When the relatives arrive from the east we are guaranteed one thing..   Trees are coming down

The Bullet from the East is an arborist with a landscaping service in Washington DC.   Dave prides himself in being able to take down big trees and land them where they are supposed to land.  Craig saves the  most difficult trees for Dave each year.  This year we could have used him more often as the list of what the guys hit with trees grew.  Dave is also responsible for saving the oak that grows through the Perch a few years ago.  Check out the lines holding that tree up and know it was a major Black family project including a tow truck and Craig’s credit card with the arborist supply magazine.

Dave started off limbing this dead tree next to Wigwam, as Uncle Dave and Craig talked about the tree being 4 feet tall back in 46″ in the good old days and arguing about which of them may have planted that tree to close to the cabin

Craig and Troy spent time on the ground tying back small maple trees creating a landing pad for Dave to aim for

Dave enjoying the top of the tree

Craig calculating where the tree would land.  Back up til you can see the top of the tree through your legs and that is where the tree will reach from the ground.  There is Black Family Geometry tricks passed down through the ages

Dave back on the ground with the tools of the trade in his trunk.

Sending up the tie to the top of the tree

Dave Senior, anchoring the tree with a comealong.  Of course Dave Junior was shaking his head at Craig’s come along that he bought on sale.  The Arborist Catalog came out again along with Craig’s credit card so next summer there will be a better come along for when the Bullet from the East arrives

Tigtening things up and eyeing up the landing spot

Ya know, while I was up in the tree doing all the work, you guys could have been sharpening the saw

Discussion going on..  notice who is doing the work

cut is started.   Looking to the sky for wisdom.  Will Wigwam get hit?

Prayers being said

Tree leaning in the right direction

Timber…….  Maple trees were saved, but a balsam did get landed on.  Another tree taken down without hitting anything by Dave to add to his list, which is much longer than the list of trees Craig and Uncle Dave have