
I am about to make a cut and ask your permission.
As a kid, I planted saplings around the house. The pin oaks today are now 70-90 feet tall, and my mom lives surrounded by a forest. It’s reverant.
So I am not in the habit of cutting trees; I plant them.
But we have to cut clearance to get the dumpster up to the house, to begin the remodel. Which pains, because we bought this house, in part, for the forest of trees it inhabits.
Here’s an example of why.

This limb extends 30 feet out over the patio and driveway, five to six feet off the ground, held up by a vertical post, and then up and over part of the garage. It’s your skull — or a thwacking. They can’t deliver the dumpster with that in the way.
Our goal is to trim, not destroy.
Ranserve recommended Davey Tree, a certified arborist — a City of Austin requirement. Jeff Cisneros came out, walked the lot with us, showed us what he recommended cutting in phase 1, to make way for the dumpster, and in phase 2, to remove branches that hang over the roof, for safety. Along the way, we learned there is an American Elm in the back yard. That’s opening a Cracker Jack box to find a prize.
Meet — from Davey — Miguel, left, cutting, and Luis, right, about to drag a limb to the chipper.
Here’s what it looked like taking down the limb that extends over the deck and driveway.

Belaying ropes. Safety glasses. Hearing protection. Just like on “This Old House.”
That’s an eight-foot chunk of limb hanging by rope.
Count the rings. Miguel thinks the oak is at least 50 years old.
