I Love Nature

The glorious 200 year old maple has been my companion since I bought this old farmhouse forty years ago. I loved this gigantic tree from the first moment I laid eyes on her. She was close to the back of the house, so I called in experts and they trimmed her and cabled a limb that was growing at a bit of an awkward angle. I loved her beauty and the shelter for birds, shade, and fall color she gave us. She was magnificent! Everyone who came to my gardens remarked about this beautiful maple tree.

Twenty years ago a large limb at the top broke during a bad wind storm, taking off the back porch roof and puncturing the bedroom ceiling as it crashed down. Again the experts were called, she was trimmed and deemed safe.

But over the past few years I noticed that the cabled limb seemed hollow. I began to worry during bad storms. I knew I needed to seek expert advice but I put it off because I feared the worst. I convinced myself that the tree was probably fine, even though my gut instinct was telling me differently. A couple of weeks ago after a particularly bad storm, I couldn't ignore it any longer. The experts were called. It was time for her to come down.

I felt so sad as I watched the process. Since a truck couldn't get back into the area, she was taken down by a climber, limb by limb, bit by bit and it was painful to watch. But it was fascinating as well to witness the expertise of the crew as they did their work. I tried to focus on that.

Finally the large notch in the trunk was cut and the result was shocking. The entire center of the trunk was hollow all the way up, at least 18 inches in diameter of rotted void was exposed. It was a relief to know for sure that I had made the right decision. And mostly I was grateful to my beautiful friend that she had held on until I could bring myself to decide.

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rckt148 · 61-69, M

I would have had the barrel cut long enough
that whatever wood that was still solid could be saved
We had one growing so close to the house as it grew Dad kept cutting chunks out of the house ,so it could grow and not further damage the house .
But sadly it had to come down
but after it was down Dad sent it to a friends saw mill
He got quite a few boards from it
several he used to repair where he had cut the house
the rest he build a work bench and a few shelves in his work shop
I was so hurt when Mom passed ,I never gave any thought of the work bench or I would have removed it
But I lost more then a tree
never really thought of it until now

It would have been nice to put in my shop
something that was important to Dad

During hurricane Katrina ,,we lost a lot of trees
but the ones that lined my place stood tall
But my landlord wanted them down ,one tree did fall down in the back 40 and land on a neighbors deck
But of the 10 trees taken down ,,only 1 was hollow
The made it through that storm ..and a man took them down
my place has not been as pretty every since
it used to look like a park
everyone loved coming here for cook outs ,
family gatherings
Since then ,we go to a park ,,with some shade

Datura · F

@rckt148 , lovely story about your Dad's tree. I'm sorry you didn't get the table.
I understand how you feel about your place now after the loss of the trees. My maple was on the south side, the old farmers knew what they were doing. I know the house will be a lot hotter. And the loss of her beauty will be strongly felt.
Years ago my boss and I took down a huge black Walnut tree and an old timer and I ran it through an old gas driven saw mill into beautiful boards. He took half for the price of the work, which was fair since no other saw mill would touch it for fear of nails. I made a lot of beautiful things with those boards.
I've got lots of plans for pieces and chunks of my maple!

rckt148 · 61-69, M

@Datura I have a box ,a few carvings ,,things I have made from trees that had to be downed
I was also a ground man for a tree surgeon
We took a lot of "trunks " barrels he called them to the saw mill ,,and yea they do fear spikes and nails with good reason
I have seen one of the carbide tips come loose from the saw blade ,and was thankful it went up and not at any of us
I was hired to maintain his truck ,chipper and saws
But I am a nature boy ,,I love doing the lowering
telling them what to cut next
We also drilled down into the roots and give them medication
we did the cabling ,removal of dead wood (widow makers ) and shaping the canopy so the tree is healthier .He was a tree doctor ,
We could drop a weeping cherry over many homes ,and not break a flower ,,with drop clothes and our huge stump grinder ,,when we left you couldn't even find the stump
I liked it ,but with a bad back ,it was just a friend helping me out till I could find other means to support myself ,,I learned a lot and was very grateful
But I HATE dropping healthy trees

Datura · F

@rckt148 , I was a landscape architect and construction foreman. I worked with many a wonderful expert of your kind. My son even worked as a ground man during summers in college for the company I used on our jobs. Much appreciation for your line of expertise!

Peaches · F

Oh I"m so sorry you lost your friend!😟🌳That's how I think of trees too. I'm in this group "I Love Big Old Trees" or something like that, I forget the exact group name as I haven't posted there in a while. I am the only one that has ever posted anything in that group! I'm also glad your home wasn't damaged any more than it was. My friends had to have a huge tree removed from their yard as well. It was rotting and they were afraid it was gonna fall on the house, I forget what kind it was now.🌲

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Datura · F

@Peaches hmmmm, I wonder if it's because I'm using a tablet? It says that there are 48 stories but will only show me 5.

Peaches · F

@Datura Yep, I wondered what device you were using.🤔

Peaches · F

@Datura Here's one you might like...https://similarworlds.com/9166169-I-Love-Big-Old-Trees/2741118-Youve-probably-heard-about-zodiac-sign-astrology

hlpflwthat · M

I'd have had to stay inside so no one could see me bawling like a baby. I've lived most my life here in a million-acre State Hardwood Forest. All trees matter, but we do become attached to the biggies don't we.

Far as we know, we've completed the removal of all dead ash from our properties here in the city. There are 2 left that will have to be done professionally because of power lines. It has been heart-breaking. This is the 2nd infestation that's wiped out a tree in the short blip of my years on the Great Timeline. Many of these very ash were planted to replace the shade of those elms 40 years ago. I am wondering/worried whether this Emerald Ash Borer will disappear and die off for lack of food in the next couple years ... or will it evolve an appetite for something else?

rckt148 · 61-69, M

@hlpflwthat Agrilus planipennis
Emerald ash borer. The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is a green buprestid or jewel beetle native to north-eastern Asia that feeds on ash species. Females lay eggs in bark crevices on ash trees, and larvae feed underneath the bark of ash trees to emerge as adults in one to two years.

Now being carried to other countries

Pines have a beetle killing them too
Mountain pine beetles

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus kills palms

Citrus canker wipes out entire orange groves ,they have to be burned ,and someone just walking in an infected grove can carry it to a healthy one

Yea ,,some end of days stuff ,most people are not even aware of ,,our trees are where we get the oxygen we breath
but who needs the EPA to protect our water and Air
climate change is a hoax
Who cares ,,we don't need to breath ,,we will be dead soon
let our children and their children worry about it

Datura · F

@hlpflwthat , we do become so attached. This was heartbreaking! I knew you'd understand.
When I bought this house 40 years ago I had 3 elms in the yard. The spread of their boughs is something I will never forget. I gradually watched in horror as all 3 faded and died.

Let's hope the Ash Borer meets an enemy stronger than he!

hlpflwthat · M

@rckt148 Would be far more comfortable to swallow the hoaxer's stance and not think about it ... but this a cool planet - worth defending ;)

Carazaa · F

Thank you for a beautiful story!

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Datura · F

@sspec , beautiful basil story, I think many of us have wonderful memories of nature's bounty.
I drink a holy basil tea 😊. Another reason to think of you 😃

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