Wednesday, June 18, 2008

LOGGING

I am so far behind in my blog. I have felt "paralyzed" when it came to doing anything. I was exhibiting symptoms of depression--common in diabetes, but I am feeling better now so will try to catch up.
DeWayne has been "logging" now for over six months and has cut down around 20 trees. We have piles of firewood all over the place. Most of the trees that fell were pines with just one spruce and a hemlock or two. Here De is cutting down a tree in the front with his little chain saw.


In the photo below De is using his new Stihl saw in the back acre cutting down numerous trees. This saw works so much better. Racer is watching his Grandpa.


All the trees had to have the branches cut off, and De cleaned up all the undergrowth and brush underneath the trees. He says he is going to make a wheelchair trail through the woods up to the ridge and build a viewing platform up there.


The kids liked the new trails and cleared areas. Ryder is riding his bike down the hill from the house down into the woods. They even put up their play tent down in the trees.


Tiffany is helping her dad clean up the brush in back.


Here are some of the downed trees. DeWayne cuts them into 16 inch logs and stacks them where they fall. They are too heavy to carry very far. We can see all our neighbors with the trees gone. Racer is playing in the logs with his bike.


This is one of the log piles in front of the house with the bare land behind it that used to be forest.


Tiffany and DeWayne cleaning up and burning the brush and branches from the trees.


Racer and Ryder LOVE the fire.


DeWayne is hauling up another wheelbarrow full of brush and limbs.


Ryder and DeWayne taking a well-earned break.

There are a few more trees left to cut down--maybe 5 or so. One of them is that giant spruce.
Firewood anyone? We have a ten year supply!

6 comments:

Jennifer said...

YEAH!!!You are back online. I love the new photos- Dad looks just like a mountain man! I think it is great that he still has so much strength and energy to be logging and I love the idea of him making you a cute little path through the woods. That is really a sweet gesture. It is good to see photos of Tiff helping out too, I miss that little sister. I am so glad to hear from you! I know you get depressed but, please, dont fade away into the background like that again. I have missed you so much. Great job on your post and welcome back Mama! Love, Jenn

Jamie said...

Wow that is awsome and I bet it looks much better now that it's cleared of tree's... Looks like alot of work not something I would want to do here in az in the 112 degree weather:) We are glad you are doing better grandma:)

Ashley said...

Wow cool, I can not wait to come up next week with Regen and RELAX.

I dont know where graham is at. Its Camp Torkham and I know it is right by the pakistan border. He won't tell me anything else. Its all top secret. I am SOOOO nervous about those prisoners. Makes me really worried.

ebow said...

Hey mom. Glad to see you posting again. We are all so jazzed to be up at your house in a week or so. It is amazing how much energy dad has compared to Vince's dad who was just here. Bob is 74, but dad moves around like he's in his 50's. I wish our stay could be longer. We will have to come again and make two trips a year instead of one. We love you and can't wait to see you!!!

Michelle Lee said...

Hi Mom, glad to see your post. I know it can be a pain sometimes to post on your blog, but we all love seeing what your life is like up there. I know I check everyone's blog everday hoping that they posted something new. Just do a little at a time and you will get caught up. Hope everything goes well at your doctor's appt. Can't wait to see you really soon. Love you, Shelly

DJ said...

I'm so glad you are feeling a little better and back posting. It's like getting a letter and we havn't heard from you since your birthday. Kirk has bouts of depression and fatigue with his diabetes also, but you wouldn't know it from this past week and weekend. He spent all day digging up a 3' by 3' hole in the front yard due to a broken main water line and the root systen was incredibly compacted and he had to use a chainsaw and a sawzahl to het to the main line, it took over 8 hours to reach it in 115 degree heat, then he cut the line and replaced it, so far so good...then he spent this weekend working on Kris's car in 115 degree heat, and will go back this evening to hopefully finish.
I hate to see all those trees gone, I'm glad that Dad and Tiff can clear and move logs and brush, even if it's a little at a time, the path sounds awesome and a viewing deck too...cool.