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I'm torn between having a 50+ year old oak chopped down or risking another year of it in the rain and wind..
Quote by Dreamcatcher
I'm torn between having a 50+ year old oak chopped down or risking another year of it in the rain and wind..
Tough choice to make, Larry. Is there any way to cut branches to make it less vulnerable, so you can keep it? If it goes down in rain and wind, would there be collateral damage, such as your house or car being crushed?
Oak trees are pretty impressive.
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Quote by gypsyQuote by Dreamcatcher
I'm torn between having a 50+ year old oak chopped down or risking another year of it in the rain and wind..
Tough choice to make, Larry. Is there any way to cut branches to make it less vulnerable, so you can keep it? If it goes down in rain and wind, would there be collateral damage, such as your house or car being crushed?
Oak trees are pretty impressive.
Sadly, it is a split trunk. Two huge trunks growing out of one. Wood boring beetles have weakened it and when it does fall it will cover the house and a good portion of the neighbors property. It's over 70 feet tall and a 50 foot dripline. There are nine squirrel nests and several more bird. Plus we have a raccoon that loves to climb it at night. So many things to consider.
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Quote by DreamcatcherQuote by gypsyQuote by Dreamcatcher
I'm torn between having a 50+ year old oak chopped down or risking another year of it in the rain and wind..
Tough choice to make, Larry. Is there any way to cut branches to make it less vulnerable, so you can keep it? If it goes down in rain and wind, would there be collateral damage, such as your house or car being crushed?
Oak trees are pretty impressive.
Sadly, it is a split trunk. Two huge trunks growing out of one. Wood boring beetles have weakened it and when it does fall it will cover the house and a good portion of the neighbors property. It's over 70 feet tall and a 50 foot dripline. There are nine squirrel nests and several more bird. Plus we have a raccoon that loves to climb it at night. So many things to consider.
A massive old Acacia Abyssinia tree grew in the garden, on the edge of a sirikwa hole (large holes made by the homesteads of the Sirikwa, an ethnic group that disappeared around the 18th century). The stories that tree could have told... Weddings, memorial services, christenings, lunch parties, and of course, the day to day activities of many children... so much had happened under that tree. Over the years, the huge branches became home to countless birds, the hammerkops had a permanent home, looking like it was built by a drunk, their droppings killing any grass that tried to grow underneath. The hornbills, parrots and love birds all had their holes, as did a colony of bees that worked themselves into a frenzy when the tree was flowering. Orchids, mosses and ferns also called the tree home. Genet cats hid in it by day and leopards visited it by night, marking their territory and leaving scars with their claws. A troop of colobus monkeys, along with the badly behaved vervets, would regularly stop by to feast on seed pods and insects.
The branches spread a good 20m out from the trunk on all sides and it could be seen from several kilometres away, lording over its surroundings. Over time, the weight of the branches had caused the trunk to start splitting, a couple of branches had had to be cut off and lighting struck it once. At some point, someone braced the trunk with three 4" wide metal bands, bolted together, like necklaces, and several of the branches supported by posts and a metal cable. As the tree came to the end of its life, there was great debate on what to do about it. Nobody wanted to cut it but, like you, there was the danger and damage it would cause, should it come down by itself. The Sirikwa hole had always acted as a bit of a catchment area during the rains, washing down all the animal and bird droppings and providing a constant source of nutrients and water for the tree to thrive on.
After a couple of drought years the tree was struggling, then the rain started, flooding the parched earth, causing many trees already weak roots to fail and for them topple as a result. The Sirikwa hole turned into a small wetland that was a wonderful playground for children, dogs and the many frogs that performed raucously every night. Alas, it was too much water for the old tree and the soil was too waterlogged, and he too, toppled over, into the hole and still lies there, his branches still home to many and a whole new playground for the two and four legged creatures that still delight in the old, dead trees continued role in the circle of life.
Dear me... what started as a sentence to commiserate about losing a wonderful old tree has turned into a short story!
Quote by AriesDragon
Dear me... what started as a sentence to commiserate about losing a wonderful old tree has turned into a short story!
And a wonderful story it is, too. Thank you for sharing it.
It also goes to show that the time comes when nature reclaims its due, and makes the best of it afterwards.
Quote by gypsyQuote by AriesDragon
Dear me... what started as a sentence to commiserate about losing a wonderful old tree has turned into a short story!
And a wonderful story it is, too. Thank you for sharing it.
It also goes to show that the time comes when nature reclaims its due, and makes the best of it afterwards.
I agree, that is a wonderful story. Perhaps it should be one on the front page too?
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The growing insanity in our USA government since partisan politics apparently became a "win at any cost" game. Our legislators have apparently forgotten the meaning of "civil discussion", "negotiation", and "compromise" for the good of this country. I was beyond embarrassment when on recent holiday in Scotland when folk would ask about D. Trump. There is SO MUCH MORE GOOD that could be accomplished in this world if we could learn to be civil and work for the common good of mankind. We have become greedy and lost our moral rudder in life😞😞😞
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Quote by AriesDragonQuote by DreamcatcherQuote by gypsyQuote by Dreamcatcher
I'm torn between having a 50+ year old oak chopped down or risking another year of it in the rain and wind..
Tough choice to make, Larry. Is there any way to cut branches to make it less vulnerable, so you can keep it? If it goes down in rain and wind, would there be collateral damage, such as your house or car being crushed?
Oak trees are pretty impressive.
Sadly, it is a split trunk. Two huge trunks growing out of one. Wood boring beetles have weakened it and when it does fall it will cover the house and a good portion of the neighbors property. It's over 70 feet tall and a 50 foot dripline. There are nine squirrel nests and several more bird. Plus we have a raccoon that loves to climb it at night. So many things to consider.
A massive old Acacia Abyssinia tree grew in the garden, on the edge of a sirikwa hole (large holes made by the homesteads of the Sirikwa, an ethnic group that disappeared around the 18th century). The stories that tree could have told... Weddings, memorial services, christenings, lunch parties, and of course, the day to day activities of many children... so much had happened under that tree. Over the years, the huge branches became home to countless birds, the hammerkops had a permanent home, looking like it was built by a drunk, their droppings killing any grass that tried to grow underneath. The hornbills, parrots and love birds all had their holes, as did a colony of bees that worked themselves into a frenzy when the tree was flowering. Orchids, mosses and ferns also called the tree home. Genet cats hid in it by day and leopards visited it by night, marking their territory and leaving scars with their claws. A troop of colobus monkeys, along with the badly behaved vervets, would regularly stop by to feast on seed pods and insects.
The branches spread a good 20m out from the trunk on all sides and it could be seen from several kilometres away, lording over its surroundings. Over time, the weight of the branches had caused the trunk to start splitting, a couple of branches had had to be cut off and lighting struck it once. At some point, someone braced the trunk with three 4" wide metal bands, bolted together, like necklaces, and several of the branches supported by posts and a metal cable. As the tree came to the end of its life, there was great debate on what to do about it. Nobody wanted to cut it but, like you, there was the danger and damage it would cause, should it come down by itself. The Sirikwa hole had always acted as a bit of a catchment area during the rains, washing down all the animal and bird droppings and providing a constant source of nutrients and water for the tree to thrive on.
After a couple of drought years the tree was struggling, then the rain started, flooding the parched earth, causing many trees already weak roots to fail and for them topple as a result. The Sirikwa hole turned into a small wetland that was a wonderful playground for children, dogs and the many frogs that performed raucously every night. Alas, it was too much water for the old tree and the soil was too waterlogged, and he too, toppled over, into the hole and still lies there, his branches still home to many and a whole new playground for the two and four legged creatures that still delight in the old, dead trees continued role in the circle of life.
Dear me... what started as a sentence to commiserate about losing a wonderful old tree has turned into a short story!
A wonderful story. I agree with Rebs and Gypsy.. it deserves a greater audience and you should post it in the musing section..
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Quote by Rebellious_Soul
Regret... never eat a chili pepper by itself... tasted so good. But it's not loving me back at all... XD
Oh Reb ... WHATever are we gonna do with you
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A few things. My brother's birthday, for one. That's coming up on the 11th this month, which means that I have to deal with the whole "tragic day for the whole world" stuff, but really, it isn't tragic for me. I got a brother, who was born a full two years before that. Yes, it's horrible, but people forget that it was a joyous day for a lot of people. I haven't got him all the presents I wanted yet, but I will.
Aria, obviously. She's starting a new business venture, and that's got me thinking about my own business venture. I'm gonna be honest, I really need her to kick my arse. She definitely helps with motivation. We went through a slight phase where wee didn't talk much, but we talked that out, so we're good again. There's the situation of where I'll live when I go over there, but I'm not getting into that.
Music is always on my mind.
Work, but more specifically my wrists, due to work. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome isn't fun. I've finished the six weeks (fucking x button isn't working properly) of splinting, and have been not splinting for five nights now. Ain't going well. Now I'm thinking of the surgery for CTS. It's not exactly a cure. It falls into the category of a deliberate injury. What they do, is cut away the ligament that (look at your wrist) runs just at the joint. That gives the carpal tunnel more room, but as you can guess, doesn't actually treat the nerve compression. There's also the V-shaped cut they can do, but there really isn't much they can do. I'm fucked, really.
What else? I need a salad spinner. I got new glasses, so I think I'll wear them today. That's about all.
Aria, obviously. She's starting a new business venture, and that's got me thinking about my own business venture. I'm gonna be honest, I really need her to kick my arse. She definitely helps with motivation. We went through a slight phase where wee didn't talk much, but we talked that out, so we're good again. There's the situation of where I'll live when I go over there, but I'm not getting into that.
Music is always on my mind.
Work, but more specifically my wrists, due to work. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome isn't fun. I've finished the six weeks (fucking x button isn't working properly) of splinting, and have been not splinting for five nights now. Ain't going well. Now I'm thinking of the surgery for CTS. It's not exactly a cure. It falls into the category of a deliberate injury. What they do, is cut away the ligament that (look at your wrist) runs just at the joint. That gives the carpal tunnel more room, but as you can guess, doesn't actually treat the nerve compression. There's also the V-shaped cut they can do, but there really isn't much they can do. I'm fucked, really.
What else? I need a salad spinner. I got new glasses, so I think I'll wear them today. That's about all.
Ghosts, flamingos, guitars and vodka. Eclectic subjects, eccentric stories:
Humorous guide & Recommended Read =^.^= How To Make a Cup of Tea
A flash fiction series :) A Random Moment in Time
Editors' Pick! :D I Am The Deep, Dark Woods
And another EP!: The Fragility of Age
=^.^=
Humorous guide & Recommended Read =^.^= How To Make a Cup of Tea
A flash fiction series :) A Random Moment in Time
Editors' Pick! :D I Am The Deep, Dark Woods
And another EP!: The Fragility of Age
=^.^=
Advanced Wordsmith
Quote by AriesDragonQuote by DreamcatcherQuote by gypsyQuote by Dreamcatcher
I'm torn between having a 50+ year old oak chopped down or risking another year of it in the rain and wind..
Tough choice to make, Larry. Is there any way to cut branches to make it less vulnerable, so you can keep it? If it goes down in rain and wind, would there be collateral damage, such as your house or car being crushed?
Oak trees are pretty impressive.
Sadly, it is a split trunk. Two huge trunks growing out of one. Wood boring beetles have weakened it and when it does fall it will cover the house and a good portion of the neighbors property. It's over 70 feet tall and a 50 foot dripline. There are nine squirrel nests and several more bird. Plus we have a raccoon that loves to climb it at night. So many things to consider.
A massive old Acacia Abyssinia tree grew in the garden, on the edge of a sirikwa hole (large holes made by the homesteads of the Sirikwa, an ethnic group that disappeared around the 18th century). The stories that tree could have told... Weddings, memorial services, christenings, lunch parties, and of course, the day to day activities of many children... so much had happened under that tree. Over the years, the huge branches became home to countless birds, the hammerkops had a permanent home, looking like it was built by a drunk, their droppings killing any grass that tried to grow underneath. The hornbills, parrots and love birds all had their holes, as did a colony of bees that worked themselves into a frenzy when the tree was flowering. Orchids, mosses and ferns also called the tree home. Genet cats hid in it by day and leopards visited it by night, marking their territory and leaving scars with their claws. A troop of colobus monkeys, along with the badly behaved vervets, would regularly stop by to feast on seed pods and insects.
The branches spread a good 20m out from the trunk on all sides and it could be seen from several kilometres away, lording over its surroundings. Over time, the weight of the branches had caused the trunk to start splitting, a couple of branches had had to be cut off and lighting struck it once. At some point, someone braced the trunk with three 4" wide metal bands, bolted together, like necklaces, and several of the branches supported by posts and a metal cable. As the tree came to the end of its life, there was great debate on what to do about it. Nobody wanted to cut it but, like you, there was the danger and damage it would cause, should it come down by itself. The Sirikwa hole had always acted as a bit of a catchment area during the rains, washing down all the animal and bird droppings and providing a constant source of nutrients and water for the tree to thrive on.
After a couple of drought years the tree was struggling, then the rain started, flooding the parched earth, causing many trees already weak roots to fail and for them topple as a result. The Sirikwa hole turned into a small wetland that was a wonderful playground for children, dogs and the many frogs that performed raucously every night. Alas, it was too much water for the old tree and the soil was too waterlogged, and he too, toppled over, into the hole and still lies there, his branches still home to many and a whole new playground for the two and four legged creatures that still delight in the old, dead trees continued role in the circle of life.
Dear me... what started as a sentence to commiserate about losing a wonderful old tree has turned into a short story!
I can hear the love birds, smell the moss (and the monkey crap!)
I agree with what others have said and together with your incredible illistrations this would be a brilliant kids book.
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My health. Again. I'm going to the doctor on Tuesday for a blood test to check for a vitamin deficiency. He doesn't know what's causing my pain (or peripheral neuropathy), so he's just trying to rule things out, I think. I've to fast before the blood test, so no food after 7:30 PM. Won't that be fun?
Ghosts, flamingos, guitars and vodka. Eclectic subjects, eccentric stories:
Humorous guide & Recommended Read =^.^= How To Make a Cup of Tea
A flash fiction series :) A Random Moment in Time
Editors' Pick! :D I Am The Deep, Dark Woods
And another EP!: The Fragility of Age
=^.^=
Humorous guide & Recommended Read =^.^= How To Make a Cup of Tea
A flash fiction series :) A Random Moment in Time
Editors' Pick! :D I Am The Deep, Dark Woods
And another EP!: The Fragility of Age
=^.^=
Quote by Circle_Something
My health. Again. I'm going to the doctor on Tuesday for a blood test to check for a vitamin deficiency. He doesn't know what's causing my pain (or peripheral neuropathy), so he's just trying to rule things out, I think. I've to fast before the blood test, so no food after 7:30 PM. Won't that be fun?
Have a big meal at 6:30!!
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"Get outta the house ... go do SOMETHING !!! " she says😳😳😳
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“For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command nor faith a dictum.” ― Charles Bukowski
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A very vile and very hot pure bitterness with honey. In one shot you can die or back to your newly good condition. Yea or nae?
