When a Tree Falls ...

 We've had a rough go of it here at Pinehaven. Many of our precious pines have died in the past decade. Most, I think, have succumbed to age and climate. One has now fallen to the wind.

 Back in February, a large pine at the north side of the back yard toppled to the east. It was caught by two other smaller pines and stood there at perhaps a 45° angle for nearly two months.

02-25-19

 We have debated how to get it the rest of the way to the ground. In fact Bob suggested stopping by this weekend and trying to pull it down with his truck. I told him just yesterday that I thought more rain Thursday night would make the ground too soft for that and that we should hold off.

  February winds were responsible for the tree falling. On February 24 we had a wind gust of 54 mph and that did the tree in. I'm not sure when this tree was planted but it was here (and already large) when  we moved here in 1987.

02-27-19 

02-28-19 

02-28-19

 The tree was literately snapped off at the base by the high wind. It fell towards the east but was caught by two Scotch pines that I planted soon after we moved here.

 Tom had cut the lower limbs, thinking that the tree could be dismantled piece by piece. At least it would be made lighter while we debated how to bring it down the rest of the way.

04-16-19 

 Yesterday when I finished mowing I surveyed the yard and noticed that the tree seemed to be leaning further. I snapped this shot and sent it to Tom. "Hasn't the busted pine fallen over farther?" I asked him.

04-16-19 

 It was just seven minutes later when I was mixing lawn chemicals and filling the applicator with water at the frost-free spigot by the garden. That's when I heard an enormous C-R-A-C-K and looked up to see the tree fall to the ground with a thud. I"m sure I felt the earthquake travel up my legs.

04-16-19

 The tree could not have been dropped with more skill. The two pines that held it aloft slowly lost their grip and it fell between them. The one tree remains a bit bowed and I suppose it was the one that carried most of the weight for nearly two months.

 Though yesterday was sunny and warm (73°) it wasn't particularly windy. There was just a gentle breeze from the west. But the past couple of days have recorded gusts to nearly 30 mph and back on April 11-12, we peaked at 32 mph. Those winds likely added the pressure necessary to bring it down.

 Nature works by slow processes, barely visible to us. But it is relentless, tugging with tenacity, making change bit by bit.

 So yet another pine is lost