My stepson works for a tree cutting company that has the main electric utility company contract. They've spent their budget for the year for our area, so the guys are working in the Carolinas on storm cleanup. Trees in this area are dying at a rapid rate, but homeowners aren't removing them. If we get a strong windstorm, we'll lose power worse than ever before. The first ice storm will take out limbs that people don't realize are dead. I'm thinking this might be the year to invest in a generator.
The main trees here are cottonwood, elm, maple and flowering pear. The one that looks unaffected is the flowering pear, which amazes me. It's the first one to break branches in an ice storm, because of the tight structure and the fact that most homeowners don't bother to prune them correctly.
Cottonwoods are crashing down all over. I'm afraid to mow down by our creek because they all look like a squirrel could push them over. There's plenty of work for my stepson when he gets back!
