Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Demise of My Friend the Birch

    A few days ago I had to do the honorable thing and cut down my friend the paper birch. I moved to this place in 1970 and the birch was a nicely established young tree. Over the years I have enjoyed it's color , shade, shelter and company. Birch have very bright yellow fall leaves and a good pleasant summer green leaf. Birch have dense branches and leaves so provide excellent shade. Shelter from winds and rain have been provided by my birch. The company of my birch has been enjoyed for 42 years. Whenever I came home the birch was standing tall to welcome me.

     Over the years the birch has fought off  leaf miners and gone through a few droughts. Birch do not have a long life span and this one had lived past its normal life span. In other words it was a very elderly tree. Lastly the birch leaf borer attached the tree and this time the tree did not have the strength to fight off the infestation. Bit by bit , branch by branch the birch lurched into a decrepit state until it was time to take it down. This is the tree that had a branch break off and break my car window and trunk.
Last minutes of a long life

    So recently my friend David came over to take down the birch. David was supposed to get the wood but he declined as he didn't want to get the birch borer in his tree. Fortunately neighbors across the street came to my rescue and took the wood and most of the bigger branches for their outside stove. They were extremely helpful and helped in the total clean up of the tree,
More branches to clean up

    So there we are cleaning up the branches and wood.
Branches to be cleaned up

    The tall stump is left so that we can carve a simple sculpture on it and put our house number on it. 
Good neighbor Barb and the stump

    So another old friend has passed and gone.

    

27 comments:

  1. Colin (CEO of "H/K/L" enterprisesWednesday, August 15, 2012

    Sad to see but necessary to do.
    Old and infected trees can be a hazard.
    Regarding the left over tree trunk.
    Will you be putting something on the top, I forget what it is but it stops sprouting??
    Now that you are full of vim and vigour, thanks to the present warmish Alberta summer, on close analysis of your photos I think some of the trunk of this tree could have been "uninfested" and used for hatch building. I trust you have informed your neighbours of the pending industry that will be established???
    I think Barb might be a good Public Relations Officer.
    Oh yes, regarding Mandarin, learn Cantonese, they are easier to conduct business with.
    Yours most cordially
    Colin (Brisbane. Australia)
    CEO of the "H/K/L" enterprises.
    ps: delightful weather here, somehow, I think our August has been lost, and about time.

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    1. No need to put anything on top to prevent sprouting. These trees are well behaved. If you get lucky there may be a sucker from the bottom.
      I have some junk wood for the hutches don't worry.

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  2. Sad to lose a tree like this,I have always enjoyed birches

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    1. Birch don't have a long life span so this one went a few extra years.

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  3. I love birch trees and can understand having to cut it down.
    Love the idea of sculping it and putting your house numbers on it. What a neat idea.
    Looking forward to seeing those results.

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    Replies
    1. I'll only share my art if it turns out. I may have to try a few times and find the stump gets pretty short.

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  4. It is always sad to see an old friend pass on - especially a birch. I love those trees.

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    Replies
    1. There are many types of birch...all beauties.

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  5. It's always sad to lose a tree! :( We have a chainsaw-carving artist in this area who turns stumps into works of art. I'm glad you have plans for what's left of your noble old birch.

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  6. It's the way of things, isn't it, Red? Old friends die and we mourn their loss. I like the idea of carving your street address into the tree stump. Nice neighbors you've got there. Can I trade you? :-)

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    1. I'll only trade the noisy neighbors!!!
      Noise is rarely an issue with single dwellings.

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  7. Good olde friend your Birch, eh. Yah, I know how you feel as we cut down olde Maple in front of house, also, after branch fell across road. Town took it down, as they examined it and declared it in very bad shape. Miss that shade, so in backyard, new young tree begins called Oak. Nice story Red.

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    1. Ya the spot in the yard looks a little empty.

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  8. Hi, I'm here from DJanity's hiking blog, and wanted to introduce myself. Now birch trees are absolutely beautiful. Too bad it had to come down. But, it's necessary sometime. Still, like an old friend. I like the idea that you're going to carve something it it and add your house number. Clever.

    Anyway, nice to meet you.

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    1. Thanks for dropping into Hiawatha House and leaving a comment. Since I've never carved before this could get "ugly."

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  9. you can certainly tell it had a long life by the size of that base. i know you loved it.

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    1. These trees only grow about 30 ft high so make good yard trees as they don't overgrow the space.

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  10. It's the sad think with flowers, bushes and trees that they don't last forever, you'll have to get used to seeing that sudden void. I like birches - they look so fresh - but they're said to draw water from their vicinity and possibly damage other trees or plants this way.

    I'm really curious and eager to see what sort of sculpture will be carved into the stump, Red :)

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    1. Birch have a shallow root system and it spreads out a long way. I don't know if they do damage.
      Don't hold your breath on my carving.

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  11. It is sad indeed to see the passing of an old friend. RIP Mr Birch

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  12. Sad for sure..I hope you will plant one of the new varieties..they are supposed to be borer resistant. Nice neighbors! :)

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  13. It's always a heartbreaker to lose a fine tree but it sure had a good life. I love the idea of using its trunk for art and address. Long may it live on this way.

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  14. I always ALWAYS hate to lose a tree friend. Where we live they take forever to get big and there really aren't many of them.


    Linda
    http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
    http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

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  15. I like that you kept the stump! Hope you'll post soon!

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