I know you've all been waiting on the edge of your seat to read this post about the palm trees. When we first moved here in 2002, we LOVED the trees. They were about 15 feet tall and very pretty. As the years passed, we realized how much maintenance they required. Every spring Hubby and sons would become tree trimmers. The fromm/leaves have AWFUL thorns on them. They are razor sharp and it seemed like just barely touching them would draw blood. Then there was the issue of how well attached they were to the trees, even dead. It required much sawing....so much that hubby bought a little chain saw specifically for trimming them. It was on a long pole which made it a little trickier to use. More years passed and WASPS found the trees a wonderful place to build nests. One time hubby came flying off the ladder holding his head. He'd been stung by a wasp! His sister is very allergic to bee stings but he's never had a severe reaction, but this thing welped up like an egg. I gave him a benadryl and put a bag of ice on his face. Sons went back out to finish up the trimming. It wasn't 5 minutes later and C. does the same dance off the ladder! He's been stung right below his eyebrow! I give him benadryl and ice as well. J. comes running into the kitchen to check on them and slides down on the wet floor! I told them they were all dangerous and that I was leaving! That was the last year they attempted to trim the trees themselves. That is definately a job for professionals. I think the first year we paid to have them trimmed, it cost $300. That was money well spent if it meant they wouldn't have to endure the torture themselves. Oh I forgot....the next morning, C. woke up and his eye was swollen shut! I took him to the Dr. for a cortisone shot and a round of prednisone. When I sent him a text about us cutting the trees down, his reply was "tell them to watch out for the wasps!"
When Hurricane Ike came thru in September, our neighbors behind us were pretty sure the trees were coming down on their house. Nope, it just blew them around and blew berries all in our pool 
We decided right then that those trees, even though they are palm trees, were gonna have to go.
They probably thought I was a little silly for taking so many pictures of them working. They don't know about my blog.
This is only two years worth of dead fromms. We didn't have them trimmed last year.
The bark thingies fall off when the squirrel runs up or the wind blows real hard. Then Bailey tries to eat them and chokes. Not cool.
Here's a look at the sharp thorns. They literally rip your skin. The workers didn't wear gloves!
After chopping off all the fromms
He cut the trunk into pieces about a foot long and then dropped them down one at a time to the ground
See the trunk in flight right above the treetop?
Then these guys on the ground loaded up the pieces on their dolly and hauled them out to the front where they loaded them onto a trailer
They put the branches thru a mulcher (no picture of that)
I spent most of Wednesday cleaning up the "saw dust" from the flower beds. Here's what it looks like today
Now you've had a lesson in giant palm tree cutting.
I'm almost finished with the slideshows for prom. Did I mention hubby and I are working ALL NIGHT at the after prom party? If we come to mind Saturday, say a prayer that we'll make it all night long without too much trouble. I hope there's plenty of coffee or Mountain Dew!
Prom pictures will follow Monday.
Have a great weekend everyone!
