Chipping Away

Posted byGary FultzPosted inabundant life, accomplishment, Gary Fultz, Gary Fultz Blog, Nature, storm cleanupTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I didn’t realize my subtle title mention of storm cleanup. Mostly chainsaw work mixed with tractors, skid steer and a big dump trailor. The following picture is a camera view of one of our two driveways on the left side of the picture.

I took a few pictures here and there but mostly have been clearing trees from road and lawn and now trails in the woods. Today, my wife and I replaced a section of metal roof on a shed. I had not noticed the two bad roof punctures. I put a gallery of pictures that can be clicked to enlarge if you are on the website. I have also included a couple pictures to show that a storm need not keep anyone away from doing some regular activities. That would make for a poor excuse (except for an obvious lack of keeping in touch with blogger friends) sigh.

In picture form storm damage doesn’t seem too bad. In reality we lost a couple hundred trees that we know about. We haven’t made it very far into the woods trails yet.

Things I have learned: Oak trees have 5 times the number of branches that I thought they had. Spruce trees have 100 times the number I thought they had…seriously. One cannot have too many chainsaws as trees twist and pinch and hold sawblades quickly. Trees groan under the weight of fallen trees and are ready to snap at any given time or any change in wind gusts or direction.

Storms are life altering in both good and tough ways. Be they windstorms or life storms, there is damage seen and unseen. Friends are forged in a storms aftermath. It’s very possible that more is gained than lost in the most difficult of storms. How much is a new friend worth? I think I’m getting dangerously close to something Jesus might say.

Gary

Published by Gary Fultz

Outdoors Man, Hunter, Fisherman, Guide, Writer / Author, Photographer, Public Speaker, Musician, Song Writer, Story Teller, Follower Of Jesus. Love God and family and total strangers

54 thoughts on “Chipping Away”

  2. Sorry, Gary – my comment got wiped out and then I left an incomplete one. Gah! It’s mindboggling for me to wrap my head around losing a couple hundred trees. Glad you got out on the water in the midst of it!

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    1. Thanks Wynn. I decided to celebrate the stages of cleanup. First, I cleared our main driveway and friends helped clear the tree off our house. Then, after discovering the lawns and getting them so we could mow grass, I took a visiting friend fishing. Being a grandson got in some cleanup time, he needed a fishing trip as well. Cleanup the rest of the way will be a marathon and not a sprint.

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      2. Wow, Gary, like others have commented, I can’t believe the scope of the damage. How big is your property? I can’t imagine how much space a few hundred trees take up, but it seems like a lot.

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    2. Thanks Stacy…We have 80 acres, mostly heavily wooded. 100 trees does not take up much space. Depending on trees sizes and if they clump together, 100 plus trees can be on an acre of land. seems impossible until one starts counting. we lost 40 trees along our driveways and in and around the 3 yards and garden, which would take up 4 acres of mostly open land next to heavy woods.

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  3. A couple hundred trees! Wow, you must be exhausted my friend. Yes, we often discover more about ourselves and others in the work of storm cleanup than in a pew. As an old tree man I can only say, stay alert and careful with every cut. It only takes one branch unexpectedly springing back to alter a life. God bless , strengthen and watch over you. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Yes, you know about that Pete. I have some cuts and scrapes from trees rolling and branches that come out of nowhere to attack. I had a tree roll on my skidsteer forks and a branch came into the cab after me. I use a very long tow rope to pull trees down or secure them so they cant come my way upon cutting….above all, taking my time to observe before making a cut. There are some great life lessons and stories that can come out of the storms

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  7. Such beautiful metaphor, Gary! Family members are experiencing a “life storm” right now, and I pray that all involved gain much more than they lose through the trials and difficulties.

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    1. It’s always hard when family is in the storm(s). It is the time to know that God uses those times for his good and ultimately ours…I have always disliked that process though. I think we have all prayed to remove that cup from us at some point knowing God wants to hear “not my will but yours…”

      We had more storms last night. Part of a storms beauty is the awesome size of a storm that is so much bigger and stronger than us. I am in awe of the story of the boat being swallowed by the storm while Jesus walks on the water…he’s just bigger than any of our life’s storms. That’s a comfort to me that penetrates eternity eventually.

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  8. Thanks for the update, Gary. I appreciate it and all the pictures. Those shots with the bright sunshine give a great sense of hope and strength. I have been wondering about your situation and have offered up a prayer or two.

    “So much didn’t happen that could have.” I read through all the comments and noted these wise words. If a man manages to live long enough he sees a lot of this. In the midst of the really difficult and the really bad a man must quickly get a handle on it and not let any of it defeat him. Ever. With such an attitude (“Nice shot but I will win in the end”), one sees so much that didn’t happen that could have. And one is thankful. This makes for big smiles and catching fish in the meantime. Y’all do this well.

    I am impressed by the big community turnout and the ongoing helping-each-other-out-to-get-it-all-done efforts toward returning to the previous order with an even better order though many trees and the landscape had to suffer. But it’s all been suffering for eons THOUGH NEVER DEFEATED. The nature the Lord created is not out to defeat itself. “At the end of the storm is a golden sky…”

    Even though, more and more people are waking up to the fact that something really sinister and unnatural is going on weather wise and it could be the case with what hit you guys. Yet the Lord has arranged things in such a way that good will always triumph over evil, even if the latter gives it his all, as long as there are those who stand with Him. You are doing this and it proves my point and is also very encouraging.

    Enjoy. You’re Blessed.

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    1. Thanks RJ. A good side note in all this…Nature was created to survive and recover extremely well. I am always amazed that no storms damage ever goes to waste in the long run. The landscape sure changed but the deer adapted really fast by eating my wife’s surviving lower garden. She is very unhappy and immediately found the nearest deer season listing. I hid the 30-30 shells. Trees bent over from the wind are trying to straighten already. I see some animal dug out a den where some big tree roots lifted. The list goes on. Bees are rebuilding nests (I have to check under the decks constantly). We are blessed yes.

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      1. A good laugh… (Shot my first deer with a 30-30 Marlin as a youth…), and a good feeling. You’ve expressed it well—nature is a great teacher: Another way the Lord communicates as you know very well…

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  9. Wow! That is a lot of firewood! I am so glad that you and your family made it through the storm okay. I am sorry about all the trees that came down, but I am glad no one got hurt. God is good. He is always good. I am not surprised that you have made some new friends in the aftermath of the storm. I do believe you are a good friend to a great many people…helping wherever you can. Wishing you blessings as you continue to clean up…hopefully, you will keep catching all those ‘fish’ in your midst.

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    1. Oh yes. Many loads of hardwood firewood plus many cords of saw logs for the mill. A high percentage of homes here burn wood for winter heat so many will be stocked up for 3 years ahead. We don’t burn wood as our daughter is highly allergic to to any whiff of smoke. I’m tempted to make wood flooring out of some of the wood. I’ve already overloaded a local wood carver friend. He makes fancy high end spoons and ladles. And, yes, our big equipment helps us make friends of some of the normally “stand-offish” people nearby.

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  10. To be the owner of your own personal woods sounds delightful–until you’re the one responsible for storm-clean-up, especially for a couple of hundred trees. Lessons in patience and perseverance ahead, that’s for sure! May God give you strength and joy, Gary–in the process as well as the progress.

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    1. So true Nancy. We have 80 acres in a fairly remote rural area. Our woods area is heavily covered woods and sloughs between small hills. In the pines, spruce and balsams sunlight doesn’t reach the ground. Now it does. We do have big equipment, chainsaws, sawmill and planers for woods care….this take time between fishing trips. I hope to plant twice as many trees as we lost next spring…it’s a good thing to care for what one has been entrusted. We also wanted to share the trails and nearby lake so our little rustic cabin in the woods has been appreciated greatly. Our grandkids will cast lots for the cabin someday.

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  11. I am so sorry to hear about your storm and all the damaged it did. I know it is a lot of work and will take a long time to recover. In August 2020 a derecho passed through our area. We lost many many trees, electricity, cell service for a week or more. So much work and loss. People really came together during the pandemic. Some places still look bare even now. Prayers for recovery.

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    1. wow, a voice from the past. Good to hear from you Connie. We had some rotation in various areas with this Derachio. One our neighbors had all the windows blown out and the furniture wrecked inside but the house stood. Weird. We are going to make the rest of our cleanup a marathon rather than a sprint. Gave away a trailor load of oak firewood today. Yes, lots of people coming together. Hope all is well your way

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    1. Yes, grandsons are great at work and then play. This one helped get the tree off our roof. earned a fishing trip. I don’t burn firewood. I give many cords of cut and split firewood each year to some who need it and can’t physically do the work.

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    1. Thanks Nancy, Yes, making good headway, just give me a couple years to clean up the unseen stuff. Sometimes I want my ending statement to just open and tip over a discussion box geared for a deeper conversation. I like to call it “campfire talk”, knowing it could be quite misconstrued or pounced on by those who like to keep things in the box.

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  15. A couple of hundred trees. I don’t say this for comparison, only to commiserate: I once experienced a storm that flooded my home. I lost a few hundred books. I feel your pain. However, “It’s very possible that more is gained than lost in the most difficult of storms.”

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    1. You know the loss. It’s hard. I once sold a business and moved the family 600 miles back to my home-town (to much higher ground) just before our rental place was flooded. So much to lose and clean up inside the house. I just have lots of cleanup outside on this storm. Buildings and other damage is outside and fixable or replaceable. Sooner or later we all experience loss and then understand others in loss.

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    1. Ah, you have experienced it…many have not. It reminds me often how the bible says “all creation groans and travails” …”Much of our forest is so thick the ground doesn’t see sunlight. Our 80 acres has a few thousand trees of every size. I’m sure it’s not possible in any city. Even a week later we could stand on our deck when the the evening was still and hear groans, loud pops and an occasional tree would let loose and crash. It was not safe out there.

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  17. Wow, Gary, you have been hard at it! I saw a suggestion from one chainsaw “expert” to keep spare bars and chains to fit your saw for when you get hopelessly pinched. Then you can just move leave the pinched bar and chain behind and free it with a new one.

    On a separate note, even your disaster recovery turns out to be a thing of beauty.

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    1. We have been hard at it Jon, but take breaks. One must enjoy the process. I have 3 chainsaws and good chains and ropes to pull trees where they need to be for safe cutting. As I get older my strength, stamina and reflexes are telling me I’m not 28 anymore. We also take breaks to help neighbors.

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  18. Tragic loss indeed. What’s amazing is that you have the skills The skills the strength Some equipment some family resources To to begin responding to what are almost tragic events that happened to you. It’s hard to imagine what would like be like without the kinds of resources you have including skills and work ethic. And then to top it off to show off beautiful fish that might be a diversion or might just be a way to feed the family I don’t know. In any case I wish you well as you move forward I’m trying to get back to life as somewhat normal. I know it will be a long road. Just a curiosity you said the house across the street got hit pretty hard Is it still livable and in use or is it beyond that kind of option. I’m dictating this so it may be a little clumsy and sloppy but if you can make it out go ahead and read it

    JDB

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    1. All houses on the 4 corners are good and live-able John. All of us were hit hard but the houses are intact ND now all is fixed. We all lost half the trees in our yards, mostly the old oaks. sad. I had 3 guys over today cutting and splitting their winters firewood…when you get “back to normal” come on up to the Northwoods and join us. I’ll put fish on the grill.

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      1. Any excuse to write to you is welcome. If I ever come up there again and I have some physical ability I’d rather pile up some wood in your yard then go fishing. I’m a lumberjack at heart but not necessarily at body. Good to hear a note of optimism And think how many houses are warm because of your almost tragic experience I’m talking about firewood across. I wish you a good day JD

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  20. Wow, that sounds like a massive cleanup effort. seriously impressive work! I can totally relate to the unexpected projects storms bring. We had some crazy wind damage here too, and I’ve been working with some garage door repair guys to fix up our door that got totally jammed. Nothing like a storm to throw random challenges your way, but you’re right, there’s a lot to learn and gain through it all! Keep at it!

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    1. So true Jeanie. Our neighbor down the road had her big garage door kinked and off the rails. Her car was held hostage until the door could be taken out and replaced. Most of our lawns were covered with branches big and small. We spent a lot of time picking anything up that the lawn mower couldn’t mulch. Lately we have been pulling down big broken branches and treetops (that are still hanging on) with a tractor and chains that could hurt something if they fell wrong. it’s amazing how small strands of wood are so strong…until they break from wind changes.

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  21. Gee nature can be cruel thats for sure. I reckon our weather is getting worse there is more and more damage done through floods storms and its not good. At least you will have a lot of firewood for the winter I reckon

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