Holly Berries or lack thereof; Snapped Loblolly Pine Limb

Larger image

Sunday morning, I mentioned that the back yard was filled with birds pecking and shuffling through the leaves. Normally there are always some there, but it was the large number that surprised me.

Monday morning, by chance I noticed they had moved to the front yard. And they soon discovered the holly bushes filled with bright red berries slightly below my living room windows. The swarmed across the holly like mad creatures from a science fiction thriller. And from what I could tell, there was far more than one species involved.

Thirty minutes later, there was not a berry to be seen. Not a one. If I'd realized they were going to such scavengers, I'd have gone outside and tried to direct them elsewhere. ("Homeowner pecked to death by crazed flock of birds.")

Well, that's certainly irritating. I loved the look of the the scarlet berries on the emerald-colored leaves. Now I'm left with barren leaves.

By the way, I tried to identify the species of the holly. The leaves lack the concave curves and pointed spikes of what you associate with traditional holly. After some on line searching I think it may be Wikipedia - Dahoon Holly, but these have to be the dwarf variety.

Larger image

Sever weeks ago, during a rainy night, a limb snapped off of one of the pines in the back. I'm more certain about the species of the pine that I was of the holly - Loblolly Pine (See Wikipedia - Loblolly Pine.)

Since the ground was mushy for several days, I didn't try for a closer look. Then a few days later, I trekked out for a better inspection. And realized in a few seconds that this was one whopper of a limb. My thought was to pull it closer to the house and cut it into sections using the reciprocating saw. I try to lift it and go nowhere. I then tried dragging it and was equally unsuccessful.

The limb at its largest part was at least eight inches in circumference. And the wood appeared to be fresh, not rotten. So I decided a strategic retreat was in order.

Since then, I knew I could not just leave it there, so Monday in a burst of energy, I hauled garbage containers, the 200-foot power cord and the reciprocating saw to the tree. My big fear was that the blade was not long enough to cut through the tree. But it was. And after about an hour, the limb and accompanying debris was distributed among three or four trash containers. Of course, then you have to get the bins to the street.

Fortunate that this was a pine for such wood is relatively soft. Oak is much harder. And the worst trouble I've had has been with the cypress tree. It takes forever, it seems, just to make a nick in one of its branches.