GENEROUS GEORGE

We are so lucky to have wonderful friends. Ann and George came over to our house today to lop a tall tree that looked like it was dying.

 George climbed up a ladder and managed to cut off the lower branches and then finally the top of the tree. It was a Callistemon Tree. (Bottlebrush)

 George not only brings his chain saw but also his trailer and drives the rubbish to the "dump" for us.

 Even TOH (The Other Half), who doesn't have any interest in gardening came out of his den to help. He's the best OH. He loves cooking, I love gardening so the two halves make a happy whole.

 Explaining the finer details of gardening, like different trees have different leaves. (only joking). TOH wasn't convinced the tree was dying because he found some big bright healthy leaves on one of the branches, but they were actually from a nearby tree that had been caught as the branches came down.

However, it turned out that he was right, George said the tree wasn't totally dead yet and it might reshoot. That would be good, but it is a very old tree for a native.

I added some more garden waste and then the trailer was full. The boys went off to the dump and I went to chat to Ann, who had been taking these photos from the deck. Ann had also brought Easter Buns for morning tea. What fabulous friends we have. Later we took them out for lunch, to say thank you. They just saved us hundreds of dollars that it would have cost if I had to call a professional tree lopper.

A TALL (TREE) STORY

We have been warned that cyclone season will soon be here and this year many have been predicted. So sensible residents check their yards to make sure there are no dangerous trees, which may fall on a house if there is a cyclone.

Our neighbours at the back of our house have such a tree. However, it was right on the border of their land and their neighbour's. The cost to remove the tree would be about $5000 so there became a little hesitancy for the neighbours to agree to pay half. Besides they liked the tree and didn't think it was dangerous.

At first they weren't convinced that the tree was on their land so a surveyor was contemplated. There were actually two trees together and both had to go to be safe.

After many months and discussions the neighbours agreed the tree was dying and offered to pay half of the cost of removal.So the tree loppers were hired and in between showers they managed to get the tree down without damaging power lines, houses, gardens and each other.

Bit by bit it was dropped to the ground and fed into the noisy mulcher.

Our house is the green roof in the front left hand corner of the photo. We are on the other side of the road, but if that tree had fallen during a storm it would have torn down the power lines and could have possibly hit our roof, so we are glad to see it go. It was a lovely tree once but recently it got attacked by termites and was dying. It took them all day to get most of it down.

The following day they had to return to get the biggest part of the trunk down. This looked awfully dangerous. One guy sawing and the others pulling it towards them. They knew what they were doing and all were safe and no fences damaged. Now we will be safer if a cyclone comes but I hope we don't get one. They don't usually come this far south, but weather hasn't been usual this year.