Sadness

We said goodbye to the Laurel Oak today. Laurel Oaks are rather short lived (40-50 years) especially as compared to their cousins the Live Oaks which often live for hundreds of years. This very large one was the main tree in our front yard. You could see her top branches from blocks away. Birds, squirrels, raccoons and other creatures called her 'home' or at least 'playground'. The tree had been in a steady decline during the past 10 years  or so. Four years ago our Arborist/TreeGuy had 'pinned and cabled' it. Three heavy iron rods had been drilled through it's two trunks which had grown into a massive 'V', not at all a good shape for a tree trunk. The rods were placed so as to support the two trunks, making it more difficult for the tree to split in two. A heavy metal cable was draped around the tree's crown and secured allowing for movement with the wind but not so much as to put excess strain on the trunks. This process gave us four more years with this lovely tree. But it had become a major liability, with the good possibility of hitting houses were it to fall, and with a very active Hurricane Season being predicted this year. Thumping on it's base told us that there were large rotten areas within and there were numerous other signs that the tree's end was at hand. So the decision was made to take it down, which was done today. It took all day, a crane, a bucket truck and 12 big guys...and the yard will never be the same :(  Our plan is to locate and have planted in it's place the largest 'field grown' Live Oak we can find! So Goodby Wonderful Tree. The creatures won't be the only ones to miss you.