This is a beautiful living cedar.
Unfortunately, the trunk, twenty feet high, had split in half in high winds. So now it was a very dangerous very tall living cedar that is going to come down and is right next to a house.
An expert was consulted. He said the tree could not be taken down intact. Each of the four tall trunks would have to come down individually. This is terribly dangerous, because felling trees is dangerous enough, but when you are up IN the tree, it is worse.
There are four men and me. I am there with a camera. I do not help at all, I just try to stay well out of the way.
When the last trunk fell, it swung towards me and they shouted “Run!” It had slipped of the trunk and can’t be controlled as well even though there was a cable and a machine pulling in the desired direction. I ran and I am still here, thankfully.
For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: WAR. I wish we were all just working and there was no war.
No names or faces, because you know, those loggers are shy and wild, right?
KO Rural Mad As Hell Blog 
Amazing job and pics, and always sad to see an elder tree go.
Not gone. Amputation.
True, that is less sad!
Thats so sad, the poor tree.
The sawyers say that it is not dead and may survive. Trees are tough. It still has a few branches. Maybe it is glad it won’t kill anyone by falling. And that would have killed it, to split in high wind.
I hope what’s left can survive. As you say at least its safe now.
Well, it still has a serious split down the middle. I read in an old book that one should fill the split with dirt, but the loggers had not heard that.
Makes sense the dirt will help stop fungus and infection entering the remains of the tree.
Yes, that’s what I think too. Maybe I will go pour dirt in it. There is a ladder of sorts…
Do that I think it will help.
I love cedar, as a carving wood, and as tree. Seeing that tree come down made me wish I lived closer to you…off go the logs to the mill…cedar cures rapidly… lovely signs and carvings…sigh.
Maybe I can get you a piece….you’d have to come get it. Road trip!!!
I have videos of the trunks coming down, but I can’t figure out how to turn them vertical. Darn.