Monday, August 1, 2011

Honey-Do Weekend

No volunteer obligations made this a 2-day, Honey-Do weekend. I can do just about anything around here but there are some chores that take both of us. To me running the chainsaw with no one around is just too dangerous. That said, we headed out early Saturday morning to clear trees from the quad trails.

I could drive right over this little bunch but decided they too should go.The other tree blocking our way was more formidable. Not only was it off the ground and a good 1 1/2' in diameter, there was no safe way to get around it. The road there is on a steep side hill. While Dave cut, the hot dogs and I went onto the back pond.Dave was still cutting after their swim so we took a walk through the meadow. Since smell-O-blog does not exist, I can only tell you how amazing the meadow smells. Especially with all the mint underfoot.Log removed, time to head back home.Years ago the neighbors planted an olive tree hedge along our adjoining drives to keep the dust down in their yard. The tall branches bend right over with the lightest snow and block our road so every fall I trim our side of the hedge.The hedge is now taller than the telephone pole and there is no way I can cut it back to prevent the branches from draping our side. Well actually there is one way - cut it all off. The neighbors were all for it. The hedge droops car top scraping high over their drive all the time. The lower branches no longer have leaves because they are shaded by the upper ones. Thus the dust from our road blows through. Sunday's Honey-Do was cutting the hedge. Our neighbors are elderly and have very limited mobility. We felt good about being able to do this chore for them. And a chore it was (is). The hedge is about 100 yds long and at a minimum 10' wide. The branches at the height of Dave standing on top of the quad trailer, are a good 4" in diameter.

Usually when we tackle the hedge, I stand in the tractor bucket with a hedge clippers and a human powered pole saw. For this chore, we decided to use the quad trailer roof as a platform. Dave stood on top and used a hedge chainsaw to cut branches at his waist height.

My job was (is) to pick up the branches, load them into my work trailer and unload them onto the burn pile. These pictures go not do the hedge perspective justice. The hedge is still a good 10' high where Dave cut. What looks like non fir trees in the background are actually uncut hedge branches on the neighbor's side. We still have about 50' left to cut on our side and then do the neighbors. I still have numerous loads of branches to lug to the burn pile before we can resume work. But once it is done, the neighbors should get their dust barrier and branch free drive back and I won't have to trim the hedge up high for a few more years. Win-Win.