The Price You Pay for Shade Trees...

I have lived in the same house for the last 35 years.  It's not just that I don't like moving.  I like the place.  One reason is the abundance of shade trees.  Our 2 acres of God's green earth is covered with dozens of oak, maple, hickory, dogwood, poplar, cottonwood and sweet gum trees.  We are blessed.  Until they drop stuff or fall over.  Then they are a huge pain in the rear.

Every autumn, as I rake and blow the detritus of another season, I seriously entertain thought of stripping the place and putting up plastic props.  Then spring arrives with the emerging signs of life and I love my trees again.

A couple of weeks ago, another Elder Statesman bit the dust.  I'd been watching him for several years, concerned that he might succumb to a swift breeze and fall on my shop.  I even had a tree man out to give me price to cut it down and he assured me it was not going to fall toward my shop.

When it did blow over, it missed the shop by a scant few feet.  I contacted a fellow who was recommended by an acquaintance, but he had trouble showing up to do the job.  After concluding that he wasn't going to work out, I contacted a neighbor whom I recently learned was a tree removal contractor.  I called him on Thursday.  He came that evening and gave me a price.  It was fair.  The tree is now gone.