Trimming the Tree and I'm Not Talking About Christmas!

I almost had a heart attack when I got home from Amanda's shower...I walked to the back yard and found Jon way up high in the tree hanging onto a limb with one hand and a chain saw in his other! I just had to stand there and try not to freak out because I didn't want to cause him to fall. It was a harrowing expereince to say the least! He was helping Richard trim our maple tree. Half of the tree had started to die...I wonder if it had anything to do with the chain that was left up there many years ago by one of the boys while playing in that wonderful tree? Not too long after I got home, Jon had to leave. Ben had to work and Richard thought he would have to quit without the guys! We had rented the chain saw and were on a time crunch...so I decided to climb the tree thinking maybe I could do something...I realized quickly that I couldn't really trim the tree, but because I was up there Richard came up and was able to get some stuff done! I had so much fun climbing the tree! The next day Benjamin and Jon finished the big limbs. They are so agile, strong and coordinated they made it seem like a piece of cake! At one point Ben was cutting down a large limb and it started falling the wrong way, thankfully Ben moved his leg right in the nick of time. Augh...he did get a large skinned area on his arm as he pushed the log away from him. I really appreciated Richard, Benjamin, and Jonathon for all their hard work. This project ended up being a family project (and still is) with everyone else helping to cut up the limbs now they are on the ground...what a project!