My chainsaw is pretty much in constant use. So much so that I wore this last one out in only three years. There is always a tree in need of felling on the property. The trail/firebreak alone could keep me busy for months.

When we bought our farm, we decided to have the pine cut off of it. I gave the logging company explicit instructions, "Stay away from this large oak." Of course, they took that as a challenge, cut off its largest limbs and then cut the roots away on one side for a roadbed. Bastards. They killed the tree but, it didn't die instantly. It struggled for a few more years before it died completely as if to absolve the timber company of liability. Stupid tree.

Regardless, the tree had really started shedding some big limbs. Every week I was picking up limbs bigger than 4 inches in diameter and I really wanted it on the ground. Saturday was the day we decided to do it.

On Saturday morning, (While Mirra was finishing her championship! Had to throw that in there for the required Mastiff content.) James went over to his Grandfather's to spread bark and pressure wash the house. They came home about 11:00 and we got to work. It was so bloody hot! We started with Donald's 18" Husqvarna. We knew the saw wasn't big enough but we thought we might be able to remove enough material for the tree to fall. Donald and I worked together and we cut the facing notch almost perfectly. James knocked the notch out with a sledge and we were in business.

At some point I have to point out that tree was not a perfect circle. It was a lumpy 44 inches across on its shortest side and we were lucky in that the short side faced exactly where we wanted the tree to fall. We notched the tree so that the fall was aimed between a small oak and a hickory. The problem was that where we wanted it to fall was about 25-30 degrees off from the natural fall angle. That problem would have to be resolved and did cause 'issues' later.

So I started the back cut and the tree moved forward and scared the crap out of me. It didn't move much but when you are cutting a tree and the back cut starts to open, you notice it. Something about wanting to live keeps you vigilant. From here on, we mostly only had one person at a time working on the tree. Losing one of us would be tragic. All three of us getting hurt or killed would have been, well, more tragic. Anyway, after I made the back cut I went ahead and ringed the tree. At this point I had cut all the way around the tree as deep as that saw would cut. Nothing happened.

We had an old two man cross cut saw that Donald had borrowed from his friend Mark. James and I had previously started using that old saw on this tree with dismal results. I was not looking forward to fighting 'the misery whip' until that tree was on the ground. Donald and I each grabbed an end and started. Woe is me, then thank GOD the handle broke. Darn it! :) Another solution was in order. I had two wedges. I put the first one in the back side of the tree and started to drive it over, and it went! Just not very far and not very fast.

Did I mention that it was hot? Well, I was good for about six whole swings with that twelve pound sledge before I was done and had to rest. At least I could hit the target! Poor James had plenty of stamina but his aim was horrible! After about ten minutes, we had that 2.5 inch wedge completely in and the tree was leaning badly. We started on the second wedge (which was actually an old maul head). The damn thing kept bouncing out so Donald was dispatche dback home to see if he could find his wedges. James and I decided a break was in order while Donald was driving and since Laura had arrived with lunch, a strategy session was called over fried chicken.

Donald didn't find his wedges but he got something better, a bigger saw! He borrowed a bigger saw so after a wholesome lunch we attacked the tree with vigor. The saw was working great and I was really removing a lot of wood and then I messed up and the tree sat down on the tip. DAMN IT! Now we had the big saw trapped and while we were closer to getting the tree down on the north side, the south side hadn't been touched. At this point I admit I was getting pissed. I drove the maul head in to protect the big saw and to turn the tree back toward the direction I wanted it to fall. I picked up the small saw and started notching the south side of the tree.

I really didn't want to do this because I now had notches on two sides of the tree. James knocked the second notch out with the sledge and I put the smaller saw in as deep as I could go INTO the second notch and started cutting fresh wood. I was really NOT enjoying myself now. A ton of tree had been cut and, it was leaning at about thirty degrees! I really should have taken pictures because it was ridiculous. This huge tree had leaned over so far that the six inch cut I originally made was now closed. It was so bad that I guy who cuts trees for Georgia Power drove up, said he had never seen that before, said he had no advise to offer, and just watched.

When the notched closed on the face side it opened up the back cut. I put the 18" saw in the now open saw and probed for any piece of tree I could reach. I found some. I cut another half an inch out and it finally started to fall. The tree bounced and rebounded just enough to set the trunk back up on the stomp. At that point I didn't care. It was on the ground.

If you look you can see how much wood was holding this tree up. That little spike on the stump is about two inches thick and seven inches long. How it held that tree for so long is beyond me. Now I have to figure out how to get it off the stump... The next day, Laura bought me a new saw for Father's Day. Anyone think she is trying to kill me?