Early morning text:
Hey, when Aiden wakes up and has breakfast, we are so Up for a Birdie Hike!
A walk with Olive and her little boy was what I'd been looking forward to for a while. Aiden's reaction when he sees a large bird now is a riot. When he sees or hears a goose, he becomes so exuberant that it seems as if he just discovered a live dinosaur.
The morning was chilly and overcast, but we went anyway. Aiden rode in a backpack that mom wore. Aiden adores it, he is up where he can see everything we can see. Here is 30 seconds of fun with Aiden. We even got to hear Peepers!
The photos are nothing to write home about, I just took them to put together some bird photos for Aiden to be able to see.
Apparently he loves bird videos, so mom or dad plays them for him when he needs a distraction.
It was too nice in the late afternoon not to be outside, so I headed up to the little pasture above the Buckthorn woods and started to work on two large dead limbs that had fallen a couple of years ago.
The wood was dead enough for me to use my machete to bust things up and pile it for burning on top of the weeds I'd pulled.
When I finish with this, the mules will stand under this tree again for shade on warm days. They can catch the north breezes and stay cool.
Piles of weeds and branches to burn.
View looking north on a section I still need to work on.
I think I have actually made some progress over the past 5 years that I've been working at this. It is a lot of hard hand work, but 6 or 7 years ago, you could not see through this section because of the overgrowth of Elderberry trees and Burdock.
Somewhere I have a photo of mules threading their way through the Elderberry forest that shaded the ground in the spot. You will just have to imagine it. This year, I plan on picking both elderberry flowers and berries.
Apparently they make great tea for your immune system????
Olive was looking for some access to them last year.
So I got way off track.
Sunday's sunrise and sunset were stunning and I guess that is another reason I like these longer and somewhat more temperate days.
And that's a wrap.....
Looking west from the porch:
Looking north from the back door:
Outdoor burning has been outlawed for decades in this state, and I'm always surprised when blog friends elsewhere plan on burn piles. I used to love burning garden debris.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, elderberries are great medicine. They're a natural anti viral, which I take in capsules at the outset of any possible virus. Sambucus. And they make a powerful wine. I remember picking them as a kid with my older sisters.
There are rules to outdoor burning in our county, however we are so rural that no one is close enough to really smell the smoke.
DeleteI see huge piles set to burn and wonder how on earth it is safe. I like tiny piles.
Elderberries are a pain at my place, perhaps the next owners will like them. They spread with very long sucker roots and shade out undergrowth. I don't mind some as they are pretty and attract a lot of bees.
I wonder if you can make elderberry jelly?
Elderberry flowers make a good cordial. You can also make wine with them. I have a friend who does this, I never seem to get to the flowers soon enough. That is a lot of work clearing all of that away, beyond me! Beautiful sky shots.
ReplyDeleteI may try some elderberry jelly, but no wine making for me
DeleteI think of my pasture clearing as good therapy lots of whacking things!
You were in your element! So nice to have neighbors with the same interests. Lori
ReplyDeleteThanks, my element feels good outdoors.
DeleteWhat a cute kid! Love your sunset photos. We are getting ready for a record snow. :(
ReplyDeleteThanks, Aiden is fun and even better? Mom has to deal with his tantrums! :)
DeleteWe are getting ready for lots of rain and low land flooding.
Your photos are wonderful. It is fun to have a young person to find joy in the simple things.
ReplyDeleteAwesome, you got your KVR, gal pal & kid fix all in one!! It will be easier hiking when he gets a couple more years on him.
ReplyDeletePretty views from home :)
Those few hours with another fun human are always such a breath of fresh air. Kids are just fun. Even better when mom has to deal with him! :)
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