The best time to use a tree service is in the winter, because there are some pretty nice discounts out there. I had a box elder on the alley that leaned at a scary angle. When it stopped leafing out on some branches, it was time for that box elder to go.

I got a couple bids and went with Hoppe Tree Service, which is right near the neighborhood, at 60th and Wisconsin. Because I am cheap, I asked Hoppe if it would leave me the chips from the tree so I did not have to buy any for mulching purposes in the spring. Hoppe agreed.

The box elder branches were very close to some power lines, so We Energies came out and trimmed a bunch of branches away, leaving them piled up just off the alley in my yard. It snowed, burying the branches under several inches.

Hoppe came, took down the leaner (big circle of rot in the middle, so removal was a fine idea!) and trimmed two others that badly needed trimming. I was satisfied when I saw that, but not so satisfied when I saw that Hoppe did not leave wood chips and did not take away the branches left behind We Energies.

I called Hoppe and the woman who answered the phone told me yes, they did not take the branches and did not leave the chips. The branches were buried too deep under the snow for the guys to try to drag out and there was too much ice and snow in the driveway to leave the chips. I might not have enough room to manipulate the car the way I must to get it in and out of the garage. Hoppe folks would come out when things thawed and melted to take away the branches and leave the chips.

And I thought, “Yeah, right.”

But they did! It took nature a long time and there were many setbacks, but the snow finally melted. Hoppe called about the time the bare ground was finally showing — maybe a month (??) after its original work — and said it would be out the next day to finish up. Sure enough, when I got home from work, the big branches were gone from my yard and there was a pile big pile of wood chips in my driveway, in the exact spot I requested!

How about that for service? Guess I should have asked ‘em to spread the mulch in the gardens, as well.