Saturday, April 16, 2011
Relief from wind-fear!
Or is that aeoliphobia?
= = = = =
4/6: This afternoon I had a tree-cutter (Tall Tree of Eastern Wash) give an estimate on chopping down all four of my trees. Two are low fruit trees that have gradually died; one of them collapsed under heavy snow this winter. Two are tall pines that are straight and healthy, but I'm simply tired of worrying about them every time the wind blows. (The tree-cutter said he's "hearing that a lot this year.") The odds of a crash in one storm are fairly low, but the trees partly overhang the house so even a big branch falling from the top could do serious damage; and a full topple would destroy the house and probably kill me.
Tall Tree quoted $1800 for the work, which was already much lower than I had guessed from various online sources. He then took off 10% for a Senior Discount, which I didn't ask for but certainly won't argue with!
Should have done this a long time ago, but this was the first time both important factors rose to hit a threshold:
[Available Money] + [Need to reduce danger] = [Do it now!]
Most years have featured only a few serious windstorms, thus only a few days of worry. The last 12 months have featured meaningful wind almost daily and serious wind once a month, with no sign of relief. Feels like the odds are closing in.
I don't need to be worrying about a real danger that can be completely avoided.
And I've never needed the constant mess of cones and needles and rotting fruit, and never appreciated the alleged beauty of Nature that allegedly compensates for the danger and mess of Nature. Reagan had it right. See one, see them all.
= = = = =
4/13: They got the first part of the job done this aft. Two messy sprawling apricot trees, down to flat ground in 90 minutes. They work fast!
= = = = =
4/14: Done. Purely wonderful. I didn't realize what I was missing. More than just safety, I was missing a usable back yard. With four trees jammed into a 50 x 30 foot rectangle, it was a dark, clotted and unmaintainable space. Now it's sunny and -- well, obviously not big, but spacious. I can see several nearby houses that were never visible before!
As an unexpected bonus the tree-cutter cleaned off my roof because he had dropped a few branches on it; but most of the pine-junk he removed had been there for several years, so he really didn't need to take it off.
"It's like a dream come true." Trite but appropriate. Many of my dreams have featured a more spacious and sunny version of this little place. Now the exterior part of that dream is here.
= = = = =
Evaluation for Tall Tree of Eastern Washington: Ten stars!
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Artistic footnote: In honor of this occasion I gave Polistra the chance to close her eyes for the first time. ¶ 10:42 AM
= = = = =
4/6: This afternoon I had a tree-cutter (Tall Tree of Eastern Wash) give an estimate on chopping down all four of my trees. Two are low fruit trees that have gradually died; one of them collapsed under heavy snow this winter. Two are tall pines that are straight and healthy, but I'm simply tired of worrying about them every time the wind blows. (The tree-cutter said he's "hearing that a lot this year.") The odds of a crash in one storm are fairly low, but the trees partly overhang the house so even a big branch falling from the top could do serious damage; and a full topple would destroy the house and probably kill me.
Tall Tree quoted $1800 for the work, which was already much lower than I had guessed from various online sources. He then took off 10% for a Senior Discount, which I didn't ask for but certainly won't argue with!
Should have done this a long time ago, but this was the first time both important factors rose to hit a threshold:
[Available Money] + [Need to reduce danger] = [Do it now!]
Most years have featured only a few serious windstorms, thus only a few days of worry. The last 12 months have featured meaningful wind almost daily and serious wind once a month, with no sign of relief. Feels like the odds are closing in.
I don't need to be worrying about a real danger that can be completely avoided.
And I've never needed the constant mess of cones and needles and rotting fruit, and never appreciated the alleged beauty of Nature that allegedly compensates for the danger and mess of Nature. Reagan had it right. See one, see them all.
= = = = =
4/13: They got the first part of the job done this aft. Two messy sprawling apricot trees, down to flat ground in 90 minutes. They work fast!
= = = = =
4/14: Done. Purely wonderful. I didn't realize what I was missing. More than just safety, I was missing a usable back yard. With four trees jammed into a 50 x 30 foot rectangle, it was a dark, clotted and unmaintainable space. Now it's sunny and -- well, obviously not big, but spacious. I can see several nearby houses that were never visible before!
As an unexpected bonus the tree-cutter cleaned off my roof because he had dropped a few branches on it; but most of the pine-junk he removed had been there for several years, so he really didn't need to take it off.
"It's like a dream come true." Trite but appropriate. Many of my dreams have featured a more spacious and sunny version of this little place. Now the exterior part of that dream is here.
= = = = =
Evaluation for Tall Tree of Eastern Washington: Ten stars!
= = = = =
Artistic footnote: In honor of this occasion I gave Polistra the chance to close her eyes for the first time. ¶ 10:42 AM
