Chop, chop, chop

On our Thanksgiving Day hike, we happened upon a large hemlock which had been cut down to clean up the trail after a recent storm. Robert thought the top part would make a great Christmas tree. We had intended to go up to Brown Mountain where the city had reserved an area for people to chop down their trees. But here was a tree that was already cut down - so why cut down another? I phoned the ranger station today and they said fine, so we set off after lunch just as a bit of sun filtered through the sky. (By the time we drove the 5 minutes to the trail, it had turned misty, dark and very windy...)

Gates manned the saw, and he quickly had ten feet of the top cut off. Then they carried it out to the trail where another two feet was trimmed from the top as it seemed way too tall. Down the path they went to the trail head and the steep hill leading to the parking lot. Next it was loaded to the top of the van, strapped on and we were off. Once we were home, Gates and Robert put it in the tree stand and brought it in.

It's a real Ketchikan tree as it's about eight feet tall - we'll need a ladder to trim the top. It's very spindly which is the way the trees look around here. I'm not sure why they're not more full and thick - maybe all the rain?

Stay tuned as I'll post a photo of it after it's been decked out in lights and ornaments.