Got the Lull started and pulled out a big Maple tree from Causeway tubes

My wife is incredible. A 20 foot chain is very heavy. She waded into the river and made the connection on the Maple tree which we have tried since last year to remove from the front of our first causeway. The problem is that we had stabalized the shoreline with 5k pound concrete blocks with a steel rebar hook to allow movement.

She waded into the river and attached the chain to the lull. It has a 10k pound capacity up close, but diminishes as the boom is extended. It has a forty two foot reach. We got lucky because another year in the water allowed one fork of the tree to break off and we got some movement, but the other fork went under the concrete block shoreline. We just could not raise the block and the tree. So I had to get a shovel and dig down a foot and a half to find the rebar hook so we could first remove the block. I exhausted myself quickly and went inside and rested. A half hour later she came in and said she had the hook exposed, we repositioned the Lull and hooked the concrete block.....it was a struggle because the boom was extended and our lifting power was restricted, but it popped out and I was able to drag the 3x6x3 concrete block up onto stable ground. She goes back into the water and attaches the chain to the tree, but this time instead of pulling the tree to shore and into the bank, I pulled it away from the bank and then lifted......pop goes the weasle, we had freed the tree. Pulled it up on shore and we will cut it in half and put the two large pieces into a burn pile. Our first tube is flowing, and the wife is going off to Bunko with the girls......she will have another crazy story about her wild ride with her whacked husband. Photos in the morning.

Note the milkweed plants on the far side of the maple tree pulled from the causeway tubes. All over the islands we have been saving milkweed plants, and will be harvesting seed pods and I will use the soil conditioner which is an attachment for the Bobcat which is chain driven off a hydraulic motor with steel spikes which churn the earth about three to four inches for leveling and seed planting. Our goal is to have most of our natural grass areas full of milkweed which is the food source for Monarch butterflys. We look forward to see their migration this year in Navarre knowing that we are doing our part in restoring the grasslands and their food source. I will pull more debris from the causeways on Sunday, and may even make a quick trip to Pensacola next week if we can get our maintenance items done before we would leave next week for about five days.

Hell of a woman Mr. Oats . . . . . don't either of you overdo it or risk injury, that's the last thing you need. Good job tho . . .

Good job Mrs. Oats

She went to her 45th high school reunion and all her classmates wanted to hear about the crazy stories of what she has done with her dying husband. Same discussion last Wed. when she had 10 of her breakfast club friends over. We have spent a life time in partnership, and our love of the outdoor is what drew us together in college. Not too many woman would wade into a river to their breasts and chain a maple tree with water flowing pretty stiffly. The chains are heavy. I have slept most of the day from over doing yesterday, and wanted to do some work today, but realize that Sunday will be the earliest time to continue. I may try to chainsaw the maple tree, and then use the bobcat to fill the dump truck as we have two huge burn piles which we pull out trees from the causeways and allow it to dry out during the summer. We have to call the local fire department when we burn those piles, and they always allow us to burn because.......well we are on islands. It will be a huge fire in early November, but we have to do this before the river gets cold.

The funny thing is she looks ten years younger than her classmates, and I am convinced that my pushing the envelope has helped me in my battle with cancer, as it is just too easy for me to stay in the lazy boy and watch TV and post.........physical hard work is curative but exhausting. In her regard, she no longer has that long legged model figure of her youth, but has put on twenty pounds since college, but she still looks so good compared to her classmates who have fallen into the trap of a sedentary life style.......our motto is get up and move everyday.....and she is unbelievable in what she gets done.

our motto is get up and move everyday

Completely agree with this mantra . . . . . it reminded me of an experience I had while walking/jogging here on PB on a pretty morning. On my return trip I was approaching the Sand Shaker when I noticed a gentleman jogging, slowly but he was jogging, but being a people person I slowed and struck up a conversation. Turned out he was a veteran of WWII serving in the Navy on a destroyer . . . . . an Irishman named Jack Murphy , , , , , his first wife had passed away but he said he had a female companion (they were visiting from MI) but I asked him his age and he proudly said 92 . . . . . what's your secret I asked . . . . . he said you gotta keep moving . . . . . you just have to keep at it . . . . . . I took note and do try to keep moving in spite of the inevitable aches and pains so Mr. Oats I agree with your motto . . . . keep moving.