For the Love of Chester: Timber

Monday, April 25, 2011

Pennsylvania Chainsaw Massacre

Hello friends and fellow bloggers! I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter weekend. It's time now to get back to our irregularly scheduled programmin'. The last several Wordless Wednesday posts have alluded to the fact that a whole lotta sawin' was goin' on in my neck of the woods. I thought you might be wonderin' what was goin' on so I am here to officially invite you to the showin' of:

The Pennsylvania

Chainsaw Massacre

For the twenty-one years that my PUs have lived here, there have been six maple trees surroundin' our home. One stood out in particular because of it's large size and perfect shape. A few years after movin' in, a terrible thunderstorm passed through and a bolt of lightenin' struck the innocent maple, makin' a terrible gash in it's trunk. Dad called the tree doctor and after examination, proceeded to tell Dad how he would operate on the tree and when finished, hand him a bill for approximately $1000*. Wantin' to save the tree but also his wallet, Dad took it upon himself to perform the necessary surgery. After makin' a drill bit long enough to drill the whole way through the tree, he inserted 2 long steel pins with bolts on the ends that would be used to draw the gash together. The tree healed but for a long, long time the bolts stuck outta the tree and it affectionately became known as Frankentree.

For many years, Frankentree provided shade for our home and a temporary residence for many a bird's nest. It also provided MANY leaves to be gathered in the Fall. The bolts disappeared as the tree trunk grew around them. But deep down, the scars were still there and we were concerned that one day, Frankentree would have a melt-down when another storm should happen to blow through. Bein' that Frankentree's long limbs hung over the garage and house, the PUs considered the damage that he could do should he not be able to hold it together durin' a period of strong weather. It was not an easy decision to lay Frankentree to rest, but once the decision was made, the chainsaw whirred into action. Many pictures were taken but I'll try and keep the slaughter of Frankentree short.

(proceed forward only if you dare)

This is Frankentree in all of his leafless glory.

Eleven loads of small limbs like this were removed.

Dad saws away high in the sky as clouds threaten to hinder his progress. Mom actually had to go up in that tiny basket one evenin' to catch limbs so they wouldn't hit the garage roof. I watched closely from the top of the picnic table. My PUs were impressed that I listened to their "stay" command even as a horse and rider passed by on the road. They think I was bein' obedient when in all actuality, I didn't wanna miss the show if'n Mom fell outta the basket.

Frankentree still stood tall at this point, even though he was bald.

Frankentree is stumped by the recent days' events.

I fought the log and ~~the log~~ I won.

R.I.P Frankentree

And so ends the saga of Frankentree.

But wait ~ there's more! It's the

preview of a comin' attraction!

See this little flat-top part of our house that was added on many years ago?

Well, it will be starrin' in it's own yet to be named blockbuster hit. I won't spoil it for you but the premise will be the fall and then rebuildin' of

(drum roll puhleeze.....)

THE KITCHEN!!!