Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Hook Hook Hook

One of my all time favorite movies ..... Hook.  No one played Peter Pan better than Robin Williams, or Captain Hook better than Dustin Hoffman.  I've probably watched it twenty times.  WAY too many.  So much so that the words Hook Hook Hook travel through my brain quite often.  Yesterday, I think Hook himself paid me a visit.

Here's my boo boo for the day.  The moral of the story is never wear shorts when tree pruning.
When it's 85-90 degrees outside however, you surely don't want levis.  I've no idea what this tree is, but it has thousands of one inch long daggers throughout.  It's a man killer.  It's also huge, putting out 20 foot long branches.   I've considered taking it out completely, but it does provide shade for critters and it is (or at least was) very nice looking, as long as you don't get too close.
That's when it whips out it long branches and tries to strike you down!!  Mr. Chance was working at a neighbor's house and needed a place to dump a few backhoe buckets of dirt.  PERFECT for me.  I could use some fill around the tree to level things out.  

However, there really wasn't room to do that unless quite a few tree limbs disappeared.  Just when I thought I had it made, meaning I didn't get stuck or pricked with a needle, one limb lashed out and scarred me for life.  OUCH!!  Honestly, it barely grazed my leg, but those spines are so sharp, it sliced through like Hook's hook, in a nice S curve, causing blood to flow.  
This morning, in spite of antibiotic cream, it's quite swollen and very sore.  Must be poison in the tree.  Not really, but it's mighty uncomfortable.  A small price to pay for the much enlarged parking spot and level walkway to the gate.  No more tipping sideways when I drag out the lawnmower and  go through that gate.  ALL thanks to Mr. Chance.
Now all I have to do is cut up those remaining branches into bite sized pieces and toss them in the garbage can .... next time ...  because it's full to the brim at the moment.  Those two inch and larger branches, taken down by my handy dandy little hand saw, will be hauled off.

In the meantime, I'm sure HOOK is laughing at me.  Next time I'll wear levis.  Aspirin is on my breakfast menu.

Lastly, remember 9/11.  We don't want anything like that to happen again.

  



12 comments:

  1. Ouch, not a fun time, but heck you got it done , looks much more for than my finger. Level walking area less limbs in the way, Now be careful cutting up the branches into small pieces.

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    1. Surprisingly I did pretty good at the cutting part. Sadly, the garbage can wasn't big enough.

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  2. That's quite a wound. Be careful..... Elva Shannon

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    1. I think it looks much worse than it is. I usually heal up pretty quickly.

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  3. So you leave the remaining branches right out there...might as well put up a sign: "Snake Home, Cheep Rent" lol

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    1. Hahaha we think alike Dave. I had the same thoughts!!! I'll get it all cut up and hauled off before they see the sign!!!

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  4. Nancy,
    I'm pretty sure that is a Mesquite tree. It has sweet flowers that are attractive to bees, and therefore probably hummingbirds, and the pods have edible seeds. I actually have some mesquite flour in my pantry... Some people consider them invasive, but I love their uniqueness and it makes for some awesome barbeque firewood. Steak cooked over a mesquite fire is amazing! A lot of Arizona steakhouses use mesquite.
    Hugs,
    Terry

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    1. Well for heavens sake. I better chop up some of that wood and keep it for the barbecue. I thought it was a Mesquite tree, but it's a weird variety. It has HUGE spikes every few inches. You are certainly right about the hummers ... they love it.

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  5. Ouch, Nancy! Hope you heal quickly.

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  6. Ouchie! Makes my little booboo look like nothing. Jeans next time, my dear. Nice job though, they are pretty trees and yet you want to get into the gate easily.
    Take care!

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