The Power of One Person

I really have to stand up and commend my husband! Recently, when he tackled a project at our house, he was like a man on a mission.


The background story:
When we looked at, and the bought our house last spring, we had visions of using the 3/4 acre plot in its entirety. Despite the fact that some of it is wooded, we envisioned forest walks as a family, playing hide-and-seek in the woods, etc. Well, that all came to an abrupt end when we moved in. Once everything was lush and green, we quickly realized that the only way we were going to get back there was with a bulldozer in front of us. It turned out that there was a 30 foot buffer of native weeds, vines and a tangled mess between us and the beautiful pines in the distance. It was so thick and so dense that you couldn't even walk. So, we got an estimate to clear it out. The $3000 price tag shocked us and quickly brought the discussion to a halt.


Once the snow melted this year, the discussions began again. It looked horrible back there. With nothing turning green yet, you could really see the mess. There were several trees that had been knocked down in a storm when the previous owners lived here, and they had simply cut them up and left the logs scattered everywhere. Trees were leaning here, there and everywhere, and the vines were out of control. So, we got another estimate. Well, it wasn't any better then the first.


Truth be told, I probably would have caved...taken the money from our savings and just paid to get the work done. That is how badly I wanted it cleaned up. Kevin, on the other hand, wouldn't hear of it.


That is when he went out and bought his very first chain saw.


I really wish I had before and after pictures...but unfortunately, I just have the after pictures. I think you can still appreciate how much work was done when you look at them. Kevin worked for three days straight...over a long weekend...and got the job 95% done. We still have to haul out the logs that were left laying around....but it is unbelievable what one determined person can do in three days!

This photo shows a big tree laying across the back. It is actually a series of about three trees tangled in vines. Kevin cleared up to that point. That will stay there for now...to be tackled as part of a second project. He isn't too eager to work on it now..... I don't think he will be clearing any more land in the near future. *wink*

In this pic you can see the logs laying around.... It looks like some were stacked and then they gave up and left the rest!

This is Rebekah in front of the brush pile...

We are still waiting to have the brush pile hauled away...the neighbours are probably beginning to talk! We got a good deal on having it taken away, but it means we had to wait for a week or two. The landscaper is going to haul it off when he comes to our neighbour's house to do another job.

If we hadn't gotten a good deal on having the brush pile taken away, Kevin was getting ready to rent a wood chipper to make his own mulch.....