Weary of test hanging in the woodshed, yesterday I commenced a preliminary run to my very much under development backyard haven. Several implements of destruction were loaded into me ole huntin' truck and up the hill we went. After clearing underbrush for a couple of hours, the first big project was to do away with a widowmaker. Enlisted spkldoe's help felling this one as it appeared the tree would want to pitch the wrong way.
Practicing my very rudimentary ropecraft...slung a small line thru the 12 ft high forks w/ a weighted bag, pulled up a long heavy rope, tied a slip knot and tugged it into place. Tied that rope to another heavy length using a double fisherman and secured to ball hitch with a couple of half hitches and then spkldoe tensioned whole shebang with the truck. I notched the sizeable sugar maple and commenced the back cut. As the widowmaker begin to give ever so slightly, I whailed like a banshee for spkldoe to pull for all the lil pickup was worth and I continued cutting until the bole pitched to the notch whereupon me and Mr. Stihl most hastily hauled freight out the back door
. The tree settled neatly to the ground in the intended location
and as my sphincter begin to relax, a major adrenaline rush ensued!
Shortly thereafter, the widowmaker was completely vanquished and a firewood supply for our budding backyard campsite (and a share for the woodshed too) was in hand.
After a little more limbing, trimming, piling and raking, next major addition will be a fire pit of field stone gathered from our ground over the years. Nuttin' fancy, just a keyhole pit with chimney rock, a sturdy metal grilling grate and perhaps a dutch oven hanger.
Future plans include a picnic table, a privy and some benches fashioned from a huge Arbovitae (think cedar) log that blew down years ago. I never knew why I kept that log off the ground all these years, but I do now!
It's raining today and progress is hold, but the view from the new site could be worse. Thanks for listening and y'all come on over, the grub and the danglin' is gonna be good!
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