Chores II: Timberrrr

For some reason, when my chores involved cutting down or cutting up trees, it was usually memorable. My favorite tree story involves a hickory tree that grew near the railroad tracks. My dad wanted to cut the top out of the tree, so he and I tackled it early one Saturday morning—the first chore of the day. I climbed up as high as I could and tied off a rope so he could pull the tree top as it started to fall (guiding it to a safe landing). I climbed back down to where he wanted it cut and went to work with a bow saw. I cut all around the trunk so the top would break off cleanly (and not strip bark from the rest of the tree).

I was standing on two limbs and cutting the tree just above my eye level. I worked the saw back and forth, and back and forth. The tree started to sway—back and forth, and back and forth. Before I could finish the job, the swaying felt out-of-sync with my sawing motion. That made me dizzy, so I stopped for a moment. My dad (the drill sergeant) “encouraged” me to keep working (“You stopped already? You’re soft, you’re soft!!! When I was your age…”). I explained about getting dizzy, but felt better and got back to work.

Soon the dizziness returned and brought queasiness with it. I had to stop again. My dad put down the rope and walked towards the tree (I think to offer more encouragement). Before he could say anything and before I could say anything, it happened! Did I mention this was my first chore of the day? Right after breakfast? LOL! Almost without warning, my stomach sent my breakfast hurdling towards the ground—right where my dad was standing. Fortunately for him I was pretty high up in the tree and he had time to get out of the way. Mostly! :P

Gee, what’s the lesson here? Don’t climb trees right after you eat? Don’t stand under a tree with a dizzy person in it? I’m not sure, but there’s GOT to be a lesson in there somewhere. =)


PS - When I was younger (than in the 1st story), we cut down another huge hickory tree that was dangerously close to our house. It looked like three trees intertwined because of the way the trunk grew. I hated to cut that one down because it made a cool, spooky creaking noise when the wind blew. It was right outside my bedroom window. After taking turns with the ax, my brothers and I were pulling on the rope (to keep the tree from falling on our house) and when the tree started falling--towards us, we froze. Someone (my dad?) yelled "RUN" and we barely made it to safety. It was exciting! Also, one summer a storm hit our area and produced a mini-twister that knocked down a huge, beautiful willow tree in our yard (and created a new path into the woods next to our house). Cutting up that tree was a sad chore, despite the endless supply of willow switches it had provided for my parents. LOL!