The tree is down!

[Danaus29]

David just bought a house a few door down and across the street from us. The back had some damage from a fire that burned the huge shed that was sitting on the property. As a result of the fire a huge massive hickory (bitternut, not shagbark. Nuts taste HORRIBLE!) was 75% damaged or dead and was leaning over the back of the house. We got 1 estimate for cutting down, $750!!!!!! Well Tim figured for that much money he would just take it down himself. He bought some climbing gear and did cut a few of the lower branches down. Last week we were driving down a road and saw a man climbing up a tree like he'd been doing it all his life. Stopped and got a phone number. Went home and spent Sunday watching Tim trying to climb higher than 5 feet. (pretty comical until you remember how accident prone he is) Finally called the tree man, got an estimate for $175. Told him to come and cut it down. 3 hours and the tree is down, plus another really dead and burned small tree is down. What a weight off my shoulders! Worst case scenario with Tim doing is would have been him falling and getting so messed up that he would be severly messed up and not able to get off the couch ever again! Don't need that, thank you! (he's not a happy camper when he is laid up) Now we have the easy chore of limbing up the branches and cutting them for firewood and the smoker. MMMM, hickory smoked duck!

On the downside, there was a dove nest in the tree. Both the babies got killed. Poor little things. The tree couldn't have waited though, the insurance company said it had to come down. Plus if it would have been longer Tim would have been up there trying to cut it down with a hand saw. (70 foot + tall tree with a diameter of at least 2 feet)

[Bird Lover]

Rhonda, my daughter owns a tree service company, so I know how high those prices go. I'm glad you found someone to take care of it. It's really not a job for amateurs.
How nice that David will have his own house, right in the neighborhood!

[greenasagourd]

We are do-it-yourself types too, but some jobs are best left to the pros. Glad your tree is down with no injuries! It is expensive, but it sounds like you got a good deal. How nice David will be on his own, yet right down the street. You have bought so much property in the neighborhood they should name the road after you!

[herasday]

Oh, don't you just love it when the "right" person you need right then just kind of appears out of thin air...and at a reasonable price, too!! Sounds like you guys are buying up the neighborhood over there. My kind of "neighborhood improvement". LOL.

[Danaus29]

Actually no, we're not buying up the neighborhood. There are several family groups living here. It's just the dynamics of the area. Homes can be purchased very cheaply, all 4 of the properties don't add up to more than $210,000 in value. It should be much less once the guest house is reappraised. Even though Darbydale is considered a "blighted" neighborhood it is not filled with thieves and druggies like most depressed neighborhoods. Very few homes are rented out, no apartments, a little spot in a quiet scenic area surrounded by park and farm land. The only stores we have are 1 little convenience store/gas station, a pizza shop, and the canoe livery. Then there is the elemtary school, fire station/township hall, and at least a half dozen churches. Nearly everyone grows some veggies in a garden or containers.

David asked what I wanted for my birthday. I told him the tree removal before Tim kills himself doing it was enough.