Working outdoors..

Winds, snow, weather, and dead trees caused a few of the dead Ash trees to fall over on the fence in one of my summer paddocks. The location is ideal for hot summer days with lots of shade and breezes for the gals to languish in.

The hardwire fence was intact until this fall and winter, then the trees fell across it and I had to do something about it before letting the mules back in. 

And it was a mess of overgrown tree branches from the other side of the fence. Tree branches rosebushes, and vines. It seemed to be a good time to clean things up a bit.

Justin who lives just at the top of the hill cut all of the trees off the fence. Yesterday I spent the day putting the line fence back up and clipping it to the posts.

But first I used my reciprocal saw to cut back the tangled brush, tree limbs and multiflora rose. I went back with my little electric chain saw and took down the bigger limbs and saplings. I took out the broken insulators and replaced them with ones I already had and restrung the hot wire [electric fence].

Another job done. The mules probably wouldn't have even tried to cross the fence even if it weren't repaired. It has been there all of their lives and they don't look to go beyond it. They might if there was no feed in their small pasture.

But it felt like a great project for a cold day. The only thing I may do yet it weed whack some of the offensive weeds that are along the fence area. I used a shovel and dug over 20 burdock plants and several clumps of motherwort.
 

Part of our west yard is rough and steep. It never got repaired after the house was remodeled and I was going to hire someone to take care of it and grade out the bumps and huge divots that no mower can go through.

Two trees were taken down in this spot last year the excavator dug it up even worse. My thought was to hire him to come back and do a lawn make over. However with the current cuts to things by the government and the uncertain economy, I decided to wait and have an estimate done this fall.

I reverted to my 4 hooved mowers.

First, plant the posts. The soil has dried out again, this took a lot of effort.

Plan how to string the hotwire so that it works out in the other pasture....

String the fence....test the fence.

Open the little gate for access and watch the mowers work.

Mowing problem solved for a few months.

Supply 'bucket' for tight places....

Next job up. Some weed whacking and mowing the yard again....

I set my phone for one hour at a time for this work. Then I check in on the hubby. He also has the key fob to the car and can set off the alarm if he really needs me. Though yesterday he kept pressing it because he thought it was lunch time and I should come and make lunch.

Me...run to the house. "Are you okay??"

Him: Yeah, I'm getting hungry.

Roll of eyes and... then I make him lunch.