The quinces are gone down to stumps. This summer they looked worse then ever, and got whatever crud that looks like someone took a blow torch to the limbs. I will have to use the dreaded shrub-be gone on the stumps if I ever want the quinces to be truly gone. Now I can get in this bed and remove MORE phlox.

I took out a dwarf sour cherry tree that I had planted too close to another tree. And the birds got everything and even thou it is dwarf, it is getting to big to cover with netting. Da'n cats aren't earning their keep.

Limbed up again the tulip tree and the Locust, which I have decided just has to come down as it is going to be too big for its location. Since I had taken down 3 trees already I just couldn't bring myself to take down a 4th. Besides, it started to rain.

Dh came home looked at the pile of limbs (if I could have got rid of the limbs he never would have noticed anything was gone), shook his head and went into the house.

All this is done with a folding saw and lopers. I think the bigest branch/trunk I have cut thru has had a 5" diameter. And yes the dh could do it faster with the chain saw but that means I have to wait for his schedule to match my schedule and they are my trees and I like doing it.

Now for a long, enjoyable perusal of catalogs and websites to find the replacement for the quinces. I will keep chanting that my 2 story house is only 30' tall. My lot is only 150' long and 80' wide. I don't need trees that get 100' or taller. Small is good. 15' is almost 3 times as tall as me. I don't like heights and I will be maintaining these trees. Don't even think about anything that gets over 20'.