Just another story

[Ozz]

The old dead tree
We knew someday in the not too distant future, we would have to deal with the bare torso of the leaning Walnut tree.
Our recent windy Spring days brought on the falling of the old gal. Unfortunately, the tree was caught by the branches of Two nearby Walnut trees. It was almost like it’s close brother trees, purposely stopped the fall, much like we would catch someone that had tripped.
Now we had to give immediate attention to the Two ton giant, it gave me the Hebbie jeebies just walking under it, to check to see why it did not fall.
To be truthful, I was rather excited about devising various Rube Goldberg ways of bringing her down. I slept on this for a few days, weeding out the methods that might make the evening news.
Making sure I hadn’t had any beers, and would have what little common sense I possess, I began our adventure.
I had some long heavy rope left over from our boating days, I collected this, along with some lighter coils of rope and a small ball hitch. I figured I would throw the ball attached to some light rope over the fork in the tree, then pull the heavy rope up and around to make a sturdy pulling device. Well, the ball was heavy, and my girlie throws were extremely comical, Sue and I were laughing as we dodged the falling hitch ball. Sue moved behind me. I moved on to the David slew Goliath method of swinging the ball and letting loose at the precise time the arc of the ball would go where I intended.
Sue moved even farther back in the yard.
After wearing myself out by snagging the rope and ball on the rough bark and dead vines numerous times, one of which we had to hook the rope onto the trailer hitch, of ‘Old Yeller’, my good ole standby 1976 Chevy truck I bought new, and dearly love. (Sue moved up next to the house.)
I drove into our field, rope taught, ducking behind the wheel until the rope and hitch ball came rocketing loose, leaving a serious depression in the metal shed nearby.
On my next try, I was able to get the large rope pulled over the fork in the tree, and hooked to Old Yeller.
Now, I was on a roll, I excitedly put her in gear, and off I went!
The long rope got tight, (Sue was nowhere to be seen), and I was crunched down in the seat, as the tree came crashing down.
I backed up and removed the rope from around the tree, luckily it just missed the our little shed, I’m sure the Groundhog that lives under it was relieved.
Now that all the fun is over, I guess we will have to cut up the tree and take it to my brother Terry’s place, he burns wood, and has a gulch we can throw the branches into.
My concern now, is that the tree was covered in vines, that with my luck will be Poison Oak. I have listened with interest the many ways to keep from getting the poison rash all over and inside my body when cutting up and handling the wood. These comments range from a full Haz-Mat suit with respirator, to the guy that said: “It won’t bother you none, just don’t be afraid of it.” I didn’t know fear had any relationship with the rash, maybe it does.
There is a Swedish proverb that states: Worry gives a small thing a big shadow.


'07 3400RL 2nd RTU
2 Golf Cart batteries 3,000 watt inverter, automatic transfer switch
Honda 2000 Generator, Maytag's with 220 Dryer
Stationary domed Sat. dish, LCD 12 Volt Amp gauge, LCD Tank Monitor
3 added 120 volt outlets, On Board Air; 12 Volt Viair 450C compressor
2006 Ford PSD 4x4 Off Road Lariat, Hadley Air Horns, Truck inverter with 110 volts: laptop, Color Backup camera, Firestone air bags,Husky air ride roller hitch, Awning lock

[CountryGuy]

oh, Ozz

you bring back some memories, ohhh, yes, only we only had a lawn tractor, not ole yeller. did you know you could do wheelies with a lawn tractor??


(Thanks Glenn)

Al & Carol Stevens Tipton, Mi.
Retired - Traveling with 4 Yorkies
2004 3295RK
2003 GMC 3500 Allison/8.1
PullRite 15.5K Super 5th
Line-X
JackRabbit tonneau cover
Bilstein shocks
Isolator Pin Box

Our Camping Rig History
Montana Improvements and Travel Reports
Recipe for the RVing Life

Our take on RV ownership, "Ya better be handy with your hands and handy with your cash."

Every day spent on earth is a blessing, every day spent in our Montana is a day blessed twice.

[Ozz]

Carol,
Now I want that story!
Ozz

'07 3400RL 2nd RTU
2 Golf Cart batteries 3,000 watt inverter, automatic transfer switch
Honda 2000 Generator, Maytag's with 220 Dryer
Stationary domed Sat. dish, LCD 12 Volt Amp gauge, LCD Tank Monitor
3 added 120 volt outlets, On Board Air; 12 Volt Viair 450C compressor
2006 Ford PSD 4x4 Off Road Lariat, Hadley Air Horns, Truck inverter with 110 volts: laptop, Color Backup camera, Firestone air bags,Husky air ride roller hitch, Awning lock

[CountryGuy]

Basically same as yours, dead tree, only this one resided in our pond. We were clearing out the old and dead stuff and eventually cut down some of the large willows too (in the winter, another story, some other time).

Al tied LONG rope around it, and to the back of the garden tractor (42 inch cut, so you know there is not much horse power there). I sat on the tractor, he did the wedge cut on the tree, I started pulling, I think he had to do more wedge cut (not that sure anymore). I was rocking the tractor like you try to do with a car stuck in the snow, cause the wheels had started spinning and I was now sitting on wet damp clay like slippery dirt, not green grass. Eventually on the forward pulls I would lift the front end off a bit, back up, forward, you get the drift.

I remember we had a really really long hunk of rope, cause the tree was tall and we were trying to get it to fall towards me and the tractor. I'll bet I was 100 foot away and I was still scared I was gonna be toast!

Not sure how we got that danged thing down, probably more wedge cutting. We did not want it to fall in the pond, so you know where it fell, eh??? IN THE POND! Al had to tromp out there in about 1.5 feet of water and slippery sludgy mucky bottom and cut the tree up in the pond. Was real good on the chain saw, let me tell you! HAHA NOT!!!

Then there was the tree that almost fell on both of us, oh, yea, yet another story, another time!

Gotta say, you brought a chuckle to my afternoon, and it was needed, as I am trying to finish a chapter of a book and the index and need it done hours ago, my back is screaming, my neck is screaming even more, if that is possible, my seat is numb, my brain is likewise. Thanks for the giggle!

Carol

[Ozz]

I can see that you related to my story, I'm glad we both made it!
I am also glad you enjoyed my story, next to fixing things, I like to write.
Ozz

'07 3400RL 2nd RTU
2 Golf Cart batteries 3,000 watt inverter, automatic transfer switch
Honda 2000 Generator, Maytag's with 220 Dryer
Stationary domed Sat. dish, LCD 12 Volt Amp gauge, LCD Tank Monitor
3 added 120 volt outlets, On Board Air; 12 Volt Viair 450C compressor
2006 Ford PSD 4x4 Off Road Lariat, Hadley Air Horns, Truck inverter with 110 volts: laptop, Color Backup camera, Firestone air bags,Husky air ride roller hitch, Awning lock

[Wrenchtraveller]

I enjoyed both your tree stories and I have one of my own. I built my house 28 years ago and I planted a birch tree in the front yard. It grew two trunks and got quite large and I got worried it would fall on the house as one of the trunks leaned quite badly. About this time last year I decided to take her down and I set up my scaffolding and started to take her down from the top.
I then put a rope on it and pulled the last part over with my truck. The stump was about 30 " across and I cut it right down to flush with the grass. In late June of this year we came back from our trip and I was cutting the grass around the stump and I saw what looked like a big weed right next to the stump. I had my hand around it, getting ready to pull it and I realized this little plant had Birch leaves. I examined it closely and it was a Baby Birch growing from the stump. Three months later it is now taller than me because it has a 28 year old root system.
It also has two trunks and my Baby Birch is doing real well. I had felt so bad to take it down and now it feels so good that it is coming back. Not a very exciting story to tell but the whole family is happy to see the rebirth of the Birch. Take care.

Don & Donna
Vancouver Island
2005 Ford F350 V10 Lariat CC 4x4 LB SRW 11200 GVWR
2006 Montana 2955RL
click on the little pic to see a big pic

[Ozz]

A good story. Doesn't have to be exciting to be good.

'07 3400RL 2nd RTU
2 Golf Cart batteries 3,000 watt inverter, automatic transfer switch
Honda 2000 Generator, Maytag's with 220 Dryer
Stationary domed Sat. dish, LCD 12 Volt Amp gauge, LCD Tank Monitor
3 added 120 volt outlets, On Board Air; 12 Volt Viair 450C compressor
2006 Ford PSD 4x4 Off Road Lariat, Hadley Air Horns, Truck inverter with 110 volts: laptop, Color Backup camera, Firestone air bags,Husky air ride roller hitch, Awning lock

[CountryGuy]

Don,

Nice story!


(Thanks Glenn)

Al & Carol Stevens Tipton, Mi.
Retired - Traveling with 4 Yorkies
2004 3295RK
2003 GMC 3500 Allison/8.1
PullRite 15.5K Super 5th
Line-X
JackRabbit tonneau cover
Bilstein shocks
Isolator Pin Box

Our Camping Rig History
Montana Improvements and Travel Reports
Recipe for the RVing Life

Our take on RV ownership, "Ya better be handy with your hands and handy with your cash."

Every day spent on earth is a blessing, every day spent in our Montana is a day blessed twice.