It started off with a phone call at 7 this morning. Mary, who stays with Mrs. T on the weekends, called to say a huge tree had fallen sometime during the night and was all over the yard, blocking the garage and driveway. Mary usually parks at the garage, but last Friday, I still had some shopping I needed to finish up for Mrs. T, so was going to drive Mrs. T's car. So had to get Mary to move her car so I could get out of the garage. And she never moved it back. Or it would have been crushed by the huge trunk.
Mrs. T is 95 years old. She'll be 96 next week. She was 8 years old when her parents planted this oak tree. It's gigantic. And over the years, she has had to have some major cutting on it. Lots of money spent on this tree. But she loves it. When I showed her out the window this morning, she was sad to see it. My daughter Abby and SIL Jason, were already out there cutting it up and clearing the brush.
You can see here how massive this was. And it had 2 sections. One went right in front of the garage, to the left. The other, at the top, went toward the barn. It landed on her herb garden, crushing a beautiful wisteria tree and a red bud tree, plus her herbs. But did not hit the barn or the garage.
We got a truck and trailer load of wood so far, with another big truckload still there. And a huge mountain of brush.
This is the garage, where Mary parks.
There was not a storm last night. Or rain or wind. The tree is just old and it's heavy. It just fell. You can see where it's just broken in pieces. It's not rotten either. And you can just see the left side of her little barn-storage building to the right. Didn't touch it.
And here is a pile of the wood, at my house. Seasoning in the sun til winter. Some will need to be split. This took several hours of work between us 3. And not how I had planned to spend my Monday.
This is what I was supposed to do this morning. I had 7 CC meat birds in a cage since Saturday, waiting for their turn in the cone. But stuff happens and they had to wait til this evening. Me and Kansas got the job done in about an hour. This was her first time pulling a heart out of the chicken. She said it was really warm in there! But she did it. A true farm girl! And every time I put a chicken in the cone, she thanked it, then said "off with your head".
And here they are, cooling in the cooler before they are weighed and bagged for the freezer. I only have about 65 more to go!
Also, one of the lambs, Blossom, had gotten out of the front fence and was whining and running around. Me, Heather and Kansas got her back in with the rest of the flock. Kansas was so good. She got the gate opened, then shut real fast behind her, before all the rest of the sheep got out. It sure is nice to have some help around here.
So that was my Monday. And my eye is still horrible. It didn't help at all, all that heavy wood and brush I had to carry this morning.. But I do love some free wood!
5 comments:
You should have a slab cut for Mrs. T and put a clear finish on it so she will have a treasure from her tree.
Yes, we should. I had thought about something like that for her. And maybe get a small tree to plant in it's place. I hope her family, when they get here next week, will come up with a little tree ceremony for her.
That is a terrific load of firewood. You will be warm this winter! I'm glad nobody was hurt. It's scary when a tree that big comes down.
Way to go, Kansas! Helpers are always welcome. I have 49 meaty birds out there that will be ready in a month. They're so much work!
Glad to hear the tree missed her house and barns.
BIG tree!!
Nice of you to help her clean it up!
I got another truck load of wood today, with another load of really big wood that'll need split. I want to measure that tree to see how big around it is. It is a beautiful tree.
Kristin, I have found that the CC birds are so much easier and faster to butcher and pluck than the Freedom Rangers. I did those 7 in about an hour. The feathers come off so easy. Have fun with yours!
We just got a chicken butchering facility in Cookeville, Tn. not too far from me. IF all these chickens get big enough at the same time, I just might take them all up there to get processed and USDA inspected and bagged so I can sell them at the markets for $6 a pound like everyone else does.
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