October 26 – “Farewell, Pecan Tree”

Alas.  Today is the day that our huge pecan tree ends its long and glorious tenure as king of our back yard.  We finally saved up enough money to have it cut down and the stump ground into nothingness.  It was getting much worse.  It had become a haven for woodpeckers of several different breeds.  If they weren't woodpeckers, then they at the very least have a guaranteed headache.  That means there were tiny creatures in the wood, chewing it on toward its demise.    We are sad at the memories that will fall with that tree.  Nathan nailing blocks of wood to be steps.  Nathan swinging from the tree to the deck and back. The squirrels eating all our pecans and harassing the dogs.  Rick breaking the old rope swing and bringing a new, sturdier one.  Josh Stone climbing up there, attempting to break Nathan's record of the highest height attained.  The web worms that we fought every year until we learned that our options were simple: cut off the affected limb, or pull the web apart and let the birds feast on the exposed critters.  That quickly became my preferred method.  Sitting on the deck in the shade watching the air show or the fireworks at Moody Gardens.  Ah.  They go on and on.   Nathan has requested that we hang on to several of the limbs.  Pecan wood is apparently great for barbeques.  We also want to get the rope down so we can use it again sometime in the future for a new swing.  Chris' brother Mark, who runs a nursery in Victoria, said they will be getting in some 12 to 14 foot pecan trees later on.  Chris jumped at that, and our name is on the list.  I guess that'll mean a trip to Victoria in the truck.    The cutters arrived around 1:00.  I am amazed at their chain saws.  All different sizes.  One is even at the end of one of those telescoping poles.  I tried to communicate that we wanted three or four of the limbs for barbeque, but I don't know how to say it in Spanish.  They said "OK."  As of now there is a small pile of wood stacked up.  Hope we can communicate that we want more.   Tough day on the pain front.  Kept waking me up last night.  I'm trying all the healthy stuff everybody suggested.  No doctor appointment until November 5.  Hey, that's next week.  Patience.  Patience.    Psalms 24:1-2 says, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters."   Father, thanks for the years we were able to enjoy that tree of yours.  We look forward to the next one.  Amen.