My friends, l have been offline for several weeks because of a very stupid action on my part. It started when I went to the west coast of the US to visit my father in the northern part of Washington state. I was also out there to visit my sons living in the Northwestern part of Oregon state as well. Three days after I departed home my wife (also known as Good Wife) called me to tell me a tree had blown over in our back yard. I returned home following my three week visit to the west coast to find a Hickory tree toppled over breaking off about 20 feet in the air. It broke off right where several squirrels had built their nests in the tree. Not in the branches of the tree but in the tree itself. This left a weak spot in the trunk of the tree as it was mostly hollowed out from their constant nibbling at the wood to enlarge their home or make it a warmer place to live through the winter. Regardless this is the start of my problem with wood cutting.
What happened to me? After I returned home and had taken three days rest I started trimming the smaller branches off the part of the tree now laying on the ground. Having cleaned up one side I moved to the other side to continue clearing off the small branches. Right away I noticed the top of the Hickory had bent down a branch from a nearby Maple tree. Thinking I'd save myself some nasty work at the ground level of my Hickory tree I started to cut the Maple branch off next to the tree. Big mistake!!!!
Knowing the necessary method of cutting a tree branch off a standing upright tree, I first made an undercut (a cut on the underside of the branch) so that when the branch did separate from the tree it would not strip the bark off the trunk. I then made the top cut out away from the undercut so that when the branch dropped it would shear off at the undercut. All went according to plan until I had cut the top part halfway through. The branch split along it's length and wedged my pole saw such that I was unable to cut further through the branch. Time to breakout my ladder and another saw to free up my pole saw.
I made the necessary cuts to free up my pole saw and had safely and securly set it on the ground and was then also lowering myself to the ground off the ladder when the branch snapped free and swept me off the ladder. It was six (6) feet (roughly two meters) to the ground. I fell landing on the right side of my back. Six ribs were broken, and they were also offset like you would overlap the fingers of your hand placing the ends of your fingers of one hand to the knuckles of the other hand.
This happened on the 19th of July of this year. As an understatement it hurt and I managed to only divest myself of half of my vocabulary of magic words. Since then, I spent one week in hospital leading up to and following surgery to correctly place the ribs in proper alignment and have enough sheet metal and screws installed to build a three burner Coleman stove. Whoo Whee, did this fall and break hurt. I also broke the thumb on my left hand and I'm still not sure how that happened, but I've worn a cast for 5 weeks, and I am now wearing a brace most of the time to assist in keeping those bones in proper alignment.
Add to this not having a good internet connection and I do believe you will understand why I've been offline for a time.
In advance I wish to thank you all for your good wishes and heartfelt get betters.
Now it's time for my advice, stay off ladders when cutting branches off a tree. If you can't do it from ground level get someone else to get up there.
What happened to me? After I returned home and had taken three days rest I started trimming the smaller branches off the part of the tree now laying on the ground. Having cleaned up one side I moved to the other side to continue clearing off the small branches. Right away I noticed the top of the Hickory had bent down a branch from a nearby Maple tree. Thinking I'd save myself some nasty work at the ground level of my Hickory tree I started to cut the Maple branch off next to the tree. Big mistake!!!!
Knowing the necessary method of cutting a tree branch off a standing upright tree, I first made an undercut (a cut on the underside of the branch) so that when the branch did separate from the tree it would not strip the bark off the trunk. I then made the top cut out away from the undercut so that when the branch dropped it would shear off at the undercut. All went according to plan until I had cut the top part halfway through. The branch split along it's length and wedged my pole saw such that I was unable to cut further through the branch. Time to breakout my ladder and another saw to free up my pole saw.
I made the necessary cuts to free up my pole saw and had safely and securly set it on the ground and was then also lowering myself to the ground off the ladder when the branch snapped free and swept me off the ladder. It was six (6) feet (roughly two meters) to the ground. I fell landing on the right side of my back. Six ribs were broken, and they were also offset like you would overlap the fingers of your hand placing the ends of your fingers of one hand to the knuckles of the other hand.
This happened on the 19th of July of this year. As an understatement it hurt and I managed to only divest myself of half of my vocabulary of magic words. Since then, I spent one week in hospital leading up to and following surgery to correctly place the ribs in proper alignment and have enough sheet metal and screws installed to build a three burner Coleman stove. Whoo Whee, did this fall and break hurt. I also broke the thumb on my left hand and I'm still not sure how that happened, but I've worn a cast for 5 weeks, and I am now wearing a brace most of the time to assist in keeping those bones in proper alignment.
Add to this not having a good internet connection and I do believe you will understand why I've been offline for a time.
In advance I wish to thank you all for your good wishes and heartfelt get betters.
Now it's time for my advice, stay off ladders when cutting branches off a tree. If you can't do it from ground level get someone else to get up there.
I am scared of both. 
