Well, you are presenting an argument by asking that question. It's like saying "You are brainwashed, prove to me you're not", and... "If you disagree with me you're definitely brainwashed". Who wants to play in that sandbox? It's more fun challenging your premise ;-)
-AJ
NASA funding cuts? Incompetent/inconsistent government and corporate leadership? And more specifically SpaceX's Elon Musk is a deeply erratic individual who seems constantly on the edge of meltdown. So NASA is dumping him for a new rocket/spacecraft builder, that just added another couple years...
Makes sense. I informed the owner that the tree has problems. There's zero chance they were going to pay to do anything about it. It looked like they were just getting by and tree work was the last thing they were going to think about.
-AJ
Great description of catalpa wood's characteristics. I've worked on a enough of them that I think I've internalized that and don't think about it. What I am thinking is "What a weird and cool species, you make me slightly uncomfortable" ;-)
I think you're right that it probably would've held...
My first climbing line was Yale Ropes Poison Ivy, thx Nick Araya for suggesting it at the time, 2005. Ha, it milked more than 2.5' of cover, that's how a great line can start its career.
Thank you Jamie Goddard, that game changing contribution to tree climbing would be enough. Clearly there's...
That’s a wild one! When I read the first couple of stanzas I was thinking I really like when Frost writes about his yard. There are a few. People write the best on their home ground.
Not an actual sentimental bone in Frost’s body despite him being the icon of New England days and ways gone by...
For the upcoming cold season:
Winter is for waiting.
As sure as the owl perches
or the coyote walks,
winter is waiting for answers to come.
As sure as the snow sparkles
or your fingertips sting,
winter knows answers are near.
Yes indeed, sounds like you had an awesome yard climbing tree.
Catalpa not being native to eastern Mass./southern New Hampshire I suspect it started growing on farmland with second/third growth forest coming in as farming declined. Then housing development spread into the overgrown farmland and...
Well described. Coastal/wet snow or hard rain straight line storms might be part of the reason but not enough of a reason ;-) Poor structural form and relatively weak wood would be enough.
It's interesting with catalpa, there are some areas, southern more rural side of Nashua, NH for example...
I can imagine on takedowns especially this technique is key. On this catalpa I could not see the bad news codom from the ground, leaf cover was too thick. I would've brought a short rope if I knew what was going to happen next. Had enough spare hook line to do it. Thx Roger.
-AJ
That's why if I can do it I want to be at chest height or slightly higher than the cat so I can lift it up and out by the scruff. Pulling down on on them by the scruff is a losing game, I've been bitten pretty badly doing overhead grabs. I'm much better at not being scratched or bitten these...
Situation where I'm batting clean-up after a town DPW bucket crew and an arborist climber can't reach the cat. Climber before me had a good reason to not go further.
Climbing with @oceans many moons ago I saw him "cable" a small double top on a 125' white pine with his secondary lanyard. I'd...
It’s great when these “unknown owner” cats are microchipped. She was back home within an hour and a half of reaching the ground.
She escaped from the owner when they were out away from the home. Cat had no idea where it was when it was tree’d.
-AJ