'I'm always looking for the Hows and the Whys and the Whats,' said Muskrat, 'That is why I speak as I do. You've heard of Muskrat's Much-in-Little, of course?'
'No,' said the child. 'What is it?'
- The Mouse and his Child. Russell Hoban.

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Thursday 20 December 2012

Chopping down the Tree.

When we first came to this house nineteen year ago there was a row of huge, high macrocarpa trees between us and the road.  As time went on, it was clear that the drastic trim they'd been given by the previous owners had allowed canker to get in and all but one were removed, at my suggestion, by the council.
Sadly, after ten years, the last one also got a bug.  Yesterday the 'Arbour Care' blokes arrived to do the deed.  It took about four hours and was done carefully and meticulously, given the narrow strip available to drop into, the nearness of the road (two metres away) and the proximity of my fence (two metres in the other direction).

Here's the process in pictures.  Most of these were taken from my front verandah.


The tree fella wondering why I keep popping in and out with the camera.
There should be a quick way of saying 'I have a blog
and like to take photos of everything.'


The action out on the berm.


The rope, along with carefully placed wedge-shaped cuts,
 is to make sure it falls in the right direction


From now on the process just involved cutting bits from the remaining trunk ...





... until all that was left was a gigantic pile of wood, unfortunately with all the small stuff underneath and the most humoungous slices on top. (Branches and leaves had all disappeared into the chipper).

It took me the rest of the day to lug and roll the wood through the little side gate and into and in front of the carport. The bad news is it still has to be stacked, and later split, and there's no room for the car. 

The good news is that I have about four years of firewood for free.  Yay!


Also there's now an unimpeded view to the west so we can look out of the lounge window and watch the sun sinking down and the sky in all its soft crepuscular glory!


9 comments:

  1. Anonymous20.12.12

    Sad... But a lovely view, and the tree's memory will be kept alive in the flames on your hearth!

    Katherine, thanks again for your blog. I'm glad I found you! Joyful Christmas blessings to you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. PHOTO CAPTION: "The tree fella wondering why I keep popping in and out with the camera. There should be a quick way of saying 'I have a blog
    and like to take photos of everything.'" - Yeah - including young tree surgeons' butts!

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  3. A trifle vulgar, Mr Pudding, if I may say so. But then I assume that the House of Pudding was granted it's living by the White Rose so I suppose that's to be expected.

    I can't quite imagine what it will look like.



    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh REALLY, YP! You are the limit!

    GB... That sounds like a very sophisticated insult, because I don't understand any of it! :-)

    I have been eyeing up every option for storage of firewood, but just to reassure you that in Jauary there will be no firewood in the compactavan. Well, not on the actual BED...
    Just joking!

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  5. PS. YP, I asked the post office to find and destroy your Christmas card, but they said it had already left New Zealand.

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  6. Antonia. Thank you so much for your lovely comment, and good wishes. Wishing you peace and contentment to you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow what a fine set of photographs, I tend to catalogue everything that happens in my life with my camera, so I'm liking this post very much, although tis always sad to see a tree go of course. What a brilliant view to have now!

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  8. Yorkshire Pudding is, presumably, from Yorkshire. I, on the other hand, was born in Lancashire. At one time a few years ago (the 1400s actually) the Houses of York and Lancaster were at each others throats (something to do with each wanting to be Top Dog and rule England) and it has been thus (in friendly rivalry - sort of friendly) ever since. The House of Lancaster was represented by the Red Rose and York by the White Rose. Hence the disagreement in the 15thC was known as the Wars of the Roses.

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  9. Thank you All Consuming, and welcome to TLVD! Yes, I often say 'I Blog, Therefore I Am' (Ego ephemeride scribemus ergo sum). I will visit yours once the madness is over...

    GB. Ah, of course. I didn't give it enough thunking. I did know that.

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