We have already seen a whole range of job types this season, everything from snip-snip fine pruning of Tupelo Trees to technical-over-the-house rigging jobs...massive pine removals to apple pruning...vista improvement to 'boutique' logging jobs and site clearing.  Super glad that we don't do the same kind of work every day, it sure keeps things nice full of variety and spice! 

Our work has changed forever -- and for the better!   We finally purchased a bucket truck in late June. It will get us to about 50% of our work.  The other half will still be climbed, rigged, and felled the 'old fashioned' way.  But three cheers for appropriate technology, and a machine that will save our backs, and save us time!

Some days we feel like this about working in the snow and cold:

Other days we have to snowshoe in to the jobsite:

And some days we call in an extra set of hands:

Some days are quite pleasant:

Buuuut, most days we feel like this about winter work:

Maples are putting out their pom-poms celebrating the new season; young viburnum leaves are getting established  ...

...blossoms are bursting...

And at just the right time, fruit trees are being sprayed so as to prevent fungal disease and insect damage.

While we have done a handful of cat rescues, we have done only 2 other drone rescues.  But I think it's fair to say a drone is a little easier to handle than and kitty!  The worst part of this mission were the single-digit temperatures and the blustery winds.  
The arrow in the picture below shows where the drone landed (or crashed)--the uppermost branches of a tall ash.

Sean saddled up and marched right up the tree.  With 3 long sections of pole with a hook at the end and a very steady hand (especially with the wind!), he was able to snag the drone and lower it to himself without dropping it. Safe!  
With a battery recharge and some new rotors, this drone should be ready to go once more!

There is no doubt, trees add beauty, value, shade, adventure (for tree swings and forts) and more to our properties and landscapes.  Especially now as the height of summer approaches here in New Hampshire, Emerald Tree Experts knows the value of having a shade tree to cool our buildings and grounds.  
But when a tree grows too close to a building, there can be problems. Because airflow is reduced in the presence of a tree, and because it is cooler and slower to dry, mold, mildew and moss can grow rampant. And this growth can shorten the life of wood and other materials, including shingles.  Check out this roof below; it's practically a lawn! 

Sometimes it is possible to prune a tree and "lift" its branches up and out of the way of the roof to provide adequate airflow and light. This is the kind of tree service that we specialize in. You can see how substantially we were able to lift the trees away from the house.

But sometimes the tree must be removed in full.  Here is the sequence from yesterday that illustrates the process. Lots of careful cutting and lowering on a line, due to the presence of multiple wires and plants below. 

Last Thursday and Friday Emerald Tree Experts planted six Arborvitaes for some nice folks in the Bartlett Village neighborhood.  They had recently cleared a nice big side yard, which revealed a less-than-nice view of the street, an apartment building and its parking lot.  They could have built a fence, but a verdant screen that would eventually block out even the top part of the view was much more appealing.  
When given plenty of space, Arborvitae will grow and fill out to be 15 ft wide and 25 ft tall.  The first year or two they may exhibit slower growth due to the transition period to new soil and environmental conditions, but after that... big, bigger, biggest!

May often feels like a time warp.  Catapulted from the tentative beginnings of spring  into the lush high-season of vegetative growth, we are left standing at the end of the month in what very much looks and feels like summer.  

Because winter was relatively non-existent this year, we were able to do many jobs in February and March--jobs that normally would have backlogged our April and May with work.  So this May felt very manageable and steady. We head into June and the summer season feeling good--not exhausted from an over-booked month.