Yesterday we finally got the rest of the backyard tree cut down. It was an exciting yet sad day. The view from the back door is very wide open. And bare. But we will get used to it. The tree had to come down before its top limb snapped and landed on the house, garage, power lines or a car. Aaron, his dad and his brother are the ones that took the tree down. It was no small feat either. The tree’s stump measures 49 inches across. While not an overly enormous tree it is pretty large for a maple tree. And amazingly enough it was not rotten in the middle.
Aaron’s family heats their houses with wood heat. His dad has cut down a lot of trees in his time. So while the possibility existed that something would go wrong and the tree would fall where it wasn’t supposed we were pretty confident that it wouldn’t.
First Aaron’s brother Matt, had to get a chain around the remaining tall limb. Tom borrowed a bucket tractor from a neighbor to help with the process.
First trying to get the chain on from one direction.
Then going at it from another direction.
At this point, I left. I was getting nervous…no anxious. The thought of one of those boys getting hurt was just too much. So I went and picked some raspberries.
Finally the chain was in place and Tom lowered the two ginger haired boys to the ground.
Aaron’s dad, Elliott, pulls the chain out.
The purpose of the chain is to make sure the tree falls away from the house. Most of the weight of the tree is on the side of the tree next to the house. Just cutting the tree would result in it falling on the house.
The chain is hooked to the tractor. When the time comes the tractor will be used to put tension on the tree so it falls in the right direction.
Elliott makes the first cut.
Starting the notch.
Apparently sawdust is a good smell to dogs. At least it was to Kennedy. She rolled in it for a long time!
Matt giving his dad some “pointers”.
The notch.
Debating about where to make the notch larger.
The sawdust flies as the notch is enlarged.
Elliott starting the cut on the back of the tree.
Aaron hammers a wedge into place. This keeps the chainsaw blade from binding and it also keeps the tree from falling the wrong direction. The entire time Tom has been keeping tension on the chain.
Soon Matt took over with the saw and things really started happening. Here is a video of our trees final moments.
The stump. I estimate the age of the tree to be around 100 years old. I would bet that tree was planted when the house was built.
The tree butt.
While we were all rejoicing about how the tree landed exactly where it was supposed to. And marveling at the sight of that big tree going over the guys jumped right in to start cutting up the tree. You can tell they are used to the wonderment of felling a tree while we are not.
The butt makes a fine place for a girl to sit and enjoy herself.
Where the tractor was digging in to keep tension on that big tree.
Karly does her part to denude the tree of the small branches.
A little girl on a big stump!
This is the butt. It is too large for them to cut up. So we are left with it. It is a shame that it is so large it is unusable for them. We joked today about making log furniture our of it. There is certainly enough there for a table and a few chairs.
All joking aside, we will miss our old friend in the backyard. Goodbye, old friend.
