If you are contemplating the structural integrity of the chimney while yanking vines off of it….a) there are too many vines; b) perhaps the chimney ought to be considered?

Actually, the chimney in question is just fine. Still it crossed my mind while beginning to attempt to nibble at the Green Blob engulfing Minnietrost (small outbuilding).  Something about overgrown multiflora rose*, weigela, forsythia, burning bush, strawberry bush, pagoda dogwood, and all tied together by enthusiastic grape-vine, wood-bine, and akebia vine.  The vines are especially enthusiastic because of the absurdly large (80ft) hemlock that towers over the whole assemblage.  The woodbine goes most of the way up it….and what berries the birds don’t eat, grow.  Of course, what the birds do eat and Everybody, Everybody from crows to hawks to itty bitty sparrows perch in that hemlock so lots of birds perch and lots of birds eat fruit and lots of birds….

I’m leaving the woodbine on the chimney through fall, I simply cannot bring myself to yank off what is a veritable bounty of berries before then. The grape and akebia, however, have been removed.

Soft hearted.

*I have a plan for the rose: chainsaw at the base (and yes it is that big), attach a chain to it, and then floor it in an appropriate vehicle.  Yanking it out that way means that the trimming of the weigela and forsythia will be a bit brutal (thanks the to the akebia vine growing throughout) but I think it is the only way to go.