Project: Shoreline Clean-Up

 To say that our shoreline needs to be cleaned up is a bit of an understatement.  Since we moved to this home, we've wanted to remove all (or 99%) of the trees from the southern-most part of the shoreline (about 75' of sucker trees, bushes, weeds, and crazy whatever-the-heck else nature allowed to grow there).    The north side of the lot is clear of brush and has rip rap rocks to keep the shoreline in check and safe from erosion.  The south side... well... needs WORK.

Since the water levels are VERY low this year, we actually have a beach and access to the trees and other unkempt green and woody living organisms.  And, after receiving a rather hefty quote from a few tree trimmers, we decided we could do this project ourselves (*groan*).   What were "we" thinking?!?! ha!

I didn't start taking pictures right away.  The picture below is AFTER we actually spent two days cutting out trees.

Eric cuts the tangled mess out and chucks it to where I can reach it.  Then, I haul it up the hill.  Ramsey has been a really good helper too (I was shocked really).  

Then, we cut the brush/wood up even further or rip off the branches and start burning.  It's all a very tedious process and we don't cut down more than we can burn in one day.  We do keep some of the nicer-sized branches for future campfires.

Jango loves it, as he access to a plethora of sticks to gnaw on.  He doesn't get to be outside during the tree chopping process - he had a tree nearly fall on him early on, so that was the end of THAT!

Not all of the chainsaw practices are safe.  Eric freely admits this!  Hopefully we don't have an upcoming post about missing [body] limbs!  Seriously, no pun intended!

Here's a view from the shoreline.  It's seriously an insane mess and looks much crazier from the shore than it does from the house.  It's a bit overwhelming, but slow and steady wins the race, so we're playing by The Hare's rules.

This is during Day 3.  Eric cuts down at the shoreline, and I lug it up.  It's like hiking and a burning glute workout all in one, dragging branches up what is literally a 12 ft CLIFF.

And up up up to the burn pit we go again.  I wish my FitBit would calculate the INCLUDE with the number of steps!

After Day 4, this is the view.  You can notice just a little bit of a gap between the bigger Willow and [whatever it is] tree and the next bunch of wild trees. We need to cut just past the very far right edge of this picture, which is the line of demarcation between our property and our neighbors (they also need to chop trees from their shoreline).

Shockingly, a high percentage of the trees on the shoreline have extremely long thornes - usually around 1" or 1.5" long.  Gloves are a MUST.  Even then, they leave scratches and scrapes on arms and legs.

During this process, Eric taught me how to use the chainsaw.  I've always been deathly afraid of them and feared I would impale or disembowel myself (disturbing, I know!).   On Day 3 and 4, I cut up branches near the fire pit, prior to burning.  I will continue to leave the actually cutting DOWN of trees to Eric!  He is the expert!

We still have a very long ways to go for this process.  When the lake has frozen over, we will utilize the ice to drop the trees onto, as they will need to fall Eastbound vs onto the cliff/shoreline.   It will be an interesting Fall and Winter for us.  It may take us a bit of time, but we'll get through it.   Then, maybe next year, I will be posting pictures of a nicely manicured and landscaped shoreline.  :-)  

Afterwards, our view will be much better!