How'd it go today?

[stig]

Scandinavia is logging less than the growth.
Meaning we get more and more forest and trees.

The rteason we are clearcutting the Ash trees is that they all are dying from a fungus that somehow made it's way here from Aisa.

Like the Emerald Ash Borer in Eastern US.

We'll probably get EAB, too.
Won't matter since the Ash will be gone by then.

On a windy day, Denmark gets all it electricity from windmills.
We have converted a slew of power and heat plants to biomass and we drive small wimpy cars.

So I guess you could call us energy conservative.

 

[Fiddler]

Back from pre-surgery visit.

Doc just gets done telling me I may not to have to continue with warfarin, that they previously said "rest of life" on (find out in April), as there is now "new thinking". Then next thing out of his mouth is trying to get me to take the brand-new vaccine... which had nothing to do with surgery? I asked him why he thought I would trust a brand new drug if they haven't figured out the old ones yet.

Buzzed my hair & beard all short when I got home to keep it from getting in the way of surgical wounds , etc. Now my head is cold...bad time of year for that move...

 

[pigwot]

52 of the 94 oak wilt trees dispatched today ( all the easy drops and a couple strong leaners. Last tree a bone-dry (but you know cause of no_bivy that bones aren’t dry!), perfectly balanced tree, middle of the forested area. Too lazy to go get and set a rope, or even walk back to the Gator at the edge of the wood for the wedges and ax... what to do?
Why, cut a few in-the-field wedges 🙂

used a stout oak limb section as an ax for driving them. Such a nice sound it made crashing into the lay!!

 

[pigwot]

Turned out that was the second to last. Another crispy (but not quite as broad) dead oak; back-leaner, too. I dropped three smaller trees into it, and pre-tensioned a line from the main crotch to a come-a-long. Cut my face and back cut a bit, and unlike a ground crew, you can’t tell those three felled into it not to ‘push’ till you’re ready 🤣🤣🤣.
I got out of Dodge, and over it went. It’s Miller time.

 

[pantheraba]

Using chaos and havoc like a pro. Cool pushers.

 

[flushcut]

"Cry havoc! And let slip the dogs of war!"

 

[stig]

Next time cut it first and set it on a wedge before felling the pushers into it.
Less nerve wracking that way.

 

[Wood Collector]

Didn't do much today as I'm still on holidays from work. Went for a bodyboard and caught a few nice waves. Helped a mate out with a few beach horse rides the other day. Managed to tag along on 2 of the rides. Could spend the whole day riding along the beach and swimming with my mates horse

 

[pigwot]

I usually would cut first but this was so rotten I couldn’t trust there was enough hinge wood in there and as it was a back-leaner I didn’t want it going over the wrong way. I almost expected the third pusher to knock it over.

 

[stig]

That makes sense.

 

[DMc]

I usually would cut first but this was so rotten I couldn’t trust there was enough hinge wood in there and as it was a back-leaner I didn’t want it going over the wrong way. I almost expected the third pusher to knock it over.

In the picture you posted, it looks like you had set a line in it?

 

[Fiddler]

Guess my phone isn't informing me of voicemails and calls are all going directly to voicemail without ringing...

Been waiting to hear from doctors about surgery & virus test. One nurse got smart & called my Sister (contact) who walked over & told me to call them.
Checked my phone...no recorded missed calls, but 11 voicemails.

Everything straightened out now. Go for test on Sunday morning and surgery on Wed.

 

[pigwot]

Dave,
I did have a line in it to a come-a-long, which I only lightly pre-tensioned, again due to the extensive decay and not wanting to having it pancake left of right of the lay. Working alone is dangerous and foolhardy, but by hedging my bets I was assured that the back-weighted tree would go to the intended lay in the clearing.

 

[Nutball]

Didn't do much today as I'm still on holidays from work. Went for a bodyboard and caught a few nice waves. Helped a mate out with a few beach horse rides the other day. Managed to tag along on 2 of the rides. Could spend the whole day riding along the beach and swimming with my mates horseView attachment 106716View attachment 106715View attachment 106714View attachment 106715View attachment 106716

Looks like paradise compared to here.

 

[pigwot]

Doing laundry trivia quiz:
What is the diagonal stripe running across the back of this work shirt?

 

[lxskllr]

I'll guess a coil of rope thrown over your shoulder.

 

[pigwot]

Close enough - hauling the tag line out from under the tree and flaking it back into its bag by dragging it over my shoulder...

 

[Wood Collector]

Looks like paradise compared to here.

Certainly did feel a bit like paradise on the first day, second day where i was there for 4 rides 2 of which I rode along as support I was in shorts so forgot to put suncream on the calfs so they got a bit burnt but other than that was a really great time.

 

[stig]

I thought it was a groundie shirt.
I sometimes make marks like that on my groundies backs, from whipping them.

 

[treebilly]

Yesterday started out ok. Let the guys get everything they could with the bucket while I sharpened saws from the day before. The Friday climber asked if he could do the first of the two removals. 90’ish white oak with a semi small drop zone (roadside with lines running diagonally under it). Second limb in and it started raining. A few limbs later and it changed over to a heavy wet snow. Half way through and I was soaked through three layers. I was running ropes. Told the kid there would be no shame in coming down. He decided to finish the tree. We all looked like drowned rats by that time. As miserable as it was being soaked to the bone for a few hours, we all enjoyed it. This kid is progressing very fast but at the same time is actually learning the subtleties of the job, not just the cool stuff.
After work is was daddy/ daughter night with my middle child. Dinner and movies. We’re leaving together to get breakfast soon and then hang out at the arb store while I pick up some more of the order.

 

[lxskllr]

Made a handle for my Tsurugi400. I needed to cut a branch for a broom handle, and didn't feel like going to the truck. Need a good house saw anyway.



Still need to fold the top over and bind it. Not much to look at, but I couldn't be happier with the rope hilt. I doubt I'd use a factory hilt if given to me. It might be particular to this blade design, the way the factory hilt attaches, but it's perfect. Two wraps on the high part, two in the groove give it a comfortable contour that makes it easy to hold, and the polypro is soft and squishy, so it feels good in-hand, and gives a firm grip. Still need to come up with a decent scabbard for these things. My little one is acceptable, but too much work for the results, and it has to be worn a specific way or it doesn't work right.

 

[stig]

I honestly didn't think we'd ever have snow in Denmark again, but this weekend the temperature dropped to 5 degrees below freezing and we got a bit.
To the huge enjoyment of both dog and horses.
Tuesday it'll be gone again and we'll be back to the usual mud.

 

[pigwot]

While setting lines and finessing trees through narrow gaps I could see that others were ice fishing in comfort.

 

[flushcut]

Had a snow ball fight with the girls, went sledding in the backyard, plowed some snow, and did some welding at the shop just some random projects,

 

[pigwot]

Once it got light enough out I could see we’re getting more snow. The young couple who rented the house on the south side of the lake are one of many couples who first met while working at our day camp. The first of such couples Ann and Art Rogers are in their 80s.

This younger couple bought a house built in 1920. About eight older trees on their lot. I’ll head over there later today to do a walk-through and advise them on the care of their trees.