R.I.P. Big Tree

At the end of my last post a week ago I mentioned that my attention had been drawn to the poor condition of the big, very old rowan tree half way up the back garden.  Events somewhat took over the decision as during yet another spell of gale force winds on Saturday the tree was swaying quite dramatically.  Not just the canopy but right down the trunk was moving and the ground on one side was visibly rising and falling as the root ball was loosening.  I really thought the tree would not survive the night.  There was nothing we could do and no buildings or people were in any danger.  It managed to stay upright but on Monday the expert advice was to take it down asap.

Tree Surgeon at Work

The multi trunks and quite low branches meant it was easy for M to demolish the tree using ropes and a chain saw.  Fortunately the weather was very kind and as the tree stood alone in quite a large open space it was a straightforward task.

Half of the top gone

I don’t have a hard hat so was not allowed anywhere near until all had been made safe, but it was fascinating to watch either from the house or up on the top road.

The tree looked amazing when all the branches were spread out on the grass.  The photograph above does not do justice to the beautiful colours of the lichen which encased every branch and twig.

The Rotten Core

On closer inspection of the sawn up trunk it became clear that we had taken the right decision to cut down this tree.  You can see above how much of the centre of the trunk was no longer viable.  Sadly it was so rotten I couldn’t count the rings to see how old the rowan was.  I thought I would feel very sad at having had a part in the destruction of such a venerable living feature.  There was a tinge of sadness mingled with the fascination of seeing the process and the clear evidence revealed – euthanasia rather than murder.

And of course the positive is that when all the logs have gone to dry out for a log burner and the smaller branches been reduced to chippings I will have a wonderful empty space for not only my ‘mini orchard’ but a couple of large specimen shrubs or a small slow growing tree.  Should I plant another rowan tree?  Perhaps the witches will get me if I don’t.

Space for Seven Fruit Trees

The ‘Orchard’ – Stage 1

We had a little weather window of two bright clear calm days last week which fortunately coincided with the gardening team coming to start work on what will eventually be a mini orchard.  The plan was to remove extraneous and not very exciting sapling trees and a superfluous privet hedge from the top end of the garden and construct a deer proof fence along the road boundary.  This involved using the mini digger to remove roots where possible.

Working at the apple tree roots

The old apple tree was removed.  It was in very poor condition and had canker but is going to be replaced by two eating apple varieties and one cooking type.

Remains of the apple tree

In the above photo you can see how few leaves have been left on the beech hedge after all the gales of the last month.  The gate and gate post in the fence were removed to let the digger through to the top part of the garden.

Grubbing for roots

The privet hedge along the wall was cut down and then the digger grubbed up the roots.  Across the top edge of the garden three or four self seeded sapling trees and large bushes were cut down and the stumps will be poisoned.

I have been doing a lot of internet searching for suitable varieties of fruit trees for our climate bearing in mind the violence of the storms recently.  At the moment the plan is for at least 3 apple trees, a pear, a plum, a cherry and I have an irrational desire for a hazelnut tree.

A Blank Canvas

Framework for the Fence

Once the fence has been erected I will plant a mixed shrub border in front of it.  We had a very interesting debate about which way round the fence should go – should the ‘finished’ side be facing into the garden our out onto the road.  I lost the vote and it is facing out!

When the gardeners were working last week they pointed out that the huge big rowan tree was in quite poor condition and they reckoned it would only survive another few years (rowans seemingly have quite a short lifespan in tree terms).  Not sure whether to grasp the nettle and get it removed now before we plant out the new trees or leave it be for a few years.

Looking peaceful but old

We’re Famous

The poor beleaguered island of Bute that is – seemingly we were featured on the national news yesterday, but of course we didn’t see that because we were experiencing another 24 hour non electric period.  Since the ‘sting jet’ of  Tuesday morning it has been  fascinating and frustrating here.  Personally we have managed fine with an eclectic mix of candles, head torch, camping gas light, gas hob and fire.  Our immediate concerns were over the contents of the steadily thawing  freezers and the reducing battery power of  Kindles and mobile phones.  The latter worry being increased when the entire landline telephone system on the island shut down for a few hours.  The infamous ‘Rothesay rumour’ mill has been in full flow eg the telephone hiccup allegedly due to the back up generator at the telephone exchange running completely out of diesel causing problems when they tried to restart it after getting more fuel.

Yesterday the sun shone for the first time in ten days so in spite of a bitter cold wind we walked into town just to get out for a bit.  We saw only one shop open – a small Spar grocers with a dozen folk queuing along the pavement outside.  I was shocked at my own reaction – an immediate desire to go and enquire what the queue was for, fully intending to join in, then I remembered I didn’t actually need anything.  The shop owner was very sensibly escorting one customer at a time around his depleted shelves by candlelight.  Later in the afternoon ‘news’ began to circulate (source unknown of course) that soup kitchens were being set up and our revered leader himself (Alex Salmond) was expected in the morning to sort it all out.  As in most rumours there was an element of truth, as by late afternoon Scottish Hydro (the power company) had shipped in two generators and were providing free hot food in various locations – a steak burger kiosk in the centre, fish and chips in St Andrew’s church hall and burgers and chips at Craigmore Bowling Club.

Friends who live in a farm house well out of Rothesay and were without electricity for the entire 48 hour period were made an offer of an overnight hotel stay and hot meal by the electricity company.  So, together with all the linesmen and other employees who have worked for days through appalling weather to get Bute reconnected to the national grid, I think the company did quite a good job.  My only complaint would be the distinct lack of reliable factual information.  From Tuesday morning until after teatime yesterday there was only very vague recorded messages (usually saying phone back in 4 – 6 hours) on Scottish Hydro’s telephone.  The last time we phoned we spoke to a real person who very politely checked our address and directed us to the nearest ‘soup kitchen’ where we could get free hot food, he still was giving no indication of when our electricity would be back on.  The power returned about 7pm last night and has stayed that way for 24 hours now (fingers twitching to cross again).

Although I am joking about the situation over the last four days I know a lot of people have had a very miserable and worrying time.  I can imagine the problem of keeping elderly, less mobile folk and small children warm in all electric houses; not to mention preventing younger teenagers from killing their siblings in frustration at being unable to play with the essential electronic gadgets.  All the friendly residents of Bute have a great topic of conversation which will last us for months to come.  To all who have contacted us or sent messages – thank you very much for your concern but we don’t need the food parcels – yet!

Fingers and Toes Crossed

Quite difficult to type like this but I really, really want the electricity to keep coming.  Sorry, but I am back to mumping about the weather again.  It has been diabolical over the last few days – a very dramatic storm about 7.30am on Tuesday morning caused structural damage around the town, brought trees down all over the island and knocked out the electricity.  All we could do was batten down the hatches, sort out the candles and torches and pray the roof stayed on the house.  The worst of this particular gale was over by lunch time, no one seems to have been hurt, our property is intact but the vital flow of electrons didn’t resume until 13 hours later.  It really wasn’t the end of the world – I understand that is expected later this year (by some strange people).  We are quite cosy with a gas fire and a gas hob so had hot food and were kept warm by staying in the one room.  As the height of the storm coincided with high tide the spray was being blown all the way across the road and crashing on ‘our’ pavement – quite entertaining from behind the double glazing.  We didn’t venture out at all, so no photographs, but you can see some of the storm damage at Zak’s Daily Bute.

The electricity was reconnected about one o’clock this morning and lasted until just after breakfast before disappearing again for a further three hours (while we were tucked up in bed and not needing it except for the freezers).  The supermarket has been closed since Hogmanay and the ferries have been off nearly all of that time too so bread and milk supplies were becoming an issue for some people.  Only a couple of the tiny wee newsagent / corner shops have been opened but were depleted of essentials (except fags!).  I had started to ration milk and worry about providing two packed meals for our temporary lodger every day – plenty of cooked and raw main meals in the freezer but no cold meats or fresh fruit for a packed lunch.

Within ten minutes of the electricity returning at noon we broached the horizontal lashing rain and shot along to the supermarket.  We were not alone  – the car park was rapidly filling up and about twenty or so folk were crammed under the shelter of the entrance canopy.  The lights were on inside the shop and a staff member came out and explained it would take at least another 15 minutes to power up the systems and log on the tills and scanners.  I’ve never queued to get into a supermarket before and it was all very jolly.  Eventually when the doors opened everyone rushed in like I’ve seen at Harrod’s Sale on TV.  People quickly calmed down when we saw that there was plenty of bread and milk which were clearly the purchases of choice.

Later, stowing away the fruit and milk I reflected that as a society we are becoming wimps – getting upset when our cushy existence of continuous good quality food and dependable transport is ‘disrupted’.  It wasn’t an earthquake or a tsunami, just a stronger than usual wind, but I do like to flick a switch to get light rather than bumble about wearing a head torch.  Do you think I could uncross my fingers now?