Men at work!
Oh my goodness. The tree men are here to start taking down the Hump trees. Chain-saws are revving, the muncher is munching. Side branches of trees are crashing down. So quick, so efficient. So much wood. This is serious 'men at work' garden business.
The Hump Trees Come Down
The lawn is already covered in tree trunk pieces - we are going to chainsaw these into rings ourselves. I say 'we' but I specifically mean Non-Gardening Partner. And friends who need firewood and who can bring their own chainsaw (BYOC). Wow. I'm very excited. And nervous - how silly is that? The dogs and I are shut safely inside, and I am peeping out the window with my camera. And morning winter sun is streaming into the house already. That was quick!
Thursday 7th June
Amazing. Yesterday the men and the noise were back, and I watched from the house as they climbed more of the gums to fell them. It was quite a cold day - snow was/is forecast, though my garden didn't get any.
Spot the Tree Men
I stayed inside with the dogs thinking how tame my outdoors gardening experiences are. A little mud on my pants, a few raindrops on my fringe, a few damp leaves fallen down the side of my gumboots. I don't ever swing from a slimy tall tree trunk with a chain-saw dangling from my belt.
First blossom
Calm...
This morning is wonderfully calm - there's not even any winter weather to hear. I can see the earliest blossom tree in flower. Mozart is oozing politeness on the radio, the birds outside are chirping at their feeders, and Tiger the cat purring loudly in front of the log burner.
The dogs and I have been out to survey the tree mess. I shouldn't call it this, because the felling has been neat and efficient. Many self-sown Pittosporums in the undergrowth are still standing.
The men have taken down all but the very far row of gums, and, looking up, the visual effect is magical. There's a lightness, and the winter sun has spaces through which to peep. I'm not daunted when I look down, either. No way. Not me!
Tree Mess
OK. Let my mini-clean-up begin. Collect pine cones, start raking scruffy little branches, and so on. Wow!
Take a selfie first!
Five Hours Later...
Earlier I had lunch on the breakfast chairs with streaks of winter sun on my face. Mid-day sun in my house in mid-winter! Amazing. Lovely. Thank you, sun, sooooooo much for not giving up on me. My goodness the bay window is dirty, though. Haven't noticed that for a while.
Oh boy. Ten barrowfuls burning, and it's already getting dark. I've left the bonfire to gurgle away. My first day of cleaning up. Yeay!