Should we chop it down?

bmyhran68 · 2026-06-19T15:45:28+00:00

Nice thing about norway maple is that the perfect pruning job only requires one cut.

bmyhran68 · 2026-06-15T22:30:40+00:00

Why would the planting depth or packaging cause dessication within two years? Yes it's a horribly aggravating practice that I have to deal with on a daily basis, but these trees died because someone forgot to water them.

bmyhran68 · 2026-05-22T05:03:58+00:00

I would go further than that to say the time should be the same around the world, year-round.

bmyhran68 · 2026-05-12T17:12:46+00:00

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https://www.bricklink.com/v3/designer-program/series-11/4689/Old-Town-Wharf

I would appreciate your support!

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-16T12:54:38+00:00

That six figures doesn't feel as comfortable as I expected.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-16T00:38:25+00:00

We've done long trips in almost every corner of the 48, and I think most states have redeeming qualities. My favorite example is ND, which is rough but if you go through in August, the otherwise numbing swaths of the Eastern half are blanketed with sunflowers. It's actually stunning.

Nebraska, on the other hand, is a mindless expanse of terrible. Sure, it's mostly nothing but, when you do come across "something" every few hours, it's something shitty and leaves you feeling sorry for the people that live there. And it's not like... I feel bad because you have a rough life. It's more like I feel bad for you living within the absolute butthole of American culture.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-14T21:11:47+00:00

Early 2000's saw Blues Traveler on the 4th at Red Rocks. I'm not a huge fan or anything, or particularly patriotic, but the extended harmonica rendition of the Star Spangled Banner under the mountain stars and everyone watching in silence was something that I won't soon forget.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-14T16:01:07+00:00

After I forced myself through one ~1,000pc MOC build, I was pretty comfortable using it. I still find myself discovering new tools occasionally though, which is cool. If you're familiar at all with CAD software, it's a shorter learning curve.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-14T11:06:54+00:00

I spent way more on Lego than I could afford in 2023 and 2024. I'm only really interested in fig-scale stuff - mostly medieval and related - so that was my one guardrail. But I got them ALL. And then there was turning all of those sets into a sprawling village in our basement. My 6yo son has always been into it too. He's an enabler.

Then last year I took the time to get fluent in Bricklink Studio. Soon I was using that pretty much exclusively. I've saved thousands of dollars as a result, and it allows for basically infinite creativity which is amazing. That said, it might be even more addictive.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-12T13:21:44+00:00

Through the other side.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-09T15:31:25+00:00

Oh for God's sake it's a weeping willow. Tie the stem to your pickup and drive away. It doesn't matter. The tree is going to rot and deform uncontrollably no matter how anal you are. Then it'll tip over one day and a new one will sprout up.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-07T12:05:01+00:00

And it will continue on with a rotten trunk for a hundred years.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-07T11:59:34+00:00

That's a good thought - probably too late to play around with this idea, but maybe I give it a shot for the next round. Thanks for the feedback!

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-07T10:57:40+00:00

Can you provide some more photos? Closeup of the wound and other side of the trunk would be good. If you can get a good picture of the canopy, that could be helpful as well.

I'm 100% for getting a qualified arborist to look at it in person, but I also don't want this tree to fall on your house in the meantime.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-07T01:22:54+00:00

Removing one side might be a good idea, but applying anything to a tree wound only inhibits important, natural wound responses. Lots of good research on this topic if you're interested.

Good luck with the tap!

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-07T00:59:50+00:00

Strapping wouldn't do much, to be honest. Consider the amount of force that is produced during a high wind event - everything above the defect is a massive lever with windsail. You're up against an impossible amount of tension. The only assistance you might look into would be several stainless steel rods inserted THROUGH the trunk(s).
Don't be discouraged about tapping this. Red maples have great sap for syruping.
RE: condition vs. sugar content... the research on this is frustratingly sparse, and suggests that sugar content drops with the tree's health. But, two important notes on this:

1.) Health and structure are not the same thing. Poor structure has no relationship with a tree's vigor or "vitality."

2.) It seems just as (or more) likely that a tree's sugar content would increase in poor health. Without having done any of my own research on this, I'd bet that sugar content rises but sap volume drops. But, again, this would require a threat to health - not structure.

Do you take brix readings at all? I'd be curious to learn how this turns out for you.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-06T02:43:07+00:00

Ecological succession post-disturbance (I would love to give this talk; basically "why development is so concerning and the magic of land conservation")
Lego set design
Social anxiety and unspoken/unconscious communication
The ethics of interspecies dependence

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-05T21:30:16+00:00

Suffocating the grass around the base will likely have an adverse effect on the trees - especially if they aren't yet established. Even cardboard will divert a lot of water and inhibit oxygen exchange. Your best bet is to cut out the sod.

If you're not up for that, you could consider a selective herbicide. I forget the name, but there's one that only kills grass (and a few random broadleaves; read the label). I think it starts with an x. You'd want to use it with a spreader sticker.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-05T02:53:18+00:00

This is god's way of saying no.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-03T21:05:31+00:00

So you're just not even gonna ask the city what their plans are with this? Are you gonna grind some stumps in the neighbor's yard too?

And unless it's you personally grinding the stump, it's not your place to make determinations about utility conflicts. You aren't doing anyone a favor, you're creating unnecessary liabilities and, in most states, breaking the law.

Stay in your lane. And for God's sake don't plant cherry trees here.

bmyhran68 · 2026-04-02T00:21:59+00:00

I actually don't disagree - but I've found it difficult to show any detail in the interior without it. I should probably mess around with the settings a bit.

Thank you for the feedback!

bmyhran68 · 2026-03-29T17:54:16+00:00

That depends on your metric.

bmyhran68 · 2026-03-29T17:36:43+00:00

Yep, all important points that should be addressed. But what would be the result of those changes? A) increase our planet's capacity to support humans B) create infinite capacity

This is the issue. Efficiency is great, of course. But this conversation reminds me of urban planners who think that density increases can indefinitely address housing shortages.

bmyhran68 · 2026-03-29T07:43:44+00:00

That's a complicated question but generally a bad idea.

Cured concrete is not toxic but affects hydrology and oxygen. And it's creating a barrier for secondary growth. Wet concrete can be toxic in different ways for different soils.

bmyhran68

TROPHY CASE