Timber

We don’t focus on one project at a time around the house. We like to have a couple of ‘open’ projects around the house and yard.  I guess maybe everyone does but at times, it drives me crazy.  I like to think, if we get bored we can work on one of them!  During the summer, you’d think mowing our lawn and tending the flower beds and garden would be enough.  Housework is a daily chore so that just gets done as if on auto-pilot.  Then there are projects on my to-do list.  It is a long list and every time I cross one off, I add a couple more. 

The weekend before the pole barn build, John was considering cutting down a large tree at the upper pond because it was dead.  We aren’t sure why it died and were unhappy about that fact, but it had to come down.  He was hesitant to cut it down alone and I wanted him to wait until my cousin came over.  However, he decided to just cut it down. We carried up the chainsaw, wedges, hammer and safety equipment.  Once up there, we discussed the best area to have it fall.  Then he decided not to cut it down. So we hauled everything back to the garage. 

All day he debated with himself as he gathered tools for the pole barn build.  Just before dinner, he said he wanted to cut it down.  So I grabbed the camera and Elliott and I helped haul everything back up the hill.

I was nervous. Worrying about ‘what could go wrong’ and ready to run to the phone if needed.  John took his time thinking about the tree, the method and safety.  Practice run a few times of where to go if the tree was not going to fall the way he planned.  It happens so best to plan for it.

Let me say, it took a long time to take this tree down.  He cut and put wedges in, hammered the wedges, we saw the tree shake and thought, there it goes. No go. Well, all wedges were in use so a minute of chainsaw use and Elliott got to yell TIMBER!

The view from the yard below the pond with the big, dead tree still standing.

View of our side yard from the upper pond.

Getting ready to cut the tree.

Watching from a safe distance.

The tree is down.

 Success but now the work begins.

New skyline without the tree.

What a huge project of clearing this tree but we have made a huge dent in the mess already. We spend time hauling branches over to the brush pile in the field, and we took a small wagon load of wood to our new neighbors for their fire pit (too green for this year though). We have to cut and load up the trailer as another neighbor said he’ll take a load (bartering in progress on this deal). 

We are all getting use to the new upper pond skyline without the massive dark-limbed tree in the background.

Need wood?