Monday, August 28, 2017

Another mountain to burn

I burned limb mountain Sunday. We have a lot of trees in our yard and nature is an ardent pruner. The strong limbs thrive, and the weak ones grow frail and fall. 

It usually takes me several months to build a debris pile of dead limbs and pruned shrubs. When it's time, I pour on some diesel fuel and spend time in hypnotic bliss as I watch the flames reduce the refuse to embers. Yesterday was no different.

Stepping outside yesterday evening at dusk, all that was left of the pile was ash and a thin wisp of smoke not much bigger than a burning cigarette. With a smile on my face, I fell asleep thinking about a job well done.

This morning when I walked outside heading to work, I looked over and saw something I didn't expect.

There was a dead pine that was well over 40 feet tall. Loggers call these trees widow makers. A dead tree is notorious for breaking off at the parts of the tree when chainsaws are busy cutting the trunk. A man I'd know all my life died cutting a tree much like this one.

But this morning when I walked outside, the tree was on the ground. I'm not sure if the wind out of the west pushed it over, or it just got tired of standing. 

At any rate, when I clean this one up, I'll have another mountain to burn.

The picture below has nothing to do with this column, but when looking for a decent picture, I noticed that I'd taken this one a year ago. It will have to do.


13 comments:

  1. That is a truly beautiful photo. Heart balm at its best.

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  2. At least you don't have to risk your life with a chainsaw on that dead tree.

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  3. Did it make a sound when it fell?
    Its been too windy here the past couple days to have any kind of fire.
    Lisa

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  4. We too have many mountains to burn! Being surrounded by pines I do worry that we'll have some hit the ground one of these days. I worry too when Jack is up in the woods taking down trees. Well, you can have a nice bonfire with the family...just light it, grab a hotdog and enjoy!

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  5. The trees around my house are always loosing branches and twigs too but all I have to do is carry them to the curb here. They take them away on garbage day. I did see a large pile on someones land when I was out for a ride the other day and wondered if they'd been saving up for a huge Labor Day bonfire. Maybe that's what you should do.

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  6. My dad would tell me that dead trees like this was dangerous and he would know since he was a lumber man all his life. I think burning the brush etc... sounds like fun and your picture is bliss

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  7. Thank goodness the tree came down on its own and didn't do any other damage. It could have been a disaster. Watching the fire can be hypnotic. Enjoy.

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  8. You are a manly man, Rick Studson.

    Love,
    Janie

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  9. It is nice to be able to burn limbs without the 'Limb burning police'.

    I love to watch a fire. :-)

    YOu always find some good color.

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  10. I think many of us like to watch fires

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  11. Love the lush colors.

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  12. Beautiful photo and a good day's work, no wonder you slept well.

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  13. Anonymous2:42 PM

    Your photo will do just fine!!

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