MARCH 6TH, 2014. WE ONLY CUT ONE TREE DOWN IN THE BUILDING OF THIS HOUSE. IT WAS AN INVASIVE SPECIE, A EUCALYPTUS TREE, BUT LARGE ENOUGH THAT WE WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED IT GRANDFATHERED IN. THE DESIGN OF THE FLOOR PLAN ACTUALLY WORKED AROUND THIS TREE IN AN EFFORT TO PRESERVE IT, HOWEVER IN THE 2 YEARS BETWEEN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, THE TREE HAD STARTED LEANING INTO THE WALL LINES OF THE BUILDING. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO CUT THE TREE DOWN WHICH PROVED TO BE A GOOD IDEA. WHEN WE CUT IT WE DISCOVERED THAT A COLONY OF FORMOSAN SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES HAD BEEN EATING THE TREE FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I WAS GLAD WE TOOK THE TREE OUT BEFORE IT TOOK US OUT. SINCE WE WERE CUTTING THE TREE DOWN, I BOUGHT A CHAINSAW THAT COULD CUT SLABS INTO THE TRUNK SO WE COULD DRY THEM TO BUILD FURNITURE AND MILLWORK. EUCALYPTUS WOOD IS BEAUTIFUL. BOBBY WATANABE, A CERTIFIED ARBORIST AND OWNER OF THE TREE TRIMMING COMPANY HE FOUNDED CALLED "HAPPY TREES" IS SHOWN HERE TAKING DOWN THIS TREE LIKE A SURGEON. NO OTHER TREES WERE INJURED IN THE PROCESS. HENCE THE NAME, HAPPY TREES.
