Drastic Tree Pruning

You know you have a really good friend when he comes over with his tools and says he can't wait to prune your fruit trees. That's Steve for you. He did some preliminary pruning last spring after we bought the lot, but these trees needed a LOT of pruning. They were way too tall and overgrown, especially the grapefruit tree, which was again threatening the shed roof.

Steve brought over his new toy, er tool: an electric chain saw on an extension pole. He went to work taming the overgrowth and shortening the trees. As he pointed out, fruit that is too high to pick isn't doing anyone any good!

Steve got a better angle on the grapefruit tree from the shed roof.

I picked up several five gallon pails of grapefruit.

There were still tons on the ground.

Good neighbor Chuck helping too.

Ken carried heaps of branches out to the curb and raked piles of leaves and small branches.

I filled a large box with grapefruit for Steve and Jan's friends who are visiting next weekend. I filled the picnic table with fruit. We offered fruit to the neighbors behind Chuck's place. They didn't want any, but they suggested that a guy working across the street from them might want some. He spoke no English, and my Spanish is limited, but we managed to communicate. He came over and picked up all the fruit from the ground and put it in his trailer. That saved me a lot of work picking up all that fruit! The tree is still full of fruit.

We watched more of the Olympics today, mainly skating.