Timber!

We had a tree taken down in our yard recently. My friend Ryan and I watched from the kitchen with awe. Up in a lift truck that took up our entire back yard, the arborist suspended each large branch with a rope and pulley system to lower them gently to the ground to prevent damage to our shed and to not land in the neighbor's yard. He then used one hand to wield the chainsaw horizontally to take slices of the trunk, while the other hand supported the wood so it wouldn't fall on top of our shed. One swift shove, and the slice of tree would strike the ground with enough force to shake the house. They used a wood chipper to clear the branches and stacked the trunk slices neatly behind our shed. The bottom most part of the trunk was nearly hollow with decay; probably an injury led to insect infestation. The arborist suggested how I can prune my apple tree in February. If anyone nearby needs firewood, come and get it. We can't let wood travel beyond our county, though, because the Emerald Ash Boorer Beetle could spread.