8:30 am: The tree guys are here to cut the dead parts off the pecan trees that we almost lost to shock from the drought.

Hopefully it will be swift and sure.

They said they would send out three guys, but there are only two. Both are fairly young and one was eating breakfast when he rang the doorbell.

It will get hot out there fast.

9 am: There are four guys here. Do not know when the other two showed up. However, the guy up the tree was on a ladder that kept shifting. I pointed that out and one of the other guys held on while he was up there.

The tree we almost lost to shock last year now looks like it was lost. It’s just the trunk and the new leaves. … They cut off at least one branch that had new growth, but I don’t know how it was situated. That tree isn’t finished yet. They have one large branch left to come down.

I am fairly sure they started with that tree. The others should be fairly quick. So it won’t be more than two hours unless someone gets hurt. God, please don’t let anyone get hurt.

9:30 am: Tree most lost to shock is finished. At least two sprouting branches were also removed.

They are taking branches off the largest tree. Hopefully they will be careful to only cut those without leaves. That tree is in fairly good shape and still looks nice–right now.

The guy with the chain saw is not wearing a safety harness and is standing on one of our tree branches. I am remembering Phil’s fall and praying for him to be kept safe. (Phil used to do tree work in town. He fell 3 stories, broke tons of bones, and is no longer able to do tree work. And they had no insurance.)

The guys were sweating up a storm so I took out some drinks. First two taken were a Gatorade and a Manzanita Sol.

10:15 am: The tree guys are finished cutting in the front. They are raking the yard and the roof.

I talked to them about watering the trees. They said that the trees get their water from so far underground that watering the ground around them doesn’t really make a lot of difference.

These died from last year, but I hoped they would come back. However, they haven’t, so I felt like we needed to get them cut while we could see them (so with the leaves on), which is why they are being cut now.

The backyard tree is in the neighbor’s yard, which doesn’t have an entry way, but two of the branches have broken partially off and onto the tree house and another is back there waiting to fall down.

The tree guy said if it hangs over their yard it is technically their tree, but it’s a rental and they probably won’t cut it and I don’t want anyone to get hurt. So we will get that tree done too.

The main guy also said that we may have to cut back our biggest tree, that it was obviously impacted negatively by the drought last year and that it may keep dying. Please, God, don’t let that be true! I will be so sad to lose this tree.

If we have to replant, I am going to put in live oaks. They grow slowly if not watered, but if they are watered, they can look 100 years old in 20 years. I don’t know if I will be here in 20 years, but there is hope there for a beautiful set of trees.

Guess it will be three hours, then.