Requiem For A Tree

Well.  It's been a while since I've been here.   An entire month.  It's been ... an adventure.  A couple of adventures, actually.  Storm clean up from that freak October snow storm dominates.  The first step in that process was getting a 23 ton crane to lift the tree off the front of my house and pick up the broken mess at the back of the house.   With the massive destruction from the storm, it took a week to get the crane.   Once it got here, it took a crew of three, with occasional extra help from a couple others, the entire day to carefully trim out, lift off and cut up the two trees.   I used Emmett Shutts Landscaping and they were truly wonderful in every aspect.   That first morning after the storm, when the whole state was reeling at the magnitude of tree destruction, I had no idea who to call.  I couldn't get in or out of my front door, had to pick my way through broken trees to get to the back door, and my driveway was completely blocked.  Even both side yards were cluttered with broken trees.   One of the many emotions that morning was feeling trapped and helpless.   Emmett  Jr showed up next door early that morning to clear my  neighbor's driveway.   I pointed to my driveway and just kind of plaintively said "help?"  Before he even got any billing info from me, he cleared out my driveway.  That simple 10 minute action did a lot to boost my spirits.   He also assured me he could handle the rest of my tree removal.   Anytime you get a plan in place, destruction is so much easier to cope with.  

There on the left is what my tree was.  According to the Emmett, it was a 60 year old sugar maple, not a 44 year old Norway maple as someone else had told us.  Whatever the name, I loved that tree.   Big, beautiful and in perfect shape, never a victim of ugly electric co trimming.   Truly the best looking tree on the street - well, anyplace actually.    And oohhh the shade that tree provided.   I know next summer I will feel it's loss in my electric bill.  While only 1/3 of the tree fell on the house, the rest of the tree was no longer safe.  It had to come down.   That process was amazing.   

 

All that is left now is a stump.  A big stump.   The tree guys will be out in the spring to grind it up.    For the entire past  month, chain saws have dominated the neighborhood.   Every single house on the street has had a large pile of tree debris piled on front lawns.   Yesterday, town crews started clearing my neighborhood of those piles.  I think today, they will get to mine.   Or maybe tomorrow.  Each yard or two fills the truck.   It is good to see the clearing, but today I cry for my tree.

 

Comments

[leslie]

Very sad to see that lovely tree gone. You will miss it for many reasons!

[Diane Christian]

Nice post Chris. Sorry about the troubles you have had with trees, contractors, and squirrels. So do you think that the squirrel lived in the tree and he figured he would move in with you since you got rid of his home? They do seem like a vengeful lot to me. May the winter be good to you.