Branch Management

Alternative titles for this post include: Branchitis, Out on a Limb, In Limbo, etc.


Just some of the limbs that we have begun to gather.

The saga continues. I know, you woke up this morning and thought to yourself, "Gee I really want to hear more about this winter storm that happened in Wyoming." Your wish is granted my friend, your wish is granted. Oh, and for more (and some cute pics of my kids) click here. Still not satisfied? Check out my mother's blog too  here and here.

So, to rehash a bit, we had a major winter storm last week. A blizzard if you will. The heavy wet snow landing on trees that still had green leaves meant that there was too much weight for these trees to handle. Trees across town broke. Seriously, limbs are everywhere. I am still hearing limbs drop from trees as I type this post.

Power was out at our house for a total of 21 hours and we still have a few moments where it goes out for a few seconds. Our poor trees and bushes were all hit hard, somebody called it nature's pruning, but if that's how nature does it I think I will stick with an arborist for future pruning. We lost major limbs from the trees in our yard.

Saturday some friends came over with a chainsaw (there was a mad rush for chainsaws and now there are none to be purchased in town) and helped us to chop up the larger branches into manageable piles. Now, we just have to get them to the designated drop off. Anyone with a truck want to help? Speaking of the drop points, there are literally mountains of tree limbs stacked at the drop points, it is amazing!

 We did suffer some damage and I will be calling insurance this morning, after my all important blog post of course. Our back patio roof was damaged. We think there was damage to the roof of our home, but don't know for sure as it still isn't safe to venture up there. Our basement window and screen were broken. Our car windshield was cracked from top to bottom, the hood of our car was given three very large dents.


Dents in the hood of our car


Broken window and screen


Windshield

Whille bad stuff happened, we are all just fine and those things are just things and they will be repaired in due time. We did learn a few lessons from this storm that I will share with you in a little subtitle I call....

Things we learned from the storm:

1. One thing this storm taught us is that Eric and I are ill prepared for an emergency. When the power went out we pretty much just realized that we are utterly helpless. So now we are gathering an emergency box with a few supplies. While I'd like to establish an underground bunker with its own power, water and ventilation we will have to make due with a little emergency box. Here is what I am planning to put in it:

• serious flashlights and battery power
• our insurance info/contact stuff in case we cannot access it another way
• something that can emit heat without electricity
• games
• a little food and water, just enough for a day or two
• warm things
• a small medical kit

2. Chainsaws are handy. For some reason I have had sort of an anti-chainsaw position. I think this is because a)I have watched too many horror movies b) I like trees and they are used to hurt trees (single tear for lost trees). Anyway, I am now re-thinking that position

3. A generator seemed like a waste of money. Rethinking this too.

4.People are pretty amazing. We've all, as a community, tackled this problem together. We've helped others, they've helped us. Wonderful!

Arborist Nightmare

I could hear the wind all night long, blowing in waves over our house. I heard the occasional screech of metal on metal as our neighbor's shed moved with the fluid waves of air, rolling down the mountain, through the foothills and onward towards the plains. I slept soundly under a small mountain of blankets until just before the sun rose when I woke in the half-light. I lay there listening to the sounds that had been blowing their way into my subconscious. Occasionally the gentle hum of the heater would chime in, the domesticated cousin of the wind storm.



Our purple pool was pulled loose from its home. I could see it in my mind's eye as a the wind picked it up and flung it across our backyard amidst a new carpet of fallen leaves. When I went to let Bumblebee out for her morning constitutional she looked up at me as if to ask, "What happened out here?" There were leaves and branches everywhere, an arborist nightmare.



The seasonal shift isn't occurring without a violent struggle. Leaves are being pulled from their branches and tossed into the air, flying far from their home. Birds struggle against unforgiving currents of air and reconsider their original plan to rest here in Wyoming for a few months before heading south.

When the winds come to Wyoming I am learning that they will stay until April. So I am settling into this new season of living inside, being under one roof instead of long days in the backyard. I have a cup of hot tea at my ready. I am excited to begin a new season in our first home. What are you looking forward to as the seasons change?