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* I lost a tree in yesterday’s very powerful storms…

I hate losing trees, but, thankfully, nobody was hurt. My wind sculpture was also roached, but I think it can be fixed. A neighbor wasn’t so lucky. One of his trees fell onto his house.

What happened in your neighborhood?

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 8:54 am

Comments

Just rain in Oak Park, but a lot of Blackhawk thunder and lightning in the third in Detroit.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 8:57 am
Quarter inch of rain and a crying preschooler in the middle of the night.

And happy veggie transplants this morning.

Comment by New Name Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 8:58 am
Not one but TWO trampolines sent into the neighborhood pond. Both were even anchored down. Good entertainment seeing five grown men in their boxers manhandling twisted metal among the geese and ducks…

Comment by The Lowly LA Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:04 am
Hate to see big trees die. I have been trying to plant veggie seeds for close to three weeks, but the ground is just a soggy muddy mess. Fear not, in about eight weeks we will all be grousing about the heat…

Comment by Slick Willy Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:08 am
3.7 inches of rain here in southwest IL. No damage but river is going to rise 4 feet by Saturday. UGH!

Comment by boat captain Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:10 am
Water in basement. Adding goldfish today.

Comment by Mouthy Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:13 am
Neighbor lost a large branch in SW Springfield. Did not see any other damage. Heavy rain and high, swirling winds.

Comment by Ready To Get Out Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:14 am
Can’t you just push it back into place like a divot?

Comment by SAP Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:14 am
that tree probably can be saved; might want to call the farm bureau…

Comment by bored now Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:17 am
South of rochester. Lost power 5 hr. we have 300+ yo oaks, but no damage. Theres a reason they have been here 300 years. If they come down, they wont hit the house–it will be a quarter mile down the road.

Comment by Langhorne Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:18 am
A bunch of rain in Urbana, but I didn’t see any branches down this morning.

Sorry about your tree. And your neighbor’s house!

Comment by TooManyJens Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:19 am
Go to the forest preserve and dig up a new one.

Comment by Mr. Wonderful Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:21 am
The wife and I had went to the movies when the big storm hit. You could hear it over the movie soundtrack. Came out to see a lot of water on Springfield SW side. Did not know about high wind until we got back on NE side. Lot of branches down over there.

Comment by Bemused Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:23 am
Lost about Half the branches on a healthy Red Maple that was about 50 ft tall. 100 yrds away a Half dead Sugar maple (dead past 20 ft) i’ve been planning on dropping for years was completely untouched. Go figure.

Comment by Mason born Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:23 am
Messy and wet in Oswego. We had an overcast Memorial Day Ceremony, threatened all day and last night the rain came.

Glad I golfed this weekend, courses look very soggy.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:27 am
A lot of water, the lake out of its banks, and the neighbor chasing down his boat in the early hours of the morning. Oh, and an unhappy dog this morning, wading puddles to do her business…

Comment by ProblemChild21 Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:28 am
Lost a few branches from the willow tree in the yard. Neighbor 2 doors down lost a large tree in their front lawn. Tree literally split off the base. Scary winds for sure.

Comment by How Ironic Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:29 am
No damage at our place on the south side of Springfield. The neighbor had a few trees split in half when the wind suddenly kicked up. The neighborhoods around us are nursing overworked sump pumps that have been running for the last week or so.

Comment by Dirty Red Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:32 am
I am no arborist but can you just upright it and stomp around the ground to push the dirt down and the roots and hope for the best?

Comment by 3rd Generation Chicago Native Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:44 am
On the southeast side of Springfield, across the street, giant maple tree split in half. Fortunately, it fell into the street and not the house it was just a few feet from.

Today’s project: Get estimates to have my own giant maple, which is rotted through the middle, removed.

Comment by Cheswick Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:46 am
Lots of rain and wind but basically no damage around me on the near S/W side of Springfield. A few small branches here and there. All the questionable trees got took out in 2006 when the pair of F2 tornadoes came through here.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:47 am
Your tree looks like a solid oak. Whatever it is, so glad it didn’t fall on your house.

Comment by Cheswick Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:47 am
suggestion: I had this happen a few years ago I re righted the tree, based on the main trunk root was NOT severed !! the one that goe straight down from trunk, once stabilized I staked it good and kept root fed and watered it went thru some shock but after a year it re established it self and just needed soem pruning and she/he is happy happy maybe give it a try? sad to lose any old tree for sure

Comment by railrat Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:51 am
If you mow your own lawn, you have my sympathies: looks big, with lots of trees!

Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 9:55 am
It was drizzling when I left for work this morning but a whole lot warmer than it’s been. They were saying Chicago is going to get it today.

Comment by Chavez-respecting Obamist Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 10:05 am
Don’t try saving this tree Rich. It’ll likely just fall again next time. Have it removed and put in a horse shoe pit. Much better use of lawn space.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 10:08 am
Sorry also about your tree and your neighbor’s house. I have a sickly young maple tree that may have once been damaged by a storm, but it’s hanging in there. It only rained by me, but yes, the Blackhawks stormed back last night for the win.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 10:10 am
I’d look into saving the tree, too. A mature tree can mean thousands to your home’s value.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 10:17 am
Three miles east of Springfield (about 1/2 mile off of Rt36)- they had more damage from yesterday’s storm. The Lincoln Place trailer court was hit.

Comment by Mama Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 10:22 am
I’d vote for winching the tree up, propping it up and trimming up the canopy to help it survive the shock.

Worst thing that happens is that you have to take it down next year if it does not survive (it does not look like it is in danger of falling on anything, right?)

Comment by Plutocrat03 Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 10:25 am
Right the tree, and guy-wire it.

Comment by Bill Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 10:38 am
I’m with the “save the tree” guys, Rich. Think there are a couple firms in town that will give you an honest opinion and do the job right if it’s worth saving.

Out on the southwest side of the ‘Patch, we missed the worst of the storm. Standing water and branches here and there were the main troubles.

The notable thing about yesterday afternoon’s storm as I observed it was how quickly the conditions went from “light rain” to “grab the dog and hit the basement.” Seemed like only a few minutes.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 11:00 am
It’s hard to tell from the photo, but that looks like a very tall tree to me. Not sure it’s going to be easy (or cheap) to save.

Cut it down and chop it up, let it dry and it’s firewood for the winter. Done and done.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 11:01 am
I still think that Rich Miller uprooted the tree in anger after the game at US Cellular ended last night. Shut out by the Cubs? Really?

Still time to declare for the Cards.

Comment by Ball Four Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 11:31 am
We are going to now need a tree update from Rich! Along with our Oscar updates!

Comment by 3rd Generation Chicago Native Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 11:52 am
Not the wind sculpture from the Art Association show!

Comment by Keyser Soze Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 12:59 pm
Yep. That one. I’m bummed

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 1:03 pm
The ground is too soft to hold the trunk and root ball, so how are you going to keep it from falling over again? That is a seriously tall tree.

Forget about saving it. Rather, my neighbor and I will cut it up for firewood.

Comment by Slick Willy Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 1:09 pm
I’m always very sad when a tree is lost; there is so much life and “living” in them. (And if there’s a Dem or self-imposed R rule that says Rs are not supposed to be tree huggers, no one told me about it, and it’s much too late now. I’ve been hugging trees my entire life. )

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 3:22 pm
Tough call on the tree. She looked like a beauty.

Trees make a huge difference in how you look at where you live, so its a tough day losing a piece of charater to your property.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 28, 13 @ 3:47 pm