How I Spend My Days

When the weather is warm and it isn't raining I spend most of my days outside. I putter around in my gardens. I clip, I prune, I pull weeds. I mow the grass. I plant things. I admire the changes associated with our handiwork. I walk around and make mental lists of things that need to be done. I make my own little schedules in my mind. I sort and make lists of things I will need to complete a job as well as things I will need to pick up from the hardware store or Lowes.

Sunday evening Steven had to go to Stafford. The kids went with him. While he was gone I had the bright idea to start cutting back all the vines overgrown on the far side of the orchard. Under all of these vines was a gate. Behind the gate was more vines and over grown boxwoods. Behind the boxwoods were more vines, wild old fashion roses and the road.

Bit my bit, I worked my way through the brush. Using lopers and sheers and pruners I cut away limbs and hauling them out and to the burn pile at the back of the field. Later Steven took the chainsaw to the thick trunks and roots I could not take out by hand.

Why did you take this out by hand instead of using the chainsaw? Good question! The overgrowth was so thick it was near to impossible to get the chainsaw in there.

One more thing. See those trees I prunes and shaped? Those are not trees. They are 95 year boxwoods. They are SHRUBS!! They had not been pruned in nearly 2 decades. I have nearly 1/3 mile of road frontage to clear, clean and cut back where it is over grown. I suppose we will end up having to hire a yardman or handy man to help.

This is the view from our orchard toward the road. Taken at 4pm Sunday afternoon.

This is the view from the road toward our orchard. Taken at 4pm Sunday afternoon.

This is the view from the orchard toward the road at 8pm Sunday evening.

This is the view from the road toward the orchard at 8pm Sunday evening.

This is the view from the orchard toward the road just before the thunder heads rolled in Monday at 3pm.

This is the view from the road toward the orchard just before the thunder heads rolled in Monday at 3pm.