Bye Bye Pine Trees

Jared's Grandfather, who built our house, had a love for pine trees.  He planted them at every house he lived in and even at the town cemetery, thus the town named the cemetery the Reed S. Hatch Cemetery.

This was what our house has looked like since the 70's.

Not only do I not share the same love for pine trees but the roots to these giant trees have worked their way under my house pushing up some of the tiles in my kitchen.  It's also pushing my brick wall over.  In a bad way.  So they had to go.

It was no small task and was pretty intense for those involved.  Our cousin Jarom was working the lift which had a man basket attached where Jared was harnessed in that would lift him to a certain (and may I mention, very HIGH) height then push him in towards the tree where he would cut it off.  From there the crane would lift that section of the tree up and lay in on the ground.  Jared can set trusses on tall houses all day long and it doesn't phase me but seeing him swing 30 feet in the air was a little too much for me.  I was a nervous wreck!  I had to quick looking out the window because I couldn't relax.

Once the trees were down there was a HUGE pile of branches to haul off.  Our neighbor came by as they were being loaded up and asked if he could have them.  All three trees worth of branches!  I still laugh when I drive by their little house and see the piles which are about as tall as his house.  He's going to let them dry out and use them as firewood next winter. 

The crane guy traded us the logs for the crane service.  What I though would be a pricey project turned out to cost a total of $50 and that was just to pay the guy who helped load branches and clean up.  Sweet!

I guess when you live in Main Street your business is everybody's business because it became quite a spectacle.  People were pulling over, driving by slowly, I even saw one man park his truck across the street, get out and watch.

We're used to the absence of our giant trees now but it took a few days.  The morning after they came down I opened my kitchen curtains, took a double glance and said "oh yeah, that's right!"  The one thing I will defiantly not miss the sound of those pines blowing in the wind.  I feel like I am in the forest all spring while the wind blows.