DAY 193

DAY 193
10.14.07
TREE 115

Again, I was lucky to be invited to Norman’s for his family Sunday meal.  A warm sunny day with good food and company.  Everyone’s really impressed with Norman’s house. 

It really is amazing what he’s doing all by himself. 

After the meal we headed back to his house and while he gave the third tour of the day I thought I’d climb my tree.  But I didn’t want to go far so I just stopped behind his barn.  I look up and right there was a perfectly climbable tulip poplar. 

I think these are my favorite leaves.  I just love the shapes and the brilliant yellow they are starting to turn. 

I had no trouble getting up into the tree.  I just had to avoid the few dead branches.  But after that it was smooth climbing. 

Towards the top I saw Norm talking to one of his relatives. 

I yelled to remind him to call someone.  I know I didn’t need to do that but it just slipped from my mouth.  I wanted to call attention to myself.  He then explained to his relative what I was doing up there.  I continued to climb a little higher, judging which point would be my highest.  Then I realized I forgot to grab some ribbon.  I pulled out my trusty rusty razor blade and made a little knotch on the very outer layer of the bark.  Then I felt bad for doing that.  I felt hypocritical.  I say I never hurt trees but here I am cutting into them.  I am really going to have to come to terms with that once I start my tree job.  Anyway, I took some pictures then took my time selecting my leaf.  I wanted one with the brown spots. 

I’m not sure if these will turn yellow or if they are sick from drout.  Then I climbed down and eventually Jill and Casey came over.  We made good food, had a huge bon fire, and then watched a stupid movie drive-in style on the side of Norm’s house.  It was a great night, climb, ???????

10-14-08:  The “???????” is a work I can honestly not read.  The closest I could guess was the word average, but that doens’t make any sense there.  Maybe “… and [something]” but the word is all connected.  My writing is so bad. 

You should see Norman’s house now… it close to finished (for the most part) and looks great. 

Lastly, after that day, I tried to always remember my ribbon.  But then after working for the tree service a while, I learned that a little bark scar isn’t too harmful so that eased my mind.

Last night MaryLiz and I went costume shopping then got some food.  Drew joined us and the night was just beautiful.  I am liking this warm resurgence.  After the meal I needed to go climb so I hopped on my bike and took off north down 4th Street from the BBC.  I wasn’t exactly sure where I was headed when a tree caught my eye.  Most the trees that line the downtown streets are pretty small but this oak was nice and tall.  I turned and locked my bike on a light post.  It was dark but the street was well lit and Fourth Street Live was hoppin’.  A few pedestrians were coming and going so I waited for a break for my to climb into the branches.  I quickly grabbed the trunk and walked up with my feet.  Pull hard with the hand and push hard with the feet.  If the trunk is small enough it works.  It’s the best way to climb a poll too.  TRY IT!!!

Once in the branches I felt pretty hidden.  The limbs were very close together and full of leaves.  I would pause and watch as people walked below to see if they spotted me and no one had.  So I pushed up through the poking twigs and leaves to the top.  I had a pretty good view of 4th Street Live and some downtown buildings. 

Then I noticed a window very close to me. 

The light was on inside and I could see all the crap on someone’s desk.  Man, I really wish they were there so I could secretly watch them.  Then I looked over and saw this:

You ever heard that Modest Mouse song, Paper Thin Walls.  There is a lyric that goes:

Everyone’s a voyeurist, they’re watching me
Watch them, watch me right now

That camera watches me as I look in the window.  Not exactly the same, but I thought of it.  I wonder if there is a web address where there is a live feed of that camera?  There was one in Amherst down my Antonio’s Pizza.  My friend, Garret, would be drunk and go get pizza.  Then the next day he would get online and see pictures of himself the night before eating pizza out on the side walk.  Good times.

Rachel called in the middle of my picture taking.  She had her car broken into and was not too happy.  I talked to her shortly then my legs started to cramp so I told her I would call her back when I got down. 

I took some more pictures then waited for the coast to be clear to climb down.  I slid down the bottom part of the trunk like a poll and went straight to my bike and took off.  Just in case I was spotted, I did not want to be hanging around.