If you look closely, you’ll see Frank.

It was a tough year for the garden, and a tough year for the forest as well.  Drought-weakened trees succumbed to beetles all throughout the county, including many in my little bit of forest.  Specifically, nine very large pines, and several smaller ones died shockingly quickly toward the end of the summer.  Most were very close to the house, much closer than I feel comfortable felling myself, so local forester Frank came in and climbed them, taking them down in sections. He dropped them with precision, resulting in very little collateral damage.  On the bright side, I now have many more logs for milling, and am hatching plans to build a Finnish sauna!