Storm damage from July 1st & 2nd

 Not to bore you with all the photos, but I do want to record the damage. It helps me to process it, and figure out a plan of attack. We'll have to get someone in, and I need to figure out what I want done. 

I'm feeling a little better today. It's a bit of a shock, and to see those majestic poor white pines... The sun brings a new day. It was a nice view at 5:30!

Tree House White Pine Tree

We spotted the fallen pine tree branches from the house, the next day, July 2nd, another big fall. These beautiful old white pine trees are susceptible to the wind. This is the tree with the tree house. It whipped off the top in two spots.

Before and after...

Pine Tree at the Frogpond

We've lost the top of one beautiful old pine, in the forest just along the path to the pond. 

Down the hill to the meadow a small job.

Deal Elm out front

That is not all. I didn't explore here until the next day. Our rescue squirrel tree is down. The 3 squirrels have moved on and out, which is good. It was an old Elm, ravaged by Dutch Elm disease. It was a perfect spot for the squirrel nest box.

2012 – the sumacs have since died, shallow soil, climate change,
lack of moisture... the original owners mowed all of this. 
The integrity of the Sumac grove was compromised.

2026 the squirrel nest box

The path down to the meadow is blocked. Glad I mowed prior to the storm. 

No one was home. 

The Five Sisters

One trunk fell a number of years ago. When a tree falls in the forest – 2016. We are sort of down to 3 sisters, plus two half sisters.

Barry's Aspen Grove out back

Barry Beaver's Aspen trees are down. In the spring photo you can see all the older Aspen trees on the right, reflecting the sunshine. They are all down. 

All gone.

The path is quite blocked. 

I think we need to wait to see how much Barry eats and/or moves. In the fall we can call in our people to harvest the wood. Burning Aspen isn't as good as other hardwoods, the BTU is very low in comparison. This is why Barry prefers Aspen and Willow. 

Barry has continued to work on it... the doe did an inspection.

From there I went on down to the point. (Maybe that's where I got my tick, a nymph!) The edge of the wetland is chaotic.

What else in the neighbourhood?

We drove to the village to get gas for my lawn tractor. We passed this sweet little church. They lost a big Maple tree which appears on Google maps from Autumn.

Looks like lots of people to help. I heard chain saws for several days from a couple km away.

Crumbled Acres

Friday morning I spent sawing up some of the dead pine tree out front. I have two skilsaw batteries, but ran out of juice. Well *I* ran out of juice, too. I got dizzy in the sweat and heat. Covered in bug spray, a few tick bites, and only 3 deerfly bites. How is that for positivity?! 

Before I begin, we've two Freds left, as far as I can tell. At least I had two on camera at the same time. Maybe three, as we've spotted one in the vicinity of the far burrow, #4.

This was in the morning.  The poor pine tree.

I worked on it. This is what I had left to do. I cannot move this. Nor will my Skilsaw manage it. I took a walk down to lot #3, and realized we're going to have to hire someone. Pathways are blocked. I did do the lawn in this area. 

Bruce came and fixed our roof for us, to replace our lost shingles. They fixed us up, but pointed out that the shingles were badly done. They nailed them about 6" too high, missing a sweet spot. We'd hired Whyte's Maintenance for this when we first moved here. This is the third incident of shingles blown off in a wind. May, 2018: A massive windstorm; June, 2026 Shingle repairs, by our SIL.

I don't mind paying someone to do a good job. This will last until we get the whole thing done.

Cherry tomatoes!

Apple strawberry crisp:

Caitlin's still on her concert tour! The choir is giving performances. One in Tallinn, another at the Riga NATO base. This is the 'Green Room' they used at the Tallinn church, plus a relaxing moment with a friend. 

This is one of their venues. This sanctuary in Riga was built in 1234. They've since moved on to Klaipeda, Lithuania for more touristy stuff and concerts.

 

Our grandie, Jordan, got himself a job in Kingston. Everyone is so happy for him. He's doing a summer course at the same time. Aster just visited him, and they had great sibling time! Aster cut their hair at a school year-end party!

Ah, they grow up so soon!