Tree "Trimming"

First I must say ...

Honey, thank you for taking the initiative to get the tree trimming job done. I know it was hard work and I love you for tackling it. You are a good man ... good provider ... and darn handsome.

Now ... are you sure you know what you're doing?

And it begins ....

Heavy equipment .... sweet [Joey's thought bubble]

"Joey Stop ... tree!" [when you get your 14-year-old trigger happy son to drive the Cherry Picker]

"Honey, are you sure you're not cutting them down tooooo far?"

"Keep it steady Joey ... Joey ... JOEY!!!! That's not funny!"

"No Honey. It's not going to fall on the house.... I think."

"Joey! I said to the right!"

Dragging the branches

Breaking them into smaller pieces

A true MAN'S JOB

No sweat

Texting while operating large and dangerous equipment ... um ... 

Now that's more like it. Work Cody! Work!

Pull that teeny tiny twig Cody! You can do it!

He looks like a happy little bug

Two Dowdle boys ready to go UP

Daddy takes us all up for a scary ride (as he figures out the buttons)

Bird's eye view ... looks like a deranged fork

My boys way up high in the sky

Hold on tight and say "cheese" like you're not scared. 

Holy .... are we really letting him do this?

I'm not quite sure what to say [lone tear falling down my cheek]

Stay focused Joe. [you 14 year old who wants desperately to drive and thinks it's funny to push buttons to jiggle the cage and make your Dad freak out]

A Dowdle work project. Hey Ry ... do you miss 'em?

These are not small branches ... and Shawn's no longer a small boy

Drag it Shawn

Toss it in the briar patch

It's gonna getcha!

What a happy little helper ... big helper

What this? No, it's not heavy. Duh.

This is more like it. Give me a whole tree. I got it.

Um ... no ... sweat. Easy peazy ... nice and .... just a sec.

Scary man ... handsome and strong ... but scary.

Late into the night he works. I think he needs a cowboy hat. Is it just me?

THE NEXT MORNING ...

It's like a tree holocaust. It snowed last night and all the dead and dying branches are crusted in snow. I feel like crying.

More death and carnage 

sniff...

Naked and vulnerable ... picked over by birds [with fangs]

tear dropplets

And that's the end. Will they endure it well? It's yet to be determined. But let us pray .... for the trees ... that I love ... for Spring to Bloom in their hearts and for them to burst into lush foliage once again.

Sigh.