A good start 10.27.14

Photo #1, last Sunday’s work. That limb was brought down by a virile senior retired person, “me”, without help.

 Photo #2, a close up showing the cut that brought the first limb down. This history sets the stage for, “the rest of the story”.

Photo #3, (Saturday) shows the last limb down and laying in the Y of the stump, not where we had planned for it to be. David was there to help, I thought he would be able to pull a rope and cause the limb to fall where I wanted it. I made the cuts as the present MS Ford, Claire, Gabi and Alex observed. I made the final cut, I could see the limb was wavering, ready to fall. David was having trouble pulling the rope attached to the limb so I placed the pole saw in a safe place (not where you see it in the photo) and ran to where he was (yes I can move quickly when necessary). Together we cause the limb to fall. Gabi called out, “Timber” as the limb fell. Surprisingly to me, the limb broke free of the tree and dropped straight down to the ground making a depression approx. 10 inches deep in the ground. Even though the limb did not fall where I expected, by landing in the tree stump it did not damage anything.

Photo #4 was taken after the cleanup. No, Alex did not stay and help with the cleanup, can you believe that he would prefer to eat pizza rather than help me cut up limbs?

                Yes I left part of the limb in the tree for a reason. I want to develop a tree house of sorts, using the old stump. I am toying with the idea of leaving part of the limb in the tree, for aesthetic reasons, if I can secure it properly.

                I would also like to have a monkey bar from the old fort/tree house to the new tree house. Yes, you are correct, this is an ambitious undertaking by a senior who is on a fixed income.

For those of you who want to be a part of the building project, please send a *deductible check of $50.00 to, “The Ford Homestead Foundation, Tree House Fund.

All donations will be appreciated and a framed photo of the completed project will be presented to all contributors _{(via a posting on the blog)}. 

 

I hope everything falls in place for you.

 

Don Ford

_{* Donations are deductible from your checking account, they are not tax deductible.}