More hawthorn problems

I am still working on removing some of my hawthorn trees.  It's taking longer than expected.  I got more fingers stabbed by the hawthorn's thorns and had to use a needle a number of times to get the end of the thorn out of my fingers. And I am pulling more thorns out of whatever shoe I wear that day when working on the hawthorn tress.  I also ended up breaking more tools.  The fairies are protecting their trees and getting their revenge on me for cutting the trees.

Earlier I had mentioned that a hawthorn tree had ruined the bar on my chainsaw.   While I was waiting for the new chainsaw bar to arrive, I cleaned what I had previously cut and also used a handsaw to cut some smaller hawthorn branches.  Well... that only lasted a few days as the handsaw's handle came apart as I was cutting a hawthorn branch.

This reminds me, a few years ago before I knew these were hawthorn trees, I was using a lopper to cut some hawthorn branches.  One of the lopper's wooden handles broke.  At the time that was unusual.  Now... knowing what I know about hawthorn trees and the fairies, it is not unusual.

After I got my new chainsaw bar I spent a few more days cutting more hawthorn branches.  My bar held up this time.  But a number of times the chain came off the bar.  And the chain was not loose on the bar.   The fairies at work.

Once I was mostly done with my chainsaw cutting it was time to remove the cut branches and then rake the areas where I did the most cutting.    Because, while the branches don't want to break when I try to break them even after they are dead and dried, the branches will then break into small pieces when I'm not looking.  And those pieces have thorns.   Who knows how long - if ever - that these branches will decay and no longer be a problem.   I don't want the cattle to accidently bite a thorn when eating grass.   The fairies are trying to stop me from cleaning the branches and are making it hard to rake the ground and grass.   They broke my rake handle.   I had to cut the handle a few inches shorter and drill a new hole to re-attach the rake to the handle.

I ended up with many, many wheelbarrow loads of small branches and grass.  After a day my wheelbarrow's tire went flat.   Gee.. wonder what caused that to happen?   Rather than fixing the tire, I'm going to wait until I'm done using the wheelbarrow to clean the branches.  So I don't overload the wheelbarrow as it can be hard to roll the wheelbarrow along on a flat tire.

Here is a look at some of the branches and grass I hauled off and dumped into a pile.  Doesn't look too 'thorny'... but pick up a clump of this and you can get stabbed by a thorn.

Every day I think I only have a day or two left before I am done for now.  Then the next day I think the same thing.  Argh!   But I am getting closer to being done.