Earning a Visit

As most of you know we have almost unlimited uses for a chainsaw around the farm. I even have my own battery powered chainsaw - as Jason said about my baby chainsaw desperate times call for desperate measures.

We have had one large tree down for quite awhile. We were trying to remember today how long we have avoided dealing with this tree. We have ignored it since May. To be fair Jason was ready to saw it up the day it fell but I would not let him. The horses in that pasture had picked the downed tree as their new hot spot and I refused to ruin their fun. Jason was certainly happy to leave the tree and move on to one of our other 10,000 projects.

MyLight's people were going to be at the farm visiting her today, and they kindly offered to help us around the farm. Of course we told them no, that they just needed to enjoy the time with MyLight. Then it came up in conversation that Tom liked using chainsaws and cutting up trees. Well, if you're going to insist on working we do have this tree that needs to go . . .

After we fed the horses this morning Jason began gathering up all of the tree removal tools. He put more diesel in the tractor, found the chain for dragging logs, fueled up his beloved Stihl chainsaw and we were ready to go. Jason wanted to go ahead and get started on the tree even though Tom and Mary Eileen had not yet arrived. I was desperate for Tom to arrive so I could get out of this job.

Fueling the tractor

Look at all of those shiny new parts; they were so blingy looking in the sun I took their picture

As Jason and I assessed the situation I realized I had forgotten just how big this tree was, and how HUGE the trunk was. I looked at Jason and I said "can your chainsaw cut through THAT?"

In an insulted tone Jason informed me that it was "a professional use chainsaw and of course it could through it." Okaaaay, I wasn't trying to be insulting.

this picture does not do justice to the size of this tree

Jason decided he was going to climb up on the tree and start cutting from the top. I felt this was a bad idea. I voiced my opinion and of course Jason ignored me.

Jason is telling me to hand him his chainsaw and I'm telling him this is really stupid.

Thankfully Jason realized that this was not going to work out well after a few minutes of doing his spiderman imitation on the tree. He climbed down and said he wanted me to lift him up in the bucket of the tractor. I really didn't want to do this either. Jason insisted. The thing is the hydraulics on this tractor are a bit fussy and I'm not that good with them. After a few attempts with the bucket never remaining in place for long I finally told Jason I was done and he would have to wait for Tom.

me at my multi-tasking finest; lifting Jason in the bucket and taking his picture. Maybe that is why things weren't as steady as they should have been??

Jason was being impatient and he got on the tractor and started smashing some of the limbs with the bucket and breaking them off. Thankfully after a few minutes of this Tom and Mary Eileen arrived. I was anxious to get out of Dodge so Mary Eileen and I left to go groom several of the horses while Tom and Jason dealt with the tree.

As I understand it went well. Jason ran the hydraulics on the tractor and lifted Tom in the bucket. The tree was dealt with. I did not have to watch or help. I know it was hard, dirty work and I'm most thankful to have had a pass. The next time we have a big tree down we're just going to buy Tom a plane ticket so I don't have to participate. It was an awesome day all around for us - everyone was happy and all for different reasons!

The moral to this story - in order to run a successful business you not only have to have great clients that become your friends, you put them to work when they show up!! It may be awhile before they come back!

I can hardly believe that Tom was still smiling and speaking to us after helping saw up this tree

Tom and Jason

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Dutch and Wiz with a very familiar looking tree in the background

Tony

Fuzzy

Renny and Sam on the run

Renny

Thor

Stormy, Rampal, Rocky and Toledo

Levendi

Hemi, Apollo and Ivan