Two years ago we lost the Corkscrew Willow. One night while the neighbor kids were swimming in the pool, there was a large tearing sound and then the dog went berserk. Half the tree had cracked and fallen. Just like that.
The tree service said it was too dangerous to leave and they took the whole thing out. The Globe Willow next to it was pruned and thinned. We thought maybe it would make it. The survivor tree.
Remember a few days ago when I said it had been too windy to ride? Going against the wind, the fastest I could manage was about 6 mph - which means you could actually walk faster. The wind would ease up and you would think Great, it's over! And then as if it had been holding its breath, the wind would release in a powerful, gusting surge. Woe unto those riding sideways against the wind (you were likely to end up in a sidewalk bicycle sandwich).
Wham! No ride for you!
Anywho, Mr. O went out in the yard later that evening in an attempt to get ahead of the weeds (they are still totally winning), when he noticed some very loud creaking, cracking, moaning coming from direction of the Survivor Tree.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed a crack in the trunk running all the way to the ground. He put up a large board to provide support and quickly sawed into two of the limbs, relieving the pressure. But the moaning and groaning did not let up. The kids were banned from the back yard and the tree service was called in.
Thankfully they realized we had an emergency (not so thankfully, emergency = paying through the nose) and pulled a crew off another job.
The poor tree was dispatched with (turned into chips for someone else's flowerbeds) in just three hours.
And now the back door neighbors are going to come home from their restful vacation to a very changed landscape.
They'll be back in two weeks to grind up the stumpy remains. It feels like we've lost a member of the family. Guys, I'm tearing up here. Someone please pass the tissues.
