It was a dreary, cold and foggy day yesterday but I got straight into some tree felling and soon warmed up. I took down six more weak sycamore trees, cut them into various log lengths and started the heavy task of shifting them to stack somewhere. Already the bluebell tips are lurking under the dead leaves and it won’t be long before they are readily visible, so the next few weeks are crucial to drop a few more trees and clear up.
Intriguing title eh? Well my woodland neighbours decided to take down a huge beech tree to open up an area and create a small light-filled glade. They enlisted the help of an experienced mate but unfortunately it didn’t fall quite where they planned and got very badly hung up on another large beech tree. These trees are about twenty metres high and about two metres circumference at the base and must weight several tons. They came back yesterday to have a go at releasing it. Here’s what it looked like.
It looked impossible to shift but between us we managed it. Their pal had a winch which he attached to the base and tethered at right angles to another large beech. He had a heavy-duty jack which he placed under the base. A combination of lifting and side winching eventually started it moving sideways and outwards. There was a loud crack as the supporting branch snapped and the whole thing came crashing down with an enormous loud thump and cloud of dead twigs and debris. It was scary and exciting to witness. I know how relieved everyone felt to know it was down safely and nobody died!
I took a break from working and watched a little woodmouse scurrying around and venturing onto my little fireplace where I leave birdseed for the robin. The mouse has discovered this source of easy food and often pops it’s head out to check for danger, then grabs a piece and disappears to eat it. It’s always a thrill to see these little lives close up.
The day was pretty much about hard work and here’s one of my log piles ready for splitting and stacking for firewood. It’s a sight that always gives me a sense of satisfaction. Still plenty more to shift which I hope to tackle next week.
