I had to have an old oak taken down today

[Brenda]

Probably 40 year old water oak, 60+ ft high. But rotting from the bottom up and I had to do it.

It's also my birthday and I'm getting way too sentimental about it.

There used to be someone on DU many years ago who talked about trees and how you should say something to the old ones when they were dying. I can't remember his name.

But I did say things to my oak like thank you for shading my home for so many years and providing comfort and shelter for so many birds, squirrels, etc.

Those tree guys are brave folks and deserve every dollar they're paid.

[applegrove]

2. Do you get the enviable task of splitting all the wood?

I think you can rent a mechanical wood splitter.

[senseandsensibility]

3. We had a similar experience not too long ago.

I kept one of the leaves as a memento. The yard seemed incredibly empty and exposed for a while until I finally (sort of) got used to it.

[Brenda]

4. I can see a lot more blue sky and clouds now

Which is great

[druidity33]

29. Not sure what your

solar access was like before. But maybe you have a better rooftop profile for panels? Also, SAVE ALL OF YOUR WOODCHIPS! They are so damn useful. I'm sorry about your tree. I feel your pain. It has happened to me. As a "lapsed" Bard i can tell you that the Druids believed the spirit of Oak is immortal. You can still call on it. Stand on or near the spot. Close your eyes. Breathe. Picture your toes rooting. Breathe. Stretch your arms to the sky. Breathe. Thank the spirit of said tree. Repeat as needed.

https://druidry.org/druid-way/teaching-and-practice/druid-tree-lore/oak

[Deuxcents]

5. Hurricane Ian put the final word on a beautiful but very old white oak across the street from me..

So few of them here and it was gorgeous but had a lot of battles in its lifetime. I was really sad when they came to get it and still miss it.

[Brenda]

7. You understand. It was a friend.

[Deuxcents]

10. I do understand 🌺

[malaise]

6. Happy Birthday😀

Hard loss - plant a new one

[Brenda]

8. Thanks malaise!

I'll try

[Deuxcents]

11. Great idea..a gift for future generations

[SheltieLover]

26. Yes!

[Emile]

9. Good firewood, good cooking wood too.

[dem4decades]

12. Years ago i took down 3 beautiful, but dying maples.

I miss that shade they cast on my southern windows, but they were dropping limbs so they had to go. Finally was able to grow grass in the yard though.

[Tetrachloride]

14. I transplant in black cherry, shagbark hickory and hardwood maples when i can.

often between faster growing softwoods

[mopinko]

15. i had to take down a big ole maple that was totally hollow.

i kept the bottom bit of the trunk, and used it as a planter. i figured some folks wd b mad at me, since a few already were. i wanted them to know how bad it was.

[paleotn]

16. Always sad, particularly long lived, slow growing species like oak.

Imagine the things that tree saw in its life. We are so ephemeral in comparison. Here today. Gone in an instant. But the trees live on long after we're forgotten. I do love them.

[MIButterfly]

17. Happy Birthday Brenda!

I hope it was a good day other than having to take your old tree down. I hope you had some fun.

I wish you many more happy birthdays. 🎂

[Liberty Belle]

18. Give some wood to furniture and musical instrument makers, so the wood isn't just destroyed.

Ask them to make a special piece for you in exchange for free wood that they could also use for other projects.

[Raftergirl]

19. Sorry about your tree. 😢 We had a massive Siberian Elm that had a enormous bough break off last summer

and we had to get ir taken down immediately. The trunk alone weighed 12K pounds.

I also have a more light in the front yard now so I planted a beautiful perennial garden this spring where the tree was.

Lucky the tree fell into the street and not the house as I likely would have been killed as I was in the room closest to the tree.

[usonian]

20. It happens. Part of the cycle of life.

I live in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, and trees are constantly dying and new ones sprout up.

The borer beetle destroyed countless pine trees whose sap, which defended against the borers, was reduced drastically by years of drought. I lost 4 or 5 pines in my front yard alone.

And then the oaks get old, mistletoe, a parasite, sucks the life out of them, and down they go.

One in my land broke into parts three separate times and fell over my power line, which thanks to the first owner, was UNDERGROUND.

I just posted a roadside "live oak" which ain't live any more.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1036165222



All these things required tons of cleanup to remove the tinder they created.

There's a big live oak just west of the home that won't live much longer. But behind it is a manzanita that is almost as tall, so there'll be some privacy.

It's sad to see them go, but nature renews (out here, anyway).

Nothing lasts forever, but perhaps you can get a long-living plant for your birthday. In previous homes, we had lemon trees and so on. Again, they don't last forever, but the lemons (Meyer Lemons) were wonderful. Your weather may vary.

[littlemissmartypants]

21. Happy Birthday and Mary Happy Returns, Brenda!

🎉🎉💃🎁💃🎉🎉

I have a couple of oaks that might need to come down.

I love my trees and my birds. But I'm really starting to hate Father Time. These two are probably 80 to 100 years old. One was hit by lightning and has started to show signs that it's time. The other might be OK with a trim.

I hate to do it. I don't want the critters to lose their habitats or the birds to lose their aids to navigation, though. It's not easy.

[mgardener]

22. I am sorry

We have tried hard to save our ash tree, the only tree in our yard.
We have had it injected 3 times now.
It looks good and is the only ash tree left in our neighborhood.
We find at least 5-10 dead emerald ash borers on the cement and in the pool daily.
Every time I look at that tree I give thanks.
I would be sad if we had to take it down

[chouchou]

23. Did you tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree?

[KitFox]

24. Sending birthday wishes and also gentle hugs for the sadness and melancholy you feel for the loss of your tree "friend".

I share your sentiment. I agonize every time I lose a tree on my property. I have acres of them, but the big old giants are my special favorites. My children gave some of them names when they were young and now my grandchildren carry that on. I hope some of the wood can remain with you in some way, even if it is cut into rounds for a path or a border around a new tree you choose to plant. Now go have a giant piece of birthday cake and big scoops of ice cream. 🩷🩷🩷

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

25. ..

[LeftInTX]

27. We had to cut down two large pecans in our front yard last year.

Drought did both of them in. They were 40 years old.

Heartbreaking because we have oak wilt in our neighborhood and they were my hedge against it.

[Mysterian]

28. As a descendant of the Celts, this saddens me too

But ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do.

[Mossfern]

30. There's an old crab apple tree who stands just about at the center of my yard.

She's magnificent, at least 75 year's old, and almost completely hollow - but she still produces.
I call her the queen of my garden.
I know that she going soon though, as this year she lost a large branch ....but she still puts forth the most fragrant blossoms.

My son suggested that I take a cutting from a smaller "greener" branch and root it.
I do go out to talk to her occasionally and stroke her bark.

My house is 136 years old and we've lost many trees over the years.
It's always so sad.

Such a bittersweet birthday.
Celebrate this year in its honor.