This last weekend in May the plan was to take the trailer down to St James (the old home town) loaded with the desk that was being downsized from our apartment. While we were there a large tree that overhangs the old family home needed to be trimmed so it doesn't fall on the house, or the neighbors house.
We arrived at 7:00pm Friday night in the driveway with the trailer full of desk parts. It wasn’t long before the parts were reassembled in the newly remodeled front bedroom.
That put the old paperboard desk out of a job and on the street hoping for a new home.
The next morning was time to do battle with the dangerous tree that was threatening the safety of the old homestead.
Time to call the Great!! Stumpman! and his trusty sidekicks Neil and Margaret.
Here is the Great!! Stumpman at 8:00am in the morning getting ready to do battle with the dangerous tree. (the battle can’t start until 9:00am because we don’t want to disturb the neighbors too early in the morning)
The Stumpman flies high into the dark and dangerous foliage with the help of his trusty ladder, inspecting what and where to cut before starting the chainsaw.
A quick inspection revels that there are three main branches that need to be taken down to render the tree harmless for the surrounding buildings. The first branch the smallest of the three can simply be cut and fall to the ground. The other two branch threaten the houses and will require a rope to be tied to them and pulled away from the houses as they are cut so not fall on the buildings.
The Great!! Stumpman uses a thin piece of nylon cord thrown out too the end of the branch where it is lowered down to the ground. Then a thick heavy piece of towing rope is attached to it and hauled up into the tree using the thin cord and looped around the branch to be pulled then tied off.
The first sidekick Neil agrees that we are now ready to start the serious cutting work.
A couple of small branches fall to the ground clearing the way to get at the bigger ones.
The first of the 3 large branches is on the ground safely, just barely brushing the roof on it way to the ground. Stumpman breathes a sigh of relief. One down and two to go.
The heavy pulling rope is in place for the next big branch.
A break in the action as a neighbor approaches.
Before we attack the next big branch we load up most of the cut down branches into the trailer and truck for transport to the compost pile on the north side of town.
The unloading of the trimmed debris at the compost heap goes quickly and we make our way back eager to do battle with the large branch hanging over the house.
The fair maiden of the story appears concerned and fretful, not sure whether to be more worried about the safety of the tree trimming crew or whether the tree has been trimmed crooked.
All ready to go! the truck is hooked up to the rope and the Great!! Stumpman climbs the ladder as the crew looks on.
Two cuts are required to bring the limb down safely. One wedge cut to the front of the branch the direction you want it to fall, and then the final back cut. The truck has to pull the branch away from the house just as the last part of the final back cut is completed.
A couple of small detail also need to be attended to, like the branch not falling on the Stumpman or the truck or the plucky sidekick driving the truck doesn't hit the neighbors house with the truck.
Another dangerous branch is on the ground and hauled to the compost pile!
Two down and one to go.
One last branch that needs to be pull away from the house as it is cut. Same drill again don't kill the Stumpman and this time the truck drive has to avoid hitting another tree.
All is well. All the braches are safely at the compost heap.
Before and after pictures of the tree from the front:
From the back: No more overhanging the house.
As the sun sinks in the west, the Great!! Stumpman and his trusty sidekicks attack happy hour and a roast before flying off into the sunset for another adventure.
Video: by Margaret
Dinner, Happy Hour and worrying: by Mom
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