The trouble with beavers

Nature's engineers (and also the mascot of MIT) made a nuisance out of themselves this year at the cabin.  Strange, too, since we're far away from any river that would need damming, and there have been no reports of the beavers building up a home on the side of the lake itself.  So it was curious indeed when mom and Eric woke up one morning this fall to find a large tree completely down, fallen into the water, birdhouse knocked askance.

They came up with a plan: wait until the lake freezes over the leafy part that is now in the water, and chainsaw the rest of the chunk into bits to transport away from the lake. 

Planning the attack.

First cut, successful.  Once the lake thaws in the spring, Eric will fish out the top of the tree and branches.  I'm sure the cover will be appreciated by all the little fish in the meantime.

I've never used a chainsaw and have no desire to (loud, vibrations, not my thing), but dad was making cuts up into the wood because of an old chain, it kept getting caught in downwards motions.

Some of the rings were a bit indistinct, but it looks as if the tree is about 30 years old.d

Bracing the load helps counterbalance the work of the chainsaw.

Can we just lift it up now and flip it back into the woods?

Err...heavy!  Too heavy!!

One more cut.

Removing logs.

While it's a bit hard to tell, the bank is about two feet in front of the largest section of tree.

Eric, tired from the workout.

Dad, also tired from he job, slept all afternoon.  It's hard work, hauling wood. 

On a completely unrelated note, after working last Wednesday-Thursday-Friday (a holiday, holiday, and snow day) after a holiday back in Minnesota that included hospital visits and norovirus, I just had one of the WORST Mondays of my life.   Cat videos, silly comics, and things that will make me smile (unlike this, which made me want to bawl my eyes out) are completely appreciated.  And yes, I ate puppy chow for dinner.  I am not ashamed.