Willow tree cutting, second branch

I successfully cut the second willow tree branch.

Another view...

I sawed on that branch for hours and hours and hours over two days.  It was hard to bear down on a pole saw when it is fully extended and against a branch way above my head.  I even took a file to the saw's teeth to sharpen them up a couple times to get a better bite into the tree.

Finally late Wednesday the branch started to crack a little.  While I was confident the branch would miss the pickup when it fell, still I drove the pickup away several feet.  Then I resumed sawing on the branch.  Five to ten minutes later a few more - and louder - cracks.  Still the branch remained attached.

Then I got the idea of tossing a rope over the branch to pull it down.  That way I could guide the branch to miss the pickup, garage, electrical lines, and the concrete hole in the ground.  And I wouldn't be high on a ladder on pallets on a pickup with no place to go in case the branch came my way.

I attached a small weight to a rope and tossed it up.  After a dozen tries I finally got the rope over the branch.  I didn't have to pull too hard and the branch broke off and fell. It fell perfectly as it missed everything.  You can see I had some extra wooden pallets on top of the concrete hole so the branch wouldn't break it in case it fell on the concrete.

Here is the branch after it was cut.  On the initial photos when it was high up on the tree it didn't look that big, but it was.  The bottom of the cut shows where I pulled the branch from the tree.

I would like to cut the top of the tree down some more but to do that I would have to get higher up.  It looks like I will have to wait until I get another method of getting on high as I am not too keen on stacking more pallets to get higher.

Willow tree ladder

I wanted to cut another high branch on my willow tree.  This branch is thicker than the branch I had just cut.  After quite some time cutting on the branch I decided I needed to be higher so I didn't have to reach so high to cut the branch.

My local neighborhood building supply store had some extra wooden pallets for giveaway and I used those pallets to increase my height.

To keep the pallets from wobbling I tied them down with bungee cords.  I also have a pallet the perfect size to fit between the legs of the ladder.  So while I was high up (12 1/2 ft to the top of the ladder), the ladder for the most part is stable (as long as I don't get crazy on it).  It is a little tricky to climb up onto the ladder, especially with a long pole saw.

As you can see I still have a ways to reach the middle branch on the right side. If you consider the peak of the garage is the second story, the branch I want to cut is three stories high.

Btw - Tammy wanted me to clarify that with her fractured shoulder she couldn't help me with the tree cutting by holding the ladder while she visited me.  And without her help she was afraid I would fall off the ladder and end up in the hospital.  You do have to admit... to many people this looks like a risky proposition.

Stay tuned...!

Willow tree cutting, one branch

Today I cut a branch from my willow tree.  A high branch.  I wanted to cut the branch before the sap flows.  As willow trees have lots of water it is much easier to cut their large branches before the sap and water flows.

I only cut one branch.  Cutting a branch while standing on a step ladder using a full extended pole saw takes some effort.  And time as it is slow going.   My arms are going to feel sore tomorrow!

To reach the branch I had to place a step ladder on top of some wooden pallets I had placed in the bed of my pickup.  I used bungee straps to hold the ladder in place.  I had thought of doing this while Tammy was here as she could hold the ladder for me and spot me but she declined saying "I don't want to take you to the hospital after you fall."

Note the pole saw leaning against the pickup in the first photo.  This is before I extended the saw its full length.  Once I did so, and standing on the ladder, I could just reach the branch.

As you can see in this photo the electric wire was a pain in the way.  However I had no choice as this was the only spot for the pickup that allowed me to reach the branch and also be away from where the branch fell.  As it is the falling branch missed the pickup by a foot.  The photos don't show it well, but the branch was between the one electric line you can see and another electric line you can barely see in the upper right of the photo.  I missed both electric lines.  *whew*

This gives you a better idea as to the height involved... (if you click on the photo to see a larger version you can just make out where I had cut the branch)

Here are before and after photos...

Here is a photo from 2007 when I last did major cutting on the tree.  As you can see, back then I cut a branch that was above the other branches.  That is the branch that bounced off the lower branches and flipped onto and through my garage roof.  If interested in the story, this link will get you to past posts about my willow tree: http://tallpinesranch.blogspot.com/search/label/Willow%20tree

Tammy's back in MN

Tuesday Tammy left and returned to Minnesota.  She traveled on Amtrak.

Just like when she traveled here there was another freight train derailment that closed the tracks for a few days.  This time the derailment was in Idaho and she didn't have to take a bus part of the way.  However people traveling between Spokane, Washington and Whitefish had to take buses in order to catch the train again in Whitefish.

That "service disruption" made it hard to tell when the train would leave Whitefish as Amtrak had no estimate as late as the night before.  Calling the 1-800-USA-RAIL number meant waiting on the phone for a live person for over a half hour as automated "Julie" couldn't handle a "service interruption".

The morning of departure I got the phone number of the Whitefish train depot and talked to a person in a matter of minutes.  He claimed the train would leave on time.

Uh, huh.

We had no choice but be at the train station before the 7:46 am departure.  It was an early morning for both of us.  Tammy wasn't too thrilled when I turned the room light on to help her wake up.  Bright!  She pulled the covers over her head.

Amtrak didn't back the train into the station until after the buses arrived. That meant everyone tried to get on the train at the same time.

Because Tammy was going to a train station with no luggage service I carried her luggage and placed it in her train car for her.  Tammy's fractured shoulder is still healing.

Even though the station agent had told me the train would leave on time, the train didn't leave until almost 10 am, well over an hour late.  I was the only person outside waiting for the train to leave when it did.  While everyone was on the train ready to go, the train had to wait for the luggage for the people who had been bussed.  The luggage eventually arrived in a rental truck.  The people weren't moving too fast in transferring the luggage from the truck to the train if you ask me.

Tammy got two seats to herself and in a car with electrical outlet so she could plug in her phone and laptop computer.  This being Montana and western North Dakota cell phone service is spotty.  Tammy's calls to me from these areas would often break up.

While there were plenty of people on the train Tammy was able to have two seats to herself the entire journey.  Two seats makes for more room for a person to lay down and sleep.  Unfortunately a nearby seat was squeaky and made noise as the train moved. 

And it appears the young man in the seats behind her had some foul smelling gas.  He was on the train the entire time Tammy was on the train.  Tammy said she had to hold her nose a few times, especially after he ate some food.  He didn't always make noise so sometimes Tammy was caught by surprise. Who knows... maybe he is a vegan or vegetarian into eating beans. 

North Dakota had a major winter storm going on when the train went through that state. Parts of the state were closed down during the storm and Minot got 8 to 10 inches of snow.

Tammy never got to the Red Wing train station until two hours late.  Then she had to drive 40+ miles home in a rain/snow mixture.

Oh!  The joys of traveling in the Winter and on the train.

Garlic Lemon chicken

Sunday night Tammy made me a Homemade Gourmet garlic lemon chicken meal.  We added mashed potatoes and steamed cabbage to the chicken breasts.  Another yummy meal.

The garlic lemon chicken recipe can be found here: http://recipes.homemadegourmet.com/recipe.asp?code=10117

Spinach and Artichoke casserole

Last night Tammy and I made a spinach and artichoke and chicken casserole.  I even helped her make the meal.

Another yummy meal.

The recipe can be found here:  Spinach and Artichoke Chicken and Penne

Tammy likes cheese so she added lots of extra Mozzarella cheese on top of the casserole.  That is why it looks much cheesier than normal.

This may be the last Homemade Gourmet meal for a few days as we have a refrigerator full of leftovers.

Today we swung by a small expo where three women with home based businesses (Miche bags, Scentsy and Tupperware) rented a small room and showed and sold their wares.  Tammy made more contacts here in Montana.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad mix

Last night, to accompany our second helping of the taco soup, Tammy made a Mediterranean Pasta Salad.  Yum!

I'd include the recipe but Homemade Gourmet discontinued the recipe and seasoning when they updated their list of recipes and added a Mediterranean Medley Seasoning Shaker to use on a number of updated recipes.

Doesn't this pasta look yummy?

Instead of the pasta salad mixture we used, it appears Homemade Gourmet replaced it with this recipe:

Taco soup

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Last night Tammy and I made taco soup.  Even though the weather is warming up now that our high temperatures are in the 40s F, I felt hot soup would be nice for the next few days.

The recipe can be found here: http://recipes.homemadegourmet.com/recipe.asp?code=5704

(If interested, you can order the taco mix through Tammy's Homemade Gourmet web site: http://www.homemadegourmet.com/tamara23544)

We made a few modifications to the recipe.  Tammy doesn't like pinto beans so we left that out and replaced it with a second can of corn.  We also added a second can of tomatoes, a can of peas, and a can of green beans (as we both love green beans).   We altered the soup to be stronger on vegetables than broth.  It was very filling.

The Homemade Gourmet^® Taco Soup Mix isn't too spicy.  Tammy doesn't like spicy foods and she was fine with the spice level.  The mix had just enough spice to satisfy me. Although... I may have altered the soup's spice level as I inadvertently drained the can of chopped chilies before adding them.

We were able to alter how much spice we got in our individual portion based on the ratio of vegetables vs. broth as the spice was in the broth. The photo is of my bowl of soup.  Yum!

A person can use the taco soup mix to make taco dip if they prefer. As Tammy is not a big soup person, that is what she usually makes.

Simply Simmer Brisket

Here is what Tammy made for me last night...  Simply Simmer Brisket.

The simple recipe can be found here: http://recipes.homemadegourmet.com/recipe.asp?code=10540

I don't eat pork and Tammy prefers chicken over beef so we used chicken breasts for the meat.  We placed the meat, seasoning, ketchup and water in the seasoning bag and then placed the bag in a crockpot and slow cooked it.  No mess!  When done, take the food out of the plastic seasoning bag and toss the bag in the garbage (or in my case my wood burning stove).

Yum! 

Who needs to go to a bar-b-que joint when you can easily have bar-b-que at home!

My plate of food is on the left and Tammy's plate is on the right. Tammy had cut up her chicken by the time I took the photo.  We cooked some garden potatoes I had gotten from Bob and Jan and steamed some cabbage to add to our meal.

I loved the taste and smell of the hickory smoked seasoning so much that I covered my mashed potatoes with it.  We had some seasoning left over as we only cooked enough meat for two servings, and not the eight servings mentioned in the recipe.  I froze the leftover seasoning for use on potatoes in the future.

If interested, you can order the seasoning at Tammy's Homemade Gourmet web site: http://www.homemadegourmet.com/tamara23544

Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Spinach Pasta Bake

Now that Tammy is here I am eating better.  Here is one of the Homemade Gourmet meals she made me: Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Spinach Pasta Bake

Yummy!

(The recipe can be found at the link above.  You can order the Homemade Gourmet^® Garlic Lemon Seasoning Mix through Tammy's web site: http://www.homemadegourmet.com/tamara23544)


It is supposed to serve eight people but it was so good we ate lots, and between the two of us we'll only get three meals out of it.  And it tastes just as good as left overs.

Visiting the ski resort, etc.

Saturday Tammy and I were out and about.  For us it was an early start to a full day as I wanted to attend the annual meeting for my credit union. I wanted to know how the credit union was holding up as the Flathead Valley is suffering.  January's unemployment rate for the County went up 2% to now be 14.1%.  That's not counting all people who are now working in North Dakota.  Even the credit union president mentioned North Dakota.

The meeting had lots of boring financial numbers but they had an excellent food buffet with delicious quiche, muffins and varieties of fruit.  By the end of the two hour meeting we were full.  Our temptation was not helped as we arrived late and had to sit in the back near the food.

We visited the Whitefish branch of the County library and I found a couple movies to borrow.

The day was sunny, the wind calm, and the temperature warm (low 40s F).  I had never visited the Whitefish Ski resort in the Winter so we drove up Big Mountain to the resort.  On a beautiful Saturday I expected the place to be packed and it wasn't.  I also noticed a number of condos were empty.

We spent a little time around the chalet watching the skiers and snowboarders.  Lots of snowboarders.  The people on the slopes tended to be on the younger side.  Inside the bar/restaurant it was crowded as it was late lunch time and people were having their burgers and beer.

 The previous photo doesn't capture the elevation change so I included the pre-stitched photos below.  When you click on the photos you can see them in a large size and get a little better understanding of the elevation change.

We stopped at the Whitefish Mountain Mall to check out the craft/gift show being held there.  Tammy wanted to check out the scene for her Homemade Gourmet business.   The craft/gift show - and the mall itself - was dead.  I think we were the only customers there. Not many people were selling craft items and it seemed most of the mall was vacant of stores, and the few that were open had no customers.  It was bad.

Just before the sun set we went for a several mile walk around the neighborhood.  In the evening we stopped at the monthly Contra dance held at the Salvation Army gym.  Tammy had never heard of or seen contra dancing.

There were lots of beginners at the dance and half the time was spent teaching the dances.  Some people got the steps faster than the others which made the dancing, once the music started, both confusing and funny.

No, we're not laughing at you.

With Tammy's fractured shoulder she couldn't participate in the dance so after an hour we left as Tammy had got the concept of contra dancing by then.

Then we watched one of the movies I had borrowed earlier, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, before crashing around midnight.

Tammy's here

My girlfriend came to spend a few weeks with me this March.  This was not planned but came about as a result of an accident.  On Valentine's Day she slipped on an icy street when she got out of her van to check her mailbox for mail.  Tammy fell quick and hard and fractured her right shoulder, along with numerous other bruises from the fall.

That day she had her shoulder x-rayed and mri'd.  The xray showed the fracture and the mri showed more of the fracture and also the tears around the area.  Tammy couldn't lift her right arm.

Tammy had to wait over a week to see an orthopedic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic as most all of these surgeons were in Hawaii for a week for a 'conference'.     The surgeon's recommendation was rest and therapy, and no surgury.

As she can't work with her fractured shoulder, and was sitting at home with nothing to do, she decided to come spend a few weeks with me.

Last minute airfares to Kalispell are expensive so she gritted her teeth and took the train out to visit me.  Tammy doesn't care for the 25 hour train journey.

The weather forecast for her Minnesota departure was for a snowstorm - not what a person wanted when they had to drive 40 miles to the train station with one hand.  Fortunately the storm did not start before she left.  And the train was on time.

Tammy was off to a good start.

It didn't last.

The train lost time as it went on.  Then at Havre, MT the Amtrak train was stopped.  A BNSF freight train had derailed earlier that day in the mountains near Essex, Montana and the tracks were blocked. 

So the Amtrak passengers had to be transported on four buses between Havre and Whitefish - a five to six hour bus ride, made longer by a half hour break at Cut Bank, MT for the smokers to get their fix.  Oh joy.

The passengers were responsible for carrying their luggage from the train to the bus.  This was not an easy task for Tammy as she can only use one arm.

Fortunately Tammy has a cell phone so she could alert me to the change of plans.  The first time when I called the 1-800-USA-RAIL number this 'service disruption' had confused 'Julie' and I had to wait 20 minutes to talk with an Amtrak representative to learn what was going on.  The second time I called, when I wanted to get an exact arrival time, I waited on hold for a live Amtrak person for a half hour before giving up.

I drove to the station in Whitefish and Tammy arrived about ten minutes later in bus number 3.

*whew*  She made it.  It was after 11 pm, over two hours later than the normal arrival time.

This trip did not change her mind about her dislike of taking the train.  Also not helping were the former loggers from the Flathead Valley who had gotten on the train at Williston, ND to return home for their break from their North Dakota oil field jobs.  Their drinking and complaining got old real fast.

Fallen tree

Tuesday I wandered around part of the pastures.  The first I've done since coming back here last month.

I found a dead tree had blown over.

Dad had attached the fence wires to the tree.  The tree's bark had flowed over two of the wires and the falling tree broke those wires.  More fence repair work once the snow melts.

Fortunately the tree fell in this direction.  Any other direction and the fallen tree would taken more of the fence out.

2 dead mice

Monday afternoon I was sitting at my computer and listening to music when I heard...

Scratch.   Scratch.   Scratch.

The sound came from either my kitchen or entryway, both of which have paper bags.  It sounded like a mouse scratching on a paper bag.

I turned my radio off and listened.

Nothing.  I checked the mouse trap by the dryer in the entryway.   Nothing.

A short time later I heard the sound again.  Once again the sound stopped when I moved closer to hear better where the sound exactly came from.

When dad was alive mice would crawl into the paper grocery sack that we used for a garbage pail and I would grab the bag and take it outside.  So this time I took the paper sack outside.  I checked the contents (fortunately not much garbage in the sack) and found nothing.

Later I heard the scratching again. This time it sounded like it came from the kitchen.  There is a gap between the refrigerator and the cabinet by where I place the garbage sack.  I moved the mouse trap there.  A couple hours later I heard the trap snap and found a bloody mouse caught in the trap.

I wonder where this mouse came from as in the past most mice have entered the house somewhere around the washer/dryer area in the entryway as that is where I catch them.

My first mouse inside the house in two years.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised as I have seen many more mouse tracks outside this Spring and today I discovered the mice have been digging up my tulip bulbs and eating them.  I noticed three dug up so far. This hasn't happened to me before.   My neighbor told me that their cat has caught many more mice this Spring.

The mouse in the house may have been revenge for the mouse I killed earlier in the morning.  As I walked by the south side of the barn I noticed a mouse sitting and sunning itself next to the barn's foundation.  Within a minute it was dead.  Accidents happen.