Girls Coffeeshop Talk

[East Bay Rider]

Originally Posted by Lisa

... Bill, I think you're right... "just one more branch!" Shortly after we moved in, Dave, in a most unusual flurry of outside activity never to be seen again, cut down a huge fig tree and two redbuds in the back yard. All I could say was, "Why?" I think the answer was... power tools.

Either that or they were interfering with his ham radio signal.

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by East Bay Rider

Either that or they were interfering with his ham radio signal.

You totally understand him.

Now, any advice on how to live with him?

[East Bay Rider]

Cheerily. I know I know there are some deficiencies, we all have them, but anyone with all those talents, know how, interests and abilities must be fun to know.
If I was shipwrecked I'd want folks like Dave on the island.

[dbelle7]

Originally Posted by Lisa

I think it's our state flag.

You would think I would have guess that before I guessed underwear.

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by dbelle7

You would think I would have guess that before I guessed underwear.

[Rodentman]

Our naybore across the street cut down a huge oak tree because he thought it would fall on his house. There was nothing wrong with it, and the builders of the home worked very hard to preserve it during construction. There were plenty of acorns and squirrels too. I have a big cottonwood in my backyard that is more fragile and less desirable than an oak, but it's staying.

[gmh1013]

I have a peach, 2 silver oaks,an orange, and 2 pear trees,and a huge fig in our yard in Cypress TX and all survived hurricane Ike ....I was worried the oak would fall on the house..
The fig tree fell and we had to take the truck and pull it up.
every leaf was blown off every tree but that was it.
We had a steady 75-80mph wind for 6+ hours and gust close to 100.
Never want to ride out any hurricane again....
I'll head back home to Phoenix

[chicfarmer1]

I'm upset on your behalf, Lisa. Want to smack those boys.

My fairly new and all-time favorite tree guy has a very sparing philosophy. He'll cut deadwood but is extremely cautious about attacking the trees. I have gigantic elderly (100+ yrs) maples that are really at the end of their life cycle, so we do what we can to preserve, and that means going conservative.

So, men with power tools but aren't maniacs do exist.

[The Joker]

Just watching Yuja Wang (who happens to be a Rolex ambassador) was thinking of Flight of the Bumble-Bee as my next piece.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8alxBofd_eQ

[East Bay Rider]

Dying maple that my bride defends. We've had to cut almost every other tree in the yard since we bought the place back in '98 and she's just not going to let this one go so I'll wait for nature to do its thing. Damn thing keeps standing through every storm, though I don't know how. Neighbors are smart enough not to park under it.

[Lisa]

That tree was probably planted when your house was built, Bill.

We have a huge maple in the back yard, as well. Its trunk is probably 4 feet across. It loses big branches when we have wind or ice storms, which I guess it Nature's way of keeping it thinned somewhat.

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by chicfarmer1

I'm upset on your behalf, Lisa. Want to smack those boys.

My fairly new and all-time favorite tree guy has a very sparing philosophy. He'll cut deadwood but is extremely cautious about attacking the trees. I have gigantic elderly (100+ yrs) maples that are really at the end of their life cycle, so we do what we can to preserve, and that means going conservative.

So, men with power tools but aren't maniacs do exist.

I know - foolish kids! The mom comes to visit fairly often - wonder if she'll give them a lecture. Someone needs to!

Good tree care is expensive, though. One guy offered to trim out our huge maple and remove all the dead branches and gave us an estimate of $4,000. We decided to hold off.

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by The Joker

Just watching Yuja Wang (who happens to be a Rolex ambassador) was thinking of Flight of the Bumble-Bee as my next piece.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8alxBofd_eQ

She probably needed a nap after that! Wow!

[Rodentman]

That's quite a tree. I bet squirrels would have fun it in.

Our crocuses survived two snowstorms and look pretty good:





Pandarus is guarding some of my solar powered watches getting a quick charge:



And yes there is still some snow left, but it will be gone tomorrow I am sure!



The bad news is that I found another watch I want, a Grand Seiko Spring Drive. If I can find a spare 6k....

[Rodentman]

I got an email today from an amputee website which read, in part:

«Come hear the U.S. national expert, Dr. Roy Bloebaum, who is leading a team of researchers and surgeons from the University of Utah and the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Salt Lake City to provide an alternative to sockets via osseointegrated direct skeletal attachment of prosthetic limbs. For the past six years, this team has been developing a device that can be implanted directly into a person’s residual bone, passing through the skin, so they can securely attach a prosthetic limb without the need for a socket.»

I emailed my prosthetist asking him what time tomorrow I can come in for this procedure. He hasn't answered me yet. I suspect he won't.

[East Bay Rider]

Pretty cool technology.

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by Rodentman

Pandarus is guarding some of my solar powered watches getting a quick charge:

What a cute cat, is that a Siamese?

As for the GS, you sure have good tastes Bob! I've been wanting a vintage one for quite a long time but haven't found the money for it...yet...

Originally Posted by Rodentman

I got an email today from an amputee website which read, in part:

«Come hear the U.S. national expert, Dr. Roy Bloebaum, who is leading a team of researchers and surgeons from the University of Utah and the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Salt Lake City to provide an alternative to sockets via osseointegrated direct skeletal attachment of prosthetic limbs. For the past six years, this team has been developing a device that can be implanted directly into a person’s residual bone, passing through the skin, so they can securely attach a prosthetic limb without the need for a socket.»

I emailed my prosthetist asking him what time tomorrow I can come in for this procedure. He hasn't answered me yet. I suspect he won't.

That sure sounds like great technology, I still wish you to get an answer|

[East Bay Rider]

Originally Posted by Lisa

That tree was probably planted when your house was built, Bill...

Imagine the things it's seen. The house was built in 1900.

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by Rodentman

I got an email today from an amputee website which read, in part:

«Come hear the U.S. national expert, Dr. Roy Bloebaum, who is leading a team of researchers and surgeons from the University of Utah and the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Salt Lake City to provide an alternative to sockets via osseointegrated direct skeletal attachment of prosthetic limbs. For the past six years, this team has been developing a device that can be implanted directly into a person’s residual bone, passing through the skin, so they can securely attach a prosthetic limb without the need for a socket.»

I emailed my prosthetist asking him what time tomorrow I can come in for this procedure. He hasn't answered me yet. I suspect he won't.

Another step closer to creating the bionic man, sounds like!

Bob, do you have a prosthetic lower leg from the knee down, or is it the entire leg?

[dbelle7]

Originally Posted by Lisa

I know - foolish kids! The mom comes to visit fairly often - wonder if she'll give them a lecture. Someone needs to!

Good tree care is expensive, though. One guy offered to trim out our huge maple and remove all the dead branches and gave us an estimate of $4,000. We decided to hold off.

$4000? wow, I had no idea! I would think you could get one of those full-grown tree hauling trucks that transports a big 'ol mature tree with a huge ball of dirt attached to just come over and pop a new one in the ground for $4000!

[Lisa]

You're probably right! I can't imagine shelling out that kind of money. The tree does need some attention, though... and I sure wouldn't want to be the guys who would have to climb up it.

Here's a pic from a few years ago, when we cleared that side of the yard to get it ready for a cedar fence. The maple's covered with layers of thick vines, which I also wonder about... will they hurt the tree?

[East Bay Rider]

Is that an electric wire running across the tree? If so that's contributing to the high price.

[Lisa]

It's an old telephone line, and it really isn't very close to the tree - it runs diagonally from the utility pole in the corner of the yard.

Maybe he also said he'd remove the vines and that was included in the price. I can't remember.

[chicfarmer1]

I don't pay anything like that estimate for tree work, but I pay often enough, because maintenance is not optional for this space. The big trees are absolutely intrinsic to the beauty and do the hard work of cooling and shading (they're on west and south sides). And they're close enough to the house to have impact in case of a big limb coming down. My main one out front looks pretty bad these days but is actually still healthy because of our talented arborist.

[The Joker]

I had the same with a tree in my front lawn, although it was much smaller than that.

Ivy had grown all over nearly reaching the top. I don't think it will really kill the tree or anything, but could lead to an earlier demise. Will be alot of extra weight depends how far it has got. Ivy pulled down my fences in the back yard.

I trimmed it round the trunk, that was easy, then 6 months later removed it from the tree. That was hard work. But it looks happier now.

[Lisa]

The vines could be severed around the tree and much of their root system removed, I suppose, but they are attached to the trunk and branches pretty securely. It would be a bugger of a project to get them down. They reach nearly to the top of the tree - some 70 or 80 feet, I'd guess. Ack. I have low-level anxiety about the whole thing.

[chicfarmer1]

It might depend on the kind of vine it is, I think. Some may be more companion vs. parasitic. In a quick Google I found this:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/l...427534695.html

But this about vines that do cause damage:
http://www.mortonarb.org/tree-plant-...and-vines.html

So, it's not "vines" per se but what they are and if you can detect any stress to the tree.

I am a total ignoramus on trees, so this is just a start to consider.

[The Joker]

Originally Posted by Lisa

The vines could be severed around the tree and much of their root system removed, I suppose, but they are attached to the trunk and branches pretty securely. It would be a bugger of a project to get them down. They reach nearly to the top of the tree - some 70 or 80 feet, I'd guess. Ack. I have low-level anxiety about the whole thing.

Think it'll be easier to move

[Lisa]

And then there's this: The ivy on our maple is probably English Ivy - it looks exactly like the pics online.


http://armn.org/2012/03/15/choking-h...rginias-trees/

[The Joker]

Well I hope this doesn't affect how you feel about all things English.