Maters
As I was sitting in my Lounge Lizard on the deck the other evening, I suddenly realized that some of the mountains were less visible than in past years. A quick analysis revealed that, over the past seven years, shoots had grown from those locations on the trees trunks when limbs had been removed to make the mountains more visible. And, in another microsecond, or so, I concluded that I was not going to be the person to climb the trees to remove them.
I called the tree man.
He came out, stood on the deck and listened to what I wanted done. After a considerable amount of study he asked me, "What is it worth to you?"
Now that caught me a little off guard, but I studied on it for a few second, wondering all the while why he asked me such a question when he came go provide a quoation. "$150."
He stifled a laugh and studied on the trees some more. "I normally charge folks $50 to get a cat out of a tree but I'll do it for you for $150 is there are no complications.
He arrived at 3:00 the next evening and did a terrific job, using a loooong pruning saw and climbing a single tree. I wrote him a check made out to "Cash" and he was happy. He sat on the deck for a while, drinking a Coke and enjoying the view he had just created. "You know," he said, "I was at the Grand Canyon last week and it wasn't near as pretty as this!"
Now, part of my $150 deal was that I would remove the pruned limbs. But, before I could do that I had to clear away the fallen hemlock tree. And, then I decided to fell three other dying hemlocks while I was at it. Everything went over the ledge and soon the pile was visible from the house. I went down below to limb the fallen trees and thereby reduce the height of the rubble pile. While taking a break, I decided to check of the progress of the blackberries in the berry patch and that's when I noticed it.
It being a spot below the ledge that now receives direct sunlight all day long: a garden spot!
Dig. Grub. Till. Construct a deer-proof enclusure. Eight hours later, in civil daylight, I was planting the last of the German Johnston tomato plants in the Hillside Garden.
And, by the time the first fruit is ready to eat, I'll have forgotten just how much work it took to get that mater.
I called the tree man.
He came out, stood on the deck and listened to what I wanted done. After a considerable amount of study he asked me, "What is it worth to you?"
Now that caught me a little off guard, but I studied on it for a few second, wondering all the while why he asked me such a question when he came go provide a quoation. "$150."
He stifled a laugh and studied on the trees some more. "I normally charge folks $50 to get a cat out of a tree but I'll do it for you for $150 is there are no complications.
He arrived at 3:00 the next evening and did a terrific job, using a loooong pruning saw and climbing a single tree. I wrote him a check made out to "Cash" and he was happy. He sat on the deck for a while, drinking a Coke and enjoying the view he had just created. "You know," he said, "I was at the Grand Canyon last week and it wasn't near as pretty as this!"
Now, part of my $150 deal was that I would remove the pruned limbs. But, before I could do that I had to clear away the fallen hemlock tree. And, then I decided to fell three other dying hemlocks while I was at it. Everything went over the ledge and soon the pile was visible from the house. I went down below to limb the fallen trees and thereby reduce the height of the rubble pile. While taking a break, I decided to check of the progress of the blackberries in the berry patch and that's when I noticed it.
It being a spot below the ledge that now receives direct sunlight all day long: a garden spot!
Dig. Grub. Till. Construct a deer-proof enclusure. Eight hours later, in civil daylight, I was planting the last of the German Johnston tomato plants in the Hillside Garden.
And, by the time the first fruit is ready to eat, I'll have forgotten just how much work it took to get that mater.
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