Such a blow struck our street (literally!) this week, when one of the gigantic branches of the colossal Pin Oak in our neighbours' garden, broke off and crashed to the ground - revealing a damaged and diseased core, and the owners no choice but to have the rest of it chopped down for safety's sake. No more constantly swaying, rustling and changing canopy of leaves dominating our skyline - the men with chainsaws arrived, and with a heavy heart
I
watched them dismantle the limbs from the body and efficiently swing them down, avoiding houses, walls and - except for one startling crash when my computer abruptly blacked out - power lines. (This must happen fairly regularly as City Power was already at hand and repaired the damage within a couple of hours.) My husband and my son, both keen woodworkers, gleefully gathered as much of the beautiful wood as they could fit into our garden - we are going to have quite a lumberyard for quite some time as it has to cure and mature before any craftwork can come forth!
At least they've saved some of the old chap from being chopped up for firewood, and maybe, when I'm 105 or so, we'll have a new dining room table.
I watched them dismantle the limbs from the body and efficiently swing them down, avoiding houses, walls and - except for one startling crash when my computer abruptly blacked out - power lines. (This must happen fairly regularly as City Power was already at hand and repaired the damage within a couple of hours.) My husband and my son, both keen woodworkers, gleefully gathered as much of the beautiful wood as they could fit into our garden - we are going to have quite a lumberyard for quite some time as it has to cure and mature before any craftwork can come forth! 
At least they've saved some of the old chap from being chopped up for firewood, and maybe, when I'm 105 or so, we'll have a new dining room table.
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6 comments:
Ah that is so sad! I think I know the tree you mean. Your neighbours must be heartbroken too. We watched TWO of neighbours mature trees come down 3 years ago - same reason. And after Ike, felled trees all over the place. There's one on the golf course that kept growing in its fallen position, so they decided to let it, since its desire to live was so strong! Love your sketches, though I grieve with you. Mom's birthday today; she would have been 88.
So sorry to hear of you losing your lovely neighborhood tree. Old gnarled trees with their majestic height and wide spreading branches are so inspiring... they almost seem wise. Love your sketches.... great job!
Whew, yes Gillian, Ike must have been devastating for trees (let alone homeowners!) Mom much on my mind today - 25 years on. She would have loved the internet!
Thanks Teresa - old trees do seem wise - I saw a programme about the cedars of Lebanon that have stood for 1000 years - ours was just a puppy!
Hi from England... just don't ask what time it is. Bye bye, lovely old tree.Very sad to hear you have gone. At least it WAS diseased. How many trees chopped down in our once leafy old suburb, by new movers in, building big houses ... the owners always say 'oh it was rotten'.I just hate the sound of chain saws.
Oh I was thinking of our Mom so much too... she shared a birthday with Prince Charles, so I knew he was turning 60.It was great to read an interview with the crime write PD James, who was also born in 1920, and had such interesting comments on how that particular year of birth impacted on her life. Old people and old trees. Must keep planting!
Vivienne! There you are :)! I know, I also hate the sound of chainsaws and the neighbours who callously de-tree their newly acquired bit of leafy suburbia.
There was an (perhaps the same) interview with PD James in our papers that I put aside to read later, and now it's disappeared - I must look for it. Enjoy England!
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