Pine tree trimming

What is a visit to my mother without me trimming trees? I know, I know... I've heard all the jokes about "no trees in North Dakota". Well, my mother's yard has a number of trees. While my brother takes care of most of the tree trimming, he leaves the ones where I have to climb way up high to trim them. You may remember my tree trimming from last year.

This year the tree that needed to be trimmed was the long-needle pine tree in the backyard. For some reason the top yard or two of the tree died. That's right... the top. And it's a tall tree - higher than a two story house.

I have been eyeing that tree ever since I got home but it wasn't till Monday that I remembered the tree on a nice day. Nice day.. meaning decent temperatures and little wind.

My brother placed a ladder at the base of the tree so I could climb up into the branches. From then on I snaked my way through the branches until I was near the top where the tree trunk was dead.

Of course near the top of the tree I found it was breezier than on the ground. The wind didn't blow constantly - just off and on in an effort to catch me off guard. Every so often I had to stop cutting with the hand saw and hug the tree to feel safe.

After I cut through the tree, and the top fell over, it rolled along the outer branches until it fell upon the electric and cable wires between the power pole and the house. NO!!! Of all the places to fall off the tree the top had to fall the one small place where the wires were close to the tree. It must have been my lucky day as the top bounced and then flipped off the wires without breaking them or getting caught on them. *whew!!!*

As I worked my way back to the ground I cut off the dead branches in among the other branches. As this is a long-needle pine tree there are always lots of dead branches.

My brother was working on gathering up the cut branches as I worked in the tree, but I still had plenty to help pick up after I reached the ground. I even took a rake and gathered up lots of dead pine needles that were spread across the snow.

Another year, another tree trimming job. I hope this pine tree survives. We need every tree we can get in North Dakota!