was glad it was done but I felt bereft.
The house looks so barren and ugly without the trees. I wanted to have a cry. Instead, as I wrote in the previous post, I went on-line and looked up landscaping companies in our area and signed up to have a company come out the following Monday.
But the company never showed up. Could it be a sign? Maybe my friend Susan is right. Maybe we can do it ourselves. We might even enjoy it. It would certainly be an opportunity to practice overcoming perfectionism!
Mind you, I’m not promising we’ll do it ourselves but whichever way we do it I’ll try to blog about the process. So, stay tuned as we explore options and figure out what to plant next.
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