We waited for four hours to say that word really loud. The cottonwood tree still stands, with the chainsaw blade stuck in it. I came home to my husband and son standing and gazing up and the top of the tree and then back to the carving that had been done with the chainsaw sticking out of the trunk. All was going well, according to the story, until the tree shifted and trapped the blade. I jumped in to assist. Another three hours - it's dark, cold, windy and the blade was now stuck again. We tried pushing with the tractor, jacking it up, driving wedges in, the tree still stands.
Before you call the Sierra Club or other tree huggers, allow me to say that we really value every tree on our property. All of them had to be planted, long ago by someone. Not a single one grows here voluntarily. This particular tree, however, is quite dead and could fall directly upon our mailbox, driveway or passing car. We (the group 'we') decided to take it down before it chose when to fall. After all, we don't get many visitors and would hate to damage one of them; we love getting the mail - well, Alyssa does - we have a great mailman, he brings her bubblegum every day; and when I do want to leave, I don't want to be prevented!
The plan is to now call a "tree guy" to assist. I hope it happens soon. I did have plans to go out "to town" today....
