Goodbye ash trees; goodbye money

My ash trees are gone. All 21 of them. It changed the view from the street from this (in 2011)…

My little house (crop)

…to this.

Less canopy

The company I hired to remove the trees did a marvelous job. They also gave me hardship pricing, bless their hearts. It was still a hard check to write, but based on some other estimates I got that check could have been as much as 2.5 times harder to write.

The crew started on a Saturday, took Sunday off, and finished Monday. This was my back yard on Sunday.

Goodbye, ash trees

Here’s the same scene on Tuesday, after a fellow came and did final cleanup.

Empty back yard

My back yard had previously been heavily shaded, which I always enjoyed. It made for pleasant sitting on the deck on a summer day.

01-018 proc

But now it’s bare like brand-new construction. If I planted one good tree about 10 feet out from the deck, it would eventually provide shade. I’m partial to maples, so that’s probably what I’d do. If I ever get to it; there are so many other home projects that are more important right now.

Empty back yard

While I’ll miss the backyard shade, I will not miss the tree that used to hang over my driveway. Birds loved to nest in it. They pooped mercilessly onto my cars.

And the birds will no longer shit on my cars

My poor cars. Those dirty birds.


Comments

12 responses to “Goodbye ash trees; goodbye money”

  1. Gerald Avatar

    Quite a transformation! I was thinking that this is not a good time for you to have to spend this money. But thinking about it’s probably a good thing you found out about it when you did, and could think about and perhaps mitigate the finances. It would have been a real blow to have just found out now on top of your other ‘challenges’.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      One thing I’ve learned is that when you get several unwelcome life events in a row, you need to just behave as if you’re on a roller coaster: there may be more ups and downs ahead, but the ride will end sooner or later. It helps me relax through it.

  2. jpcavanaugh Avatar

    It always makes me sad when a mature tree has to go away. I can think of at least seven of them that I have had to remove over the last 22 years. Worst was an old hickory tree that was the biggest tree I had that had to come out last year. But I have slept better without a 100 foot tall dead tree standing 10 feet west of my bedroom.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I would be sadder if these were lush, lovely trees. They weren’t. They were scraggly and tall, so many that they competed with each other for precious sunlight. I’m still far more sad that the money is gone than those trees.

  3. Steve Miller Avatar
    Steve Miller

    That Arbor Vitae is next!

    Looks like the tree removal guy did a terrific job of clean up. You’ll no doubt thank him come fall — just think of all the free time you’ll have, while not raking leaves.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I lost my Arbor Vitae years ago! And I am definitely looking forward to easier fall leaf cleanup.

  4. walker Avatar

    I’m sorry and I well understand your mood. We’re having troubles with the olive trees due to a bacterium, thousand of them are gone away. And yes maples are gorgeous!

    Best,

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Such a shame to lose all of those olive trees. Maples are super common here but I like them just the same.

  5. hmunro Avatar
    hmunro

    21 trees?! Having committed four counts of arboricide this spring myself, I can only imagine how 21 trees must have dinged the wallet. But on the bright side, it looks like you’ll recover at least part of that money in saved car-washes. My best to you, Jim — and my hopes that this rough part of the roller-coaster ride will soon be over.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Yeah, I spent more to have these trees removed than I did on my last (older used) car. I dunno, I’m just kind of rolling with the punches right now. This will all settle out sooner or later; it always does.

  6. Bernie Kasper Avatar

    I am trying to get one removed I can only imagine 21 !!!!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Yeah, I figured the best way was to just rip the band-aid.

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