Imbolc Woodpecker Moon
A chain saw morning. Certain trees, elm and oak in particular, have windows of time when pruning does not expose them to disease: dutch elm disease and oak wilt. One of those windows is late winter, a window the weather gods seem determined to close early this year.
We had some pruning on what I think of as the three sisters, three oaks growing close together on the northern edge of our garden, and on the lone young elm that resides just inside the garden fence, also on the northerly side.
Chain saws do not like old gas, gas over 30 days in the tank, so each time I use the chain saw we have to get fresh gas, toss some two-cycle oil in it, then cranker’up. Kate got me a gallon yesterday afternoon while she was out. I adulterated it this morning, poured the old gas out of the chainsaw, filled it with fresh gas/oil. It needed bar and chain oil, too, a gunky, thick oil that lubricates the chain and the bar around which it spins. Added that.
In the oak’s case I had to use a ladder, not a real wise idea with a chain saw, but in true stupid home owner fashion, I went ahead anyhow. On my behalf I am very careful with the chain saw and felt this was a risk I could handle. Worked out ok.
The elm did not require the ladder.
The limbs and branches are down. At some future point I’ll limb them and cut them up for brush or firewood, probably firewood since we purchased a steel fire pit at the end of last summer and have yet to install it.
