Living on a rather big property, constantly asks for upkeep.
Trees do grow and we're now living here 31 years...
Photo taken on October 15, 2021 and showing our Live Oak behind our home.
At one time, after an ice storm, a huge branch got ripped off, due to all the weight...
It never again had a 'good' shape since then.
See two links below post.
Our balcony's drain always got clogged up by catkins in the spring, then leaves and acorns in the summer and fall.
It also does stain the balustrade and lounge...
Bags full of leaves and acorns and one needs to scrub hard for removing the stains.
The other large oak tree you see over the roof, is across from our bay window area and between our home and that of the neighbors, on our side of the vinyl picket fence...
Several years ago lightning did cause a huge limb from the top section to come down; barely missing the neighbor's home.
Here you see how close to home, picket fence and everything else that V-shaped oak tree is!
To the right of it, right above the rose arbor, is our Holly tree that we want to save...
Our Southern Magnolia in the front (Magnolia Grandiflora) needed to be trimmed up in order to let the equipment pass by...
Photo is from October 15 with picket fence visible to the right.
Monday, November 1, around 8:15 AM this huge Live Oak had come down... It was easy as there was plenty of room for it to fall in its full length.
Quite a trunk size and huge root system.
Photo taken from balcony with one leaf from our Florentine Fig, shown bottom left...
Here, Pieter is standing on top of its trunk, for giving you an idea of its proportion.
Lots of wood did get hauled off...
After trimming off some branches from the huge Southern Magnolia, the truck with cherry picker could pass by...
Standing in our front porch...
One can tell that our exterior pressure washing and painting are the next jobs!
Literally branch by branch all of the tall oak's branches got taken down...
Branches stretched as far as above our roof.
By using a rope, via a pulley that got tightened onto a strong branch, the branches got guided down.
In the front to the right is our Oak Leaf Hydrangea.
Working at quite a height and being careful for not damaging the Holly tree next to this huge oak and the Japanese Magnolia tree visible to the right here. The Southern Magnolia is behind the vinly picket fence, not yet trimmed up...
Lots of limbs have already landed via the rope on a pulley and are below.
You see Pieter talking to the man from 🌳BUCKEYE PREFERRED SERVICES LLC
To the left you see the Southern Magnolia, center is the Japanese Magnolia and to the right we are freeing up our evergreen Holly tree.
Bird baths have been brought towards the patio area...
Those branches remained on the ground as a buffer for next days heavier limb parts to land on...
To be continued next day.
Related link:
Oh we TRIED HARD to have Jacarandas and Roses | previous post where we just had planted the Live Oak Tree...
{RARE Icicles in Our Garden} | previous post by me
{Our Garden White & Icy Today as Snowstorm Slams South} | previous post by me
I love the color of your house!! Almost a sort of daffodil color (my favorite Crayola colored pencil to use for my art is "Daffodil"). My goodness, that oak was indeed huge. I would have seen all that wood being hauled off and probably would have yelled, "Wait! Let me have some of that wood!" LOL! Jerry and I always liked making things from trees cut down... and my son does that now too. I remember at a previous home where we lived, there was a black walnut tree... boy did I hate that tree. It was during the beginning time when Jerry could no longer do heavy duty yard work, so I did all the mowing (which I enjoyed because it gave me "thinking time"). When I needed to mow under that black walnut tree during its dropping of the nuts, it would be soooo slick to try to walk on and mow that I would constantly stumble. LOL! Even trying to rake them up first I never could get enough raked to do any good. What a memory LOL! Take care, Mariette! Sending you much love and many blessings, my friend!
ReplyDeleteDearest Diana,
DeleteThank you, it is Golden Mist by Benjamin Moore: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2013/08/our-home-with-aluminum-interlock.html
Just today it got pressure washed and is now ready to receive a new coat of paint!
Yes, rolling over black walnuts or acorns is quite a thing. Our balcony will from now on stay free of any debris like that and also the gutters.
Woodworking is sure a great thing, if you have the space and equipment for doing so.
Hugs,
Mariette
What a coincidence. The tree surgeon just called on us this morning. Some trees need trimming.
ReplyDeleteWhat a big job you had. Must have taken ages to do. I would not dare climb up trees to trim them.
God bless.
Dearest Victor,
DeleteYes, this was good for 2.5 days of work with a crew of three hard working men!
It looks so different now and yesterday our home got pressure washed. The balcony will from now on stay clean.
Painters are coming soon and then we're done for quite some years.
No, the tree climbing years are behind us...
Hugs,
Mariette
E' un albero molt grande!
ReplyDeleteCara Olga,
DeleteQui sono rapidamente enormi a causa della stagione di crescita più lunga. Questo aveva solo 27 anni.
Abbracci,
Mariette
Gosh, what a huge job! It's always sad for me to see trees taken down, but I do understand the need and also the need to keep healthy trees trimmed too.
ReplyDeleteI see the pressure washing is done (from your reply to another comment) and that the painters now are coming at last; good luck with that! :-)
Dearest Kim,
DeleteYes, that was a mega task indeed!
Such decisions are never made easy but it had to be done.
Yes, the painters can come now – so finally we get all our projects done!
Hugs,
Mariette
Dearest Mariette,
ReplyDeleteWatching an arborist take down huge trees is always exciting.
We still have many standing dead oaks from out caterpillar invasion from years ago. We lost all the majestic trees around the house and had them taken down quickly. I miss the shade they provided, but not the threat of dead branches falling on the house.
Dearest Suzi,
DeleteIt sure was exciting and I've followed it rather close.
You sure had a nasty caterpillar invasion that caused tremendous damage!
Yes, some shade is fine but all the rest is less positive.
Hugs,
Mariette
Hello Mariette, So sad to see big trees come down, but they do grow to be outsized and can even become dangerous. At my last house there were many large trees which seemed to be a feature of the property until you realized that all that shade was starting to make the house damp. If I had stayed there several would have had to come down. I am sure that your bill for removing and trimming these trees was quite a hefty one!
ReplyDelete--Jim
Dearest Jim,
DeleteYes, they did outsize the area and had become a hazard.
We also realized that having to repair a home, ours or that of the neighbors, would be even more costly!
The house is a lot lighter now, so 'some shade' might be welcome at certain days but not for year round the darkening of all rooms.
Hugs,
Mariette
I enjoy seeing photos of your home and grounds!! The trees are magnificent… we had 50+ mph wind on Monday, I feared our huge pines might fall, but they stood firm. Happy Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteDearest Helen,
DeleteThank you!
Wow, you sure had a nasty storm passing over and pines are often shallow rooted trees. Hoping it is of no threat for the home...
Hugs,
Mariette
It's been a big job!
ReplyDeleteDearest Anne,
DeleteYes, a mega task indeed!
Hugs,
Mariette
Los altos tienen una gran altura. Se nota que lleva bastante tiempo plantado..nunca falta trabajo en un extenso jardín.
ReplyDeleteBesos
Querida Antónia,
DeleteSí, la altura de nuestros árboles es y fue impresionante. Tienes tanta razón, que tal patrimonio pide mucho mantenimiento.
Abrazos,
Mariette
I like these photos, your house is a nice colour
ReplyDeleteDearest Jo-Anne,
DeleteThank you, we both love the color as well and want to keep it the same when they paint now.
Hugs,
Mariette
Dear Mariette - I know exactly how must be feeling, we have been and are still engaged in the same process here. We planted small trees years ago they have grown enormous which then become a danger. Half of our hedges have now been firmly cut back, but we still have plenty more to be done. We too have a great team of men to assist us who do an efficient job and take it all away - they are costly but we couldn't manage without them.
ReplyDeleteNext autumn the process will all start again.
Dearest Rosemary,
DeleteYou no doubt have the very same experience.
There is no way we ever could manage without a professional crew.
This is part of the cost for taking care of an extended garden and there will always be new tasks.
Hugs,
Mariette
Glad that oak tree had space to fall and not damage anything.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine has big trees near her house and last year during a bad storm a big branch fell on part of her roof and caused a lot of damage, to their almost new house.
Dearest Sami,
DeleteThis live oak tree could fall perfectly onto the lawn. The next post will show the other huge oak tree that had to be taken down bit by bit as there was NO space to fall. Sad if the home gets damaged but it happens every year when those tornado storms or tropical storms due to hurricane activity nearby take trees down.
Hugs,
Mariette
You have a beautiful home! I love big, mature trees, but so much work and expense to maintain. Looks like you are doing an excellent job!
ReplyDeleteDearest Peter,
DeleteThank you and we try to maintain it well and also the grounds.
This was only the 'easy' part, tonight you can view part 2 of it.
Hugs,
Mariette
Taking care of such a large garden certainly is a non stop task….and can become more and more expensive.
ReplyDeleteDearest Janey,
DeleteIt sure is a non stop task but so far we enjoy it and love to remain here!
Hugs,
Mariette