Ugly Stump?

When driving around town, I frequently see large tree stumps in people's yards.  Some appear to be fresh cut and many have obviously been standing in the weather for a long time.

It's a bit of a puzzle...  Why leave a stump standing and not do something with it?  I've stopped and asked a few folks about their tree stump.  Some had hoped to get their stump carved, others are at a loss to explain.  A few explain they removed the tree limbs themselves but their saw wasn't large enough to cut off the stump.

Well, I can help with those unsightly stumps :)  LOL  "For mere money" I can change them into art or just cut them down.   Depending on the tree species, I might be happy to haul the wood away too.

These photos are of the stump of a paulownia tree near Burbank, WA.  The tree had died so the owner had the limbs removed and asked me about carving it.  We discussed various options {prices} and after a month or two, I was asked to start the job.

This design makes use of the 2 upper forked limbs.  Each will become an eagle with wings raised high.  The larger eagle has barely missed catching a large steel-head fish.  The smaller eagle is right behind and diving for the same fish.

When the carving is completed, accents will be burned in and the entire piece will be sealed with marine spar varnish.