In the picture you see the one tall branch left of a fig tree that is entirely too close to the house. Phil had already cut the other branches and got the top of this one off and then cut the trunk. We had two other trees, about the same size that were leaning towards the house, a maple and a mimosa; all growing very straight and tall but leaning (mimosas tend to lean anyway). So Phil got the buck saw and took them all down. I saved the long straight trunks to make another raised bed in the garden. It may not last forever but it will last a few years. I also saved some of the maple to try making spoons with. It will take a while for the wood to cure before I can attempt that.
Besides cutting trees there was the brush clean up and raking to do. Phil raked up the small side of the yard. I got the wheelbarrow and saved the leaves from him since he was just piling them at the side of the yard. I put them in the compost bin. I want him to use the lawnmower on the big side of the yard since it has a bag to collect the chopped up leaves in. I might just put it in the compost bin or I might use it for mulch between the raised beds if there is enough of it.
It was a beautiful day for outdoor work. Temps in the 60's with a slight breeze (something we almost never feel in GA).
There, of course, was the shopping to do and the animals to feed before the tree cutting. This is what I found under one of the chicken waterers.
I had never seen a slug this big in my life! Michelle and I looked it up and it is a leopard slug. Amazing but not a very smart slug since it had taken cover in the chicken pen. It was in the bantam pen though and I am pretty sure this slug would never fit down their throats but if it crawls to the duck pen, it will be dinner for some lucky duck.
Banana bread is in the oven. Nothing exciting for dinner just spaghetti though I may make a pork roast tomorrow. It has been a productive day so far and I am hoping tomorrow will be as well.
Ugh! You went from a leopard slug to talking about spaghetti. Until 2 minutes ago, I was very hungry. I guess I could stand to lose a few pounds anyway.
ReplyDeleteYour Friend, m.
p.s. Congrats on getting some of those brances down. Sometimes, they just need to go.
m.
Your day sounds like ours, very busy. We have a few trees that need to go too. We are just waiting for the ground to dry up a bit so we can get in with the sissor lift and chop them down.
ReplyDeleteUgh that slug was huge.
The ones we cut were not big enough to need any kind of equipment. Although I would love to cut some of the ones that are that big, we have a huge sweet gum right beside the house that I would love to see go, problem is that living here in GA you have to be careful how much shade you cut away from the house. The trees we cut were on the shady side of the house, the ones on the other side have to stay to provide that needed shade in the summer, even that stupid sweet gum.
ReplyDeleteWhen you "cure" the Maple wood, what do you do to it? Is it just a case of leaving it out in the fresh air for a while, or do you have to do something specific with it?
ReplyDeleteYes, it is cut into slats and then left out to cure, however, now that I read over the book again, it says you can make spoons out of green or cured wood but the spoon will have to cure after carving and before using.
ReplyDelete