The Past Few Days

I've picked water cress from the spring branch to add to salad.

I've burned a few limbs.

We have planted broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage (two kinds), brussel Sprouts, radishes, lettuce and turnips.  We've  also sewn bare spots here and there with turnips for three reasons:  We will eat them, the deer will eat them and they will prevent erosion.

I've enjoyed clear waters

and beautiful flowers with soft rain.

We are blessed.

What The...

Blazes...

The Mighty Chestnut Tree

is a pain in my hands and my feet.  We had similar trees that grew wild years ago, the Chinkapin, Dad said they had a disease and died in our area.  He purchased an alternative, the Chestnut.

The tree almost appears prehistoric with the rough bark and saw toothed leaves.

This is a fully opened burr

and one containing the nuts.

I don't think anyone wants to go barefooted around these.

I picked up many burrs today.  I used tongs.  These stickers are scary and hurt like heck.  It was a sheer joy to start a fire with them.  I was more joyful burning the burrs than I was picking up the nuts.
Marcy is roasting them but not over an open fire.  She is using the dehydrator.

 I had trimmed some limbs earlier in the month and added them gleefully to the fire of chestnut burrs.

The fire burned low as Hubby bush hogged the valley 

The dogs patiently waited for me to play stick.

I Think...

All heroes don't wear capes.

Everyone can get along.

Tears are as real as

raindrops.

Mark Harmon is not the only guy

who can rock this haircut.

Funny faces are fun.

Fires can be like revenge

especially with thorny plants.

Tree Trimming and Other Death Defying Acts...

We have been trying to catch up before the summer heat kills us. You who have acreage or a farm know you never get caught up but you have to keep trying.

The Mulberry tree had some dead limbs that needed trimming. Solution...the ever handy bucket on the Kubota.  I have used this method for roof repair but running a chainsaw is something I really don't like to do especially fifteen feet off the ground while trying to hang onto a tree.

At first we have an operator that controlled the bucket while shouting instructions about being careful and even yelling, No, Pa-Pa now and then.

Then we have two monkeys in a tree and no one on the tractor. Gray hair getting thicker for me!

Oh, Good Lord!

Why don't they just get down?

Fire bug that I am here is my reward. While the monkeys were in the tree I clipped briers, bird poop plants and a general clearing of messes in one small spot.  Under this fire lies the lightning struck tree, trimmed briers, bushes and what ever I could find.  

I worked till almost dark while one by one the helpers left me to clear the mess.  I don't understand when the machine work is done the men seem to disappear leaving clean up for me.  I think there may be some short coming in my training method.

The clearing looks good and we shall move on to another spot.  One twig, one trim, on foot at a time.  That is what we must keep in mind or we would be completely overwhelmed with the tasks needing completion.

Doing It Over...

This is one of our figs that had produced quite well in years past.  It grew so well I did not even want to trim where it knocked repeatedly against the window.  I decided while it was dormant I would prune the intersecting limbs and give it more room to grow.

Then our winter killed it back to the roots.  We won't have an abundant crop this year but we will have figs. At first I thought I had killed it but the one I did not trim died back to the roots also.

This past week I decided to trim it back.  There were plenty other plants mixed with it.  The wisteria which Dad planted and wished he never had, the Virginia Creeper and Granny's rose bush had made quite the stand here.

All the dead limbs were removed plus all the invaders.  I used some of these for stakes for other plants. Then I burned!  The joy of seeing all your hard work reduced to ash that will feed the ground is indescribable. Maybe I just like fire.

Oh, no, I needed more to burn!!!  I started weeding and pruning all the bird poop plants from the fence. Honey suckle, Virginia Creeper, briers and seedlings were joyfully added.  I am over run with Money plants so many of them were pulled and placed on the fire.

With the green added I had some great smoke.  Burn, baby, burn.  These ashes can be added to the garden.

I had some help

and some more help.

I decided to weed my water garden

and clean all the climbing vines so you could see the fence.

I'm gonna have to quit

This is too much work.

Only three more corners to clean.

Black Forest Colorado Fire

"Here is a picture of what it now looks like across the road (about 150 meters from our house).  It was too close for comfort.  Cleaners will be in our home all week treating everything for smoke damage.

The fire is currently 100% contained but not out.  It consumed over 14k acres, 511 homes, and two people in our heavily wooded, marginally populated area.  It would have been much worse if the homes were closer together like last year's Waldo Canyon fire."

News from a friend in Colorado.