White Pine Stump

For the past 15 years, a climbing hydrangea has been growing on a 60-year old white pine next to our parking area. When a logger came by to look at some other trees, he fingered that pine as a possible problem--it's 30 feet away from the garage. What might happen in a windstorm?

The logger's father came to estimate the job, and he suggested cutting the four top sprouts and leaving a 40-foot tall stump with the climbing hydrangea. What an elegant solution!

The crane came on Saturday, and four hours later, i had a very tall pine column still covered with the climbing hydrangea. 

The four major upright limbs of the pine have been reduced to a pile of wood chips.

When the time comes, this body will be reduced to a small box of ashes and dust.

I'll use the giant pile of wood chips to freshen up my woodland paths. There are some plants that actually prefer to grow in wood chips.

Old life gives birth to new.