Yes, that's a tree crushing a truck.
Yes, this is my backyard.
Yes, there is a bucket loader (I think it's a bucket loader) in our backyard with a tree on top of it.
The bucket loader, is of course a non-running bucket loader and so cannot be used to push off the tree ... of course.
There is a very heavy tire rim (I think it's a tire rim) at the base of this tree. I do not know if hubs set that there in an effort to keep that tree from falling or if it was just a random drop off point for the rim.
(hubs drops truck parts and yes, sometimes even actual trucks, the way other men drop socks - this is the real secret behind my lockets, folks)
The hurricane took 4 trees - one landed on the pool - which we removed - the only thing left of the pool are a few metal posts (because metal is valuable, or so I am told ... although it still sits there) and hundreds of pounds of sand.
There are a couple trees Chris was nice enough to cut up with a chainsaw and of course, the tree on the truck or Mr. Fibbets as I have taken to calling it. And then there is Mrs. Fibbets, another tree that looks about ready to crush our side porch, although hubs has assured me the situation is not as dire as it appears.
Most of the wood has been carted off as firewood - we throw a few pieces in the front yard every week and it disappears. We are down to branches (which are heavier than they appear), a broken storage shed (which I did not have the heart to photograph) and of course Mr. and Mrs. Fibbets.
Now, I am not posting this to brag (I know you are all thinking about the many things you could do if only you had a broken down, rusted out, bucket loader in your backyard) or complain (because obviously a whole hell of a lot of people had it way, way worse than we did from this storm), but simply report on what is happening here.
Months ago I got a price from a tree service of $2500 (insurance doesn't pay for tree removal unless the tree hits something insured) to remove these last 2 trees and chip the wood.
Hubs, who has lots of tree removal customers, thinks he can get it done for half price (this is his thinking with ... everything) - the problem of course is that his customers are out working with people they can get $2500 from and we are low on their list of priorities. So, here we sit, 7 months after Sandy, waiting ... I am not so good at waiting. George shrugs it off.
And not knowing if we are leaving or staying, which changes what we are going to do out there - is slowing everything down, too.
I get sad when I go out back, like I am walking through a forgotten, over-grown cemetery and really, really miss my time out there; hubs goes straight to his garden and can totally block out the dead trees and chaos (must be a man focus thing).
This weekend I am going to shovel the 33' circle of sand into a pile. I'm thinking I'll make a giant Zen garden somewhere out here ... a little memorial to the trees.
(or maybe a bocce court - trees like bocce, too, from what I hear)
No aha moments yet out here - other than the obvious connection between this mess hidden behind the back fence (no doubt if this had all happened in the front yard we would have cleaned it up long ago) and all the other things we hide from the eyes of others and most importantly try to hide from ourselves that come up sooner or later to be dealt with.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone - the weather is supposed to be great here, I hope it is wonderful where you are, too! xo
8 comments
We are expecting nice weather here this weekend too, finally! Don't work too hard this weekend! ;) xo
You, too Janell- thanks for listening to me whine about the backyard when you don't have a working bathroom! xo
Well, it is a nice big back yard that appears to get a fair amount of sun. That is one side of the ledger.
It is a nice big back yard with lots of stuff to be cleaned up. I once tore down a carport, by myself (and I was not a teen or even a 30-something at the time) after it fell on my car, after an ice storm. I did a lot of the clean up myself, with a handsaw. I know it is a lot of work. Think of it as a zen way of getting exercise. Daydream about something. That is another side of the ledger.
A back yard without shade is great for a vegetable garden. The ledger grows.
A back yard without shade is hard to take advantage of in the heat of the summer. So, my ledger is multi-sided.
It does sound as if you made some progress. It also sounds as if you need some help, or at least heavy equipment. One thing I am sure the realtor will tell you is that you need to clean up the back yard in order to sell.
Hi Kathy- hope you are enjoying this weather! Yes, you are right it has to be cleaned up one way or the other... sigh ...- I have I am sure 50 hours or more into it already - I should have taken pics right after the hurricane. The stuff left is either twigs that have to be chipped (maybe I could rent a chipper, but I keep thinking about the movie Fargo and have not taken any action on this ... not sure George likes me enough to have that thing lying around right now) or wood that we can't move. The metal truck tire rim that rests on the tree root weighs more than I do. We do have a huge vegetable garden/farm not in these pics and 3 shed/barn things - only one of which is toast and a patio that looks out over the whole mess. The yard was a long time building - not sure I have it in me to do it again - I guess we will find out. If we are replacing the pool- most likely with a pond, etc we aren't going to plant grass, etc- if we are staying we have to replace the broken barn because the stuff that was in it is now in a chicken-coop type storage facility that we rent and the stuff needs to get moved back here- of course if we are moving we do not want to rebuild the barn because prices in my area are WAY down and we won't get our money back - it's forcing our hand with the moving decision I guess, it's either cleanup and plant grass and sell or put things back together here and stay at least 5-7 years or longer to pay for it all - this forcing my hand is likely a good thing, since I make my best (maybe all lately) decisions with one hand twisted behind my back anyway ... xo - I can't imagine cutting anything thicker than a piece of trim with a handsaw- I used mine recently to cut some old wooden rulers for some trim in the bathroom and wanted to throw the saw out the window by the end of the day - I can't imagine a carport!
First of all, put in a pond not a pool, much prettier. Second, see if you can do it naturally- you will still need a liner. However, you should be able to filter the water enough that you have clean water and no chemicals.
I did a quick google search and there are a lot of sites. You will need to do your own and decide if you want to do the work and if it is worth it.
As for design, this looked like a good starting point:
http://diyhomedesignideas.com/garden/water.php?gclid=CK_do--SxrcCFcs7OgodTmYAPQ
The house where the carport collapsed had huge trees and I had a fabulous shade garden. It was actually usable in NC in the middle of summer. Plus the trees made it possible for me to cool my house with only a whole house attic fan. I had a Koi pond that was not well built when I moved in I did some renovation work on it. However, if I had to do it from scratch I would have made sure I had enough moving water that I did not need chemicals AND I would have no algae blooms.
Beautiful back yards are work, but they bring plenty of opportunity for peaceful moments.
Thanks for the link Kathy- I'm thinking pond if we stay, too. I hadn't even thought about chemicals yet- good to know! A shade garden in NC in the middle of summer must have been amazing- I was really missing the shade out back today ... xo
We don't really have any shade at our place either, makes the heat of summer not as much fun. Good luck with what you do Cat!
Thanks Janell - you, too good luck with the bathroom xo
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