Tree vs. Drought

Well, the drought won this one.  One of our redwood trees has been water-stressed for the past several years.  Part of it was probably due to our switching from above ground sprinklers to a drip system 5 years ago.  Obviously the trees aren't getting as much water as they used to, and then combine that with the cut back in watering due to a lack of water and, well, the drought won.  Tree zero.

 The above is the "before" picture.  The tree on the furthest left belongs to our neighbor.  I suspect it looks so healthy and luscious because a couple of years ago it tapped into the sewer line, eventually popping it and causing a huge leak in the middle of the street.  Our tree (second on the left) was not so aggressive.  Here's a better view.  It was definitely struggling.  I'm not sure if you can tell from the angle, but it had a 20' split up the front, and it was leaning towards the garage.

 They cut a wedge at the bottom, tied the top to a truck, cut through the trunk, then backed the truck up.  Timber!

 It was simultaneously depressing and impressive.

 When they started cutting the top, the owner called me over to see the trunk.  This was 20' from the top.  He said the tree was much more distressed and dangerous than he'd thought, and we are fortunate that it hadn't fallen on its own.  (If you notice in the first photo, the top of the tree is double.  That means that at one point, it did break off.  I think I remember that, but not so clearly.  It's happened more than once in the middle of windstorms.)

Below is the "after" photo.  One tree is gone, and the tree on the right has been thinned, as has one in the backyard.  You can see the redwoods surrounding us.  Five are ours, the two shortest ones belong to our behind the fence neighbor, and the lush green one belongs to the neighbor on the left.  The giant trees were a huge selling point, when we moved into this neighborhood in 1994.

 This is what we have left.  One friend received about 15' of trunk to make bowls.  Another friend and my son are discussing the remaining 18'.  I've told my son that I'd really like a table made out of the largest section.  Then again, do I really want to add to his list of UFO's?  (He's already got tons - probably literally - of walnut, waiting to be planked.)

And that, folks, is what's been happening around here lately.  I've also finished my project from Asilomar and Susan Brubaker Knapp's class.  I just haven't gotten around to taking good pictures yet.  I can give you a bad one, just to tide you over...

And with that, I've got to say that I am most definitely happy to be back and quilting!!  :)