..tim-BERrr...

IT'S DOWN!!





Remember that Not-Really-THAT-BLUE SPRUCE out in Front of the House? - [SEE 21MAR2011 POST] - Well... BIG-BLUE ain't doing sooo SPRUCE at the Moment!






OH! LOOK! -- SUN! HOT! 65kph GUSTING WINDS!! ..and, The EARTH is trying to Burp OUT The TREE!

After *noticing* the Gusts, and the Roots trying VERY hard to RUIN My Day, I threw on some clothes and SPENT the *better* Part of 3-plus HOURS *WATCHING*
The TREE!

-- As well as, attempting to Prevent ITS eventual Demise...





I really *could* have used a Half Ton of SANDBAGS hugging the Trunk Base. However, getting Them INTO Position would have been quite difficult. What I did HAVE, were a couple of nearby 100-Pound FLAG-STONES that I managed to "walk" over the few Feet that I could, in a desperate effort to FORESTALL the Inevitable.

The TREE is about 35-Feet High and was acting like a Spinnaker Sail with NO Anchor! I might as well have laid down Paper Plates for all of the good that the Weight of the Stones actually accomplished!

Meanwhile, The ELDERLY PARENTAL-UNITS had gone out during most of that Time, as I tried NOT to get Sunstroke! It wasn't until about 20 Minutes after Their Return that The BIG SPLAT Happened.

I was trimming some of the Lower Twigs away - *between* GUSTS! - so that FATHER and I could TRY to get some Heavy Stones closer to the Trunk... He had just gone around to the Back Yard, and I went around to Close the Garage Door, WHEN...

I'd been rather cognizant of EVERY GUST for the last Several Hours. And with Each One, I'd move AWAY from The TREE... *Holding* My Breath...


There was a bit of a low Yawing Sound and an almost Soft THUD!

-- THANKFULLY, the LANDING ZONE was *exactly* in THE Best Spot. Surprisingly as well, far LESS Roots came up than I had Expected.

So. No Signs of Mangled Squirrels, Door-to-Door Marketers, and/or Politicians. NO obvious Damage to the House. IT appears to be Stable - since IT's wedged right into the *Elbow* of the House and Garage. MISSED the Front Window. Actually, the Fact that IT's *that* Type of Tree is a GOOD THING! The pliable Boughs are acting like Cushions.

There's a "Bat Cave" going on under the Roots and *where* They previously WERE! I half expected to see a Beaver or YODA to come crawling OUT! -- I'm also hoping that there were a few Cave-INs over in the nearby ANT Colonies under the Walkway...?






Anyhoo... The INSURANCE LADY dropped by a while Later... A couple of Hours on, The TREE GUYS finally made it over to have a Looksee... THEY'll be back Tomorrow Afternoon to "remove" the House-Ornament. LARGE EQUIPMENT will be involved! We're probably talking a CRANE, a CHERRY-PICKER, SOIL Trunk... And, of course, MOST Importantly - I *hope*! - perhaps, some CUTE Strapping Young LADS...?

Meanwhile, We *should* probably see if We can SAVE a few of the New-Growth Branches and Cones... THIS was a Special Tree - I'd really HATE to see IT totally Disappear. I should see if there is also a chance of Saving some of the Wood, too... You know, so I can MAKE Something "Tree-Ornamenty" for THE PRINCESSES.

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