Bye Bye Giant Tree

Monday night, around 11 PM, it sounded like someone was shooting of firecrackers right out on the street, immediately followed by a crash and a huge whoomp! It was a branch, falling off the tree two houses down. Now mind you, this "branch" was bigger than any of the trees on my property, except the oak. It blocked the road completely as it fell perfectly, right in front of the only car parked in the street, maybe only a foot off the front bumper and rest up into empty yard. No damage to anything. Tree guys couldn't have done it as well as the ants. Oh yes, it was ants. Lots and lots of them. That big branch was hollow. The street was crawling with them. I like to think about that one nibble too many. The poor branch was just holding on when some little critter needed a late night snack and CRASH, then whole damn thing comes down!

This morning, at 8 AM, three of the biggest tree trucks I've ever seen came for the rest of the tree. This was a tree lawn tree and I guess the city doesn't feel like it should press it's luck. The next branch probably was going to go through someone's roof. It only took a morning's work to shred through 100 years of tree.

This tree was a giant, just a fabulously big oak. The kids and I went down to measure the stump, 6'7"! And while I never wanted it at the end of my driveway, it was an impressive landmark for our block and I will miss it.