The tree...

On Thursday, Conrad came home and told me that Ismael would be following him home on Friday to take a look at the tree. Ismael works with Conrad. He said that Ismael had been a tree cutter in Mexico a few years ago. Yeah, I'll admit, I was nervous and apprehensive. After all, don't we all have enough holes in our roofs?

Ismael and Jacob (another co-worker of Conrad's) came and looked at the tree and seemed to not have a problem with it and said they'd be here bright and early Saturday morning. I couldn't wait to see if they showed up with beer. That would tell me right there what kind of day it would be.

Well, show up they did, along with Donato and Marco. Ishmael hoisted himself up the tree on a pulley system and went to work. I knew it must be going better when Conrad didn't stay outside to watch every move. I went out when they first got out there and took a picture of what was left of the tree.

They chopped and roped that tree one branch at a time and not one limb hit Ricky's house or ours. I cannot tell you how impressed I was at their know-how. At one point they were bringing down a part and they tied off to the tree in the front yard and I didn't see how it could possibly not hit our house and Conrad tried to explain and this is what it sounded like to me "this rope that way one rope over another blah, blah, blah...). I decided I would just watch. Had I had my camera with me, I would have taken video because it was amazing. That limb fell and stopped about 3 ft. above the house. I applauded their efforts. They would chop until they could push the limb over then assess the situation then proceed with caution. It was beautiful.

This video is from today, when they came back with a bigger saw for the part closer to the ground. This is one of the pieces coming down. Creative use of a ladder, don't you think?

This is from left to right; Jacob, Marco, Ismael, and Donato. (I don't think there should be a comma before the "and" - what do you think? Any grammer gurus out there?) This is right before the last piece came down. I thought there should be a picture, after all, it's a major event, right?

This is the last piece coming down.

Where once a tree stood.
Man bests tree...

...with an axe...????



We have enough wood to feed fireplaces for awhile. The big ol' trunk, we'll probably fashion a table and chairs out of it. Yeah, right.

Thus ends the saga of the tree...hopefully.



The music is "Oak Tree Dance" by Carl Wilson. While this wasn't an Oak, it still conveys our joy at having it down with no one injured.