~Dead Trees~

These are pictures of two dead trees in the backyard of our property.  We discovered these trees weren't going to make it as this spring everything around them were in full bloom and sprouting while these two looked like it was the dead of winter.  It's hard to tell through all of the other trees that are growing strong around them.  We found a friend of a friend who would cut them down at half the cost of the well-known company in town.  You get what you pay for...maybe.




So each of the two trees had one trunk that broke into two trucks not far from the base.  That meant that this guy, Rich, had to cut down really four trees in essence.  First one worked out according to plan and landed right where he meant for it to.  The other part of that tree...not so much.  It came crashing down the wrong direction straight down on our fence and into our neighbor's backyard.  Not a big deal with the neighbors as they don't really keep up their yard to begin with.  It landed in the wooded area beyond where they mow and didn't really matter or mess anything up.  But, it did shatter a portion of our vinyl fence and there's going to be some repairs needed on that at some point. 

Let me say also, that earlier that day, Jason had pulled something in his back and was not able to function at full capacity.  He should've been in bed on a muscle relaxer, but instead ended up pretending he was fine the whole time he chucked hundred pound blocks of wood from the neighbor's yard back into ours and then stacking it up.  He spent the next week paying for that. 

So this guy, Rich, only was able to finish one of the trees the first day he was here.  He made plans to return the following Saturday to do the other tree.  This time instead of cutting each section at the bottom of the trunk and letting the entire length of the tree fall, and hope it hits it's mark (NOT), he climbed the each of the two sections and cut smaller parts at a time.  PHEW!!!  I had had nightmares after the first tree went the wrong way, that the next time it would land on either our home or across the intersection of a major hwy that runs behind our home.  So proud of how hard he and Jason worked to get this done.  It was in the 90's that day and of course super humid. 
After the trees had been cut down and into smaller sections, the boys put their working gloves on and came to help.  They chopped and stacked the wood till they were all wet with sweat and overly tired.  What a great day for them to work hard, as they had also mowed the lawn and cleaned in the house that day as well.  It was time to head off to the pool for a little cool-down time...Anyone need some firewood???