Burdocks and Bows

After spending two hours cleaning tails again, I picked up the loppers and machete and went hunting for burdock in the woods where the mules like to hide out from the weather.

The offending burdock grows in inaccessible areas to machinery. Rocks, logs, an steep inclines keep me from mowing. The only solution is to do the work by hand.

I think I got most of it picked up and piled. Now I have to wait for non windy weather to burn the piles. I ended up with about 4 piles. I make them small and also rake all the dead leaves from around each pile before burning. 

For now, the mules have to stay out of this section until I get things cleaned up. I have to admit that all of my work in this area for the past few years is starting to pay off. It may not look like it, but the burdock has been reduced significantly since I 'took' over the pasture work.

There is another section of woods that I'll address later. I missed the spring clean up of the area and didn't maintain it this summer. It looks like it should be easy to clean up with a skid steer and a brush hog, but the rocks that jut out of the ground would make short work of anyone's blades.

At least I have things to keep me busy, right?

Bow Season is in Full Swing around here and Glen the Hunter who hunts the meadow to the east of us texted that he and his daughter would be bow hunting this weekend. He wanted to know if we would be around as he'd like to drop off venison for us.

Of course!

I told Glen he could come down our driveway and park in the fence line for easier access. After two years, hubby has decided that Glen was an okay guy. I have to give the guy credit as he has made the effort to be friendly to my husband. The meat never hurts either. It is a great bribe to an old deer hunter!

A few years ago, the land owner of the meadow told Glen to just use our driveway to access hunting on their property. Of course having a strange vehicle come down our driveway and park on the edge of our land was concerning to an old veteran with Chronic and Severe PTSD. 

Glen realized that getting to know hubby and befriending him would benefit everyone. Glen and I exchanged phone numbers so he can text us for the two weekends a year that he'd be out roaming near us.

I think that is a great lesson in being neighborly.

The landowner should take a lesson from Glen the Hunter.

Glen and his daughter or son only come for bow hunting as they feel it is the ultimate challenge.

Gun season is for nutcases on the neighbor's land. I bring the mules out of the woods and keep them in the lot near the house.

After all, hunters get Buck Fever. Right?

I've never personally hunted a deer. I've sat with a few people over my life time and found it rather boring. I'd rather sit in my blind with my camera for a few hours and catch a photo of one. Less work.

Not that newsworthy...

I live in a mini house. It is a cottage. The top photo is Charlie on our love seat recliner that we inherited nearly 20 years ago. His toys are strewn in that little hallway that leads into the other 'half' of the house. That is the kitchen/dining area that actually has a nice plank floor on it. 

The living area has old carpeting in it. It is nasty, dusty, and of course it has been through more than one puppy if you get my drift. When we remodeled, it was supposed to be pulled out and replaced. Hubby said he'd do it.

The photo with my feet in it is a sample of the new flooring I am finally winning approval for. I brought home samples of linoleum flooring that looks like wood planking. Frankly, I do like the planking on the kitchen floor but this cushy flooring I have as a sample is the same as what is in my bathroom. It is CUSHY! There is a huge difference in the feel of it when I walk across the planking vs the bathroom floor.

Personally I found some awesome 'rock' looking flooring but hubby wanted something that looked like wood.

I had several samples and he picked the old reddish barnwood flooring look. I agree, it is the better choice.

I was told that I didn't want sheet flooring, it would look stupid. But I expect since I will hire an expert to put it in, it will look nice. Bonus points for the fact that the flooring people will remove and dispose of the old rug and underlayment. Sure it will cost me, but I've been saving for it. 

Once that dusty old carpet is removed, I will be very happy. A stick vacuum and a mop will be easier.. well, I think.

AND!

He agreed to go with me to look at a replacement for the loveseat. Yep, my house is too tiny to have a full couch. At once time I wished to have a day bed. But I like putting my feet up at the end of the day. Plus it can only measure something like 67 inches to fit where I want it.

The very last project I want to do internally is put up floorboard trim. However that is not a hot issue. 

My outdoor work is continuing.

Pulling Burdock and chopping down Elderberry bushes that have taken over like crazy.

These nasty yet tasty things grow everywhere and by midsummer completely shade the grass out.

The shoots look harmless enough, but they grow by seed and extend by root shoots. They are less harmful than the Buckthorn but just as hard to get rid of.

So I work with a reciprocating saw and pull the shoots as they appear all year long.

It is a constant battle and eventually I will give up when I am older or no longer have equine.

In the photo below there is an Elderberry shoot with its LONG root extended next to a regular sized rake. Just wow....

And here is a section I have worked on now for almost two years to keep clear.

And this is why I do it.

Lazy bums!

The elder mule Fred with Mica who has breathing and heart issues. They are so happy to be with the others right now.

So there it is. 

Not very news worthy, but my week so far.

I will take the rest of the week off from hacking, chopping, piling, and burning.

There is a trail calling my name in KVR.

May Day!

I'm not exactly sure what is going on! But so far it is good news for us. The rest of the world is not in such a place but I count my tiny blessings one at a time these days.

In the morning my neighbor's daughter had a project to do and needed to do some 'Community Volunteer' work for someone. Lauren had asked if I had anything her daughter could do for me. I thought about it and texted back that I did.
Two weeks ago Allie asked if she could have make a tiny video for a school project. The theme was Western. So she dressed up and came down. I handed Lil' Richard to her ... he is our tiny pony that stands at 32 inches. Mom took her video of Allie saying hello to her on line school mates and loved every second of it!

So I told her mom that since I tied Lil' Richard out in different areas would she mind spreading some of his piles of manure? I normally do it every day to break down the manure but had been a bit remiss lately.

Allie chattered the whole time we worked together while keeping our distance. She made short work of the manure.

We ended up pulling some old burdock by Rich's junk pile. I let her toss the burdock with out the big balls of seeds into a pile. When she ended up with burdock on her hat and jacket she decided she'd like to get rid of the ones coming up!

I showed her how to use a long bladed shovel to dig the burdock up by the roots. She went about that with great gusto.

When that became tedious we hunted around for some wild parsnip do dig up. Allie said she had two hours of work she wanted to do.

So we went on the hunt for Parsnip. A few things happened during our two hours. Allie learned to recognize parsnip leaves and burdock leaves. She asked if she could come down again to rake up Lil' Richard poop... She chatted on as we talked about burdock being the inspiration for Velcro. She told me a story of how band-aids were invented.

And when she found out that I actually would eat the wild parsnips, she gathered up the ones we found to take home. I gave her the directions on how to wash and prepare them for cooking. She repeated the directions almost verbatim back to me.
True, wild parsnip can be eaten and it is tasty! It is also a pain to clean and prepare, but so worth the extra effort.

Allie went home with an armful of wild veggies that she was so enthusiastic to try.

What a great morning I had!


After lunch I worked on my fencing project and got it all set up finally. The mules will have some fresh grass. Though we seriously need some rainfall as everything is dry as a bone around here.

My next huge surprise was when Rich came out of the house and fired up the skid steer.

There are two huge piles of dirt next to the driveway. One pile was manure and is now composted into some fantastic dirt. It has been there SO long that it felt like part of the scenery.

The second pile of dirt is road gravel and ditch dirt. About 5 years ago the township cleaned the ditches and Rich told them to drop the 'fill' next to the compost pile.
In truth, I never imagined after all of Rich's health issues that he'd ever...EVER get anything done outside again.

Since his stroke and then the PE, he has been a Hermit who did not go out for any reason other than a doctor's appointment.

Justin came down to get some of the 'fill' and apparently the talk the two men had motivated Rich.
I think so at least!

I spent the afternoon with Rich while he operated the skid steer and we began cleaning up ruts and holes in the yard. These projects had been on permanent hold and I'd given up hope for ever getting things tidied up.

I did the hand shoveling work, he brought the dirt to fill in holes and ruts all over the yard.

He is talking about tackling the side yard which has been an utter mess since we remodeled in 2016.

Last night he cooked steaks on the grill.

Okay.
I need a nice soft place to faint.

Stay At Home is not new to me

When we were kids, mom packed us up in the car a few days after school let out and we made a long drive 'Up North' to spend the summer in a small cottage on the same property as my Grandparents, Fred and Pearl.

From our cottage you could not see any other house other than Grandma and Grandpa's place. My Uncle and wife...and kids for a time lived on Grandpa's old place. We could walk there to play with cousins.

At first, my Grandparents had a party line for their phone. It was a few years later that you could actually dial direct. I recall sitting in the their kitchen and Grandpa getting on the party line to catch up on the gossip going around.

It was the Facebook of the early 60's!

Grandma cooked on a woodstove. We had an electric stove in our cottage.
Grandpa had a tiny TV that was black and white...I think. At first I thought summer programming only consisted of baseball games.

I can recall my sister and I playing crazy eights and keeping a score for the whole summer. We used the back of old envelopes as to never waste a piece of paper.

A game we played

...higher

and 

higher.

I'm the one leaping over the stick.

We created games to play and rarely told anyone 'there is nothing to do!' No TV, no real radio, no electronics. Just a lot of imagination and self entertaining.

So now we are are in what some people are calling a 'lockdown'. Well, it is a stay at home order. Or as our Governor says #SaferatHome. He softened the words.

We can go to local state and county parks, walk our dogs or other pets. Playgrounds are closed.
It hasn't affected me that much. Last week I was stressed out as I'd gotten into a routine going to CrossFit each day.

This week? My mind has turned to tasks at hand. Fencing, clearing burdock plants, worming the equine, figuring out how to trim feet on my own. Clearing the garden of weeds, fixing a flat tire on the lawn mower....

And I am doing it. I have buckled down and redone the front pasture just as I thought it should be done. And it works better than ever before...but just don't tell Rich!
I actually sat down and drew it all out on paper first. I spent a whole afternoon working on it. When done, I kept the drawings and stuck them in my journal. My drawings suck, but they are reminders of how I am learning to help myself get through a problem by working it out visually on paper instead.

We had a funny conversation the other morning.

Him: Can you shoot squirrel?
Me: Of course I can.
Him: Times get tough, you'll need to get us squirrel.
Me: Okay but I'm not sure how to clean it.
Him: I'll talk you through it.
...He winks.

I have eaten squirrel. I've even had mystery meat in a burger that Grandma cooked on a 'Smokey Joe' that my mom had brought for grilling while we were there for the summer.

I'm settled into a good routine now and don't miss the outside world that much ... like I did last week.
I have jobs to do.


And oh...so much more. The shed is waiting its next organizing effort too.

I did find skunk cabbage today on our walk.

The war on Burdock

For the last several years I've had the Dexter cattle to keep the burdock down in the woods. They loved to strip the plants of leaves. This year I didn't pay attention to it. I was after the large patches of thistle in the meadow and oops...forgot about that pesky nasty Burdock.

My weed whacker won't handle them, and at the size they are right now [some as tall as I am] even a blade on the week whacker wouldn't do. They are in a tangled mess of some blown down branches and young elderberry trees [I'd like to wage war on them also].

I did get out the old scythe and with a special whetstone, I did get it properly sharpened.

I may go with a proper new one next year as the blade and handle will be much lighter. I am able to take big sweeps of weeds down with this beauty. Alas...
Not the thick burdock.
After doing quite a bit of research I found references to brush scythes! Happy dance!

For places that are 'tight' or boxed in by trees and rocks, I got a new type of mini scythe.

I like it a lot. It is faster on tall weeds than the weed whacker as it doesn't get bound up. It has no shaft!
This is a cheaper version of a brush scythe. It works very nicely. However this too can't hack the thick burdock.

And I'm having trouble with a plant called smartweed.

It has a shallow root but really likes to spread out. Apparently the Dexters ate them also. Sven loves to eat the tops of the plants so he is a good smartweed controller in very small areas.

Yes, goats would be great to have but that would mean I'd have to rethink and redo fencing. Not sure I am up for that and I don't want a herd of goats to feed just for weed control.

I've also thought of just fencing that area off and letting it go. But you know, I don't like to give up on things. So tonight I brought out my special Fiskars Brush Axe 'thingy' and started cutting at the bottom of the Burdock. Apparently if they are cut as they are flowering, they should not regrow.

Old shot of my handy tool I've used for tough jobs over the years:

Well.
We shall see about that.

Don't even get me started on the Dock weed.
Sigh.

Let the fall Weed Wars Begin!

Tales of Tails

This is what happens when the Merry Meadow can't be clipped for weed control. The Burdock must have grown monstrous overnight, right?
No, I saw tails getting cluttered up with the nasty burdock heads, but waited to do something about it.

I took a stroll through the meadow and found that the redheaded sisters had been forging down into "The Island" area which is loaded with multiflora rose and other nasty weeds.
They are the adventurous mules who will go anywhere to search for goodies. They will eat the burdock leaves and sometimes even the flowering burrs themselves. Multiflora rose can be a delicious treat as well as thistle flowers.

I made the Executive Decision to move the mules across the fence to the our pastures. The one wooded pasture is being cleaned by the Dexter cattle who love to eat burdock and nettles.

Anyway, back to the tails.
What a mess! Sunshine's tail was one massive lump. The hair was twisted tightly around the burdock.

I got out Showsheen, a brush, a comb, scissors, some thinners, and some hair conditioner.
I worked for over an hour cleaning out knots and burdock.

I had to cut out the twisted lump, there was no way to untangle the mess.
However, if you didn't know that, her tail didn't look too bad.

She was rather unconcerned about her tail, however since I know she has a beautiful full tail, I'll be working on making sure it grows back in nice and full.

Fred's tail was not much of a mess. He, unlike Sunshine, stood like a statue for his tail grooming.

He and Siera have nice full tails. But that is probably because I haven't had to cut out much burdock from them in the past few years. They have been spared the Meadow area with the burdock mostly because I keep them close in for riding.

Thankfully out of all 5 mules, Sunshine's was the only one that needed trimming. I'd cut Mica's tail last fall to hock length to let the damaged ends regrow. I'd cut Sundance's tail this spring to get out the snarls.
Now the gals and Fred will get some extra TLC for their tails. Siera's tail had to be trimmed as it is long enough for her to step on it when she backs up.

Everyone enjoyed several minutes grazing the nicer grass that is in the yard. I was tempted to just put a hot wire across the driveway and let them loose. However I have a feeling that I'd have mules on the porch staring in the windows.

Crazy

Wednesday:Trees fall down...
We have had so much rain this month that trees are just tipping over. Of course most of the mess is behind our little red shed.
This has been a problem all summer long since the giant oak fell over. The oak fell on a box elder and split it and took three other trees and bent them over at the same time.

One locust was damaged, an elm lost its top and was caught up in another small oak tree.
That one decided to just complete its fall the day before yesterday.

I did what any person with electric rope fencing might do. I restrung it over and under the downed trees.
Fence restored and ready for the next small disaster.

I spent most of the afternoon cutting weeds off from the cattle's wood pasture fence. I've given up on maintaining the Merry Meadow, Rich can't trim the pasture with the tractor and brush hog this year. I'm pulling the mules out of there as the pasture is not very good and very weedy.
The burdock is getting pretty bad there too. I have 5 mules with burdock tails to clean up.

I won't put them back in that section again. The Meadow is not our land but we have kept it mowed and cleaned for over 10 years so that the absent landowner could drive through it during deer hunting season.

Now absent landowner wants to charge us for keeping the weeds clipped and grazing it.
Since we sold off most of the equine, there is no reason to keep trying to maintain land that isn't ours.

Saturday morning was incredible. I didn't think I'd go up to the ridge to watch the sun come up, but for some reason I decided to go and take a peek.
It was worth the effort.

I tried a new method of trying to catch both the sunrise and the foreground with the camera.

I liked this result. I focused for the sky for shot number one, and focused on the soybeans for shot number two. I used a tripod of course to keep things steady.
I merged the two shots together and am pleased with the outcome.

When I drove back to the house I was met by Little Richard, the guard pony. What a hoot. He has no fear of machinery or vehicles. I love it that he will stand in the driveway and wait for you to come out and pet him.
He will move then.

On Thursday we went fishing. Rich loves to fish. I know there are things I need to be doing at home but since his stroke Rich finds fishing to be comforting and peaceful.

And Friday night we ate like Kings. Fresh produce from the garden along with fresh fried pan fish and ... a first for us...Catfish!

Saturday was bug catching day with the neighbor kids. I went hiking at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve afterwards.

I know my sequence of events are not in order. But I sure have had a busy and productive few days.

Today is adventure day at Awesome Creek. Since the last flash flood there is an area that was created that will be perfect for young children to play and splash in. No large boulders, just sand and small pebbles.

Which reminds me. I need to take a bucket to collect some small pebbles.

More Burrs and Tails.

I went out to catch up Siera. I merely opened the gate and then wandered out into the pasture.

It only took her a few minutes to notice me. And when she did she walked right up to me. I turned and walked towards the catch pen. She nosed the halter and lead rope.

You came! You promised! You're here!

Oh Siera I did come.

I gave her a huge hug around the neck. Then I backed off as Mica and Fred came on the trot.
I opened the pen and let everyone in. I looked at the big gob of massed twisted burrs and hair that was Mica's tail and decided it would be a good idea to clean her tail. 

My hour or so of riding time would be better spent cleaning up mules.

I haltered her and then led her out of the pasture.

Siera stared hard at me. 

Her? You choose her? Over me?

It didn't last long, she found some long grass in the pen and started to eat. A mule's heart is truly in their appetite.

I used scissors to remove the burrs stuck in Mica's mane and then proceeded to 'roach' her mane. I didn't do as good a job as a pair of electric clippers, but it looked better without gobs of burdock in it.

I worked and worked on her tail. Mica stomped and moved about. She was tolerating the work, but not happy about being tied to a tree while there was so much fresh looking grass just for the grazing around her.

The hair mass was just nasty. Since Mica has never had a long flowing tail, I decided just to cut it and let it regrow.

When I was done with her, I got Fred out. Siera nickered and then resumed eating.

Gotta love Fred. His biggest concern was: "Don't separate me from my Girls!"

I managed to keep his tail intact only cutting out some twisted knots. 
Apparently with our remodel, we'd forgotten to mow the pastures and knock down the burdock plants.

I'll be fighting burdock in the Merry Meadow from now until hunting season.

Sigh.

However, everyone got some time on a lead line and had some grazing outside of the pasture.

As Siera told me.

The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side of the Fence.

Yes Siera, I happen to agree with you.

See you tomorrow?

Unless it is raining.

No, I'll see you tomorrow.

Sometimes mules can be so demanding.

However any time spent with a mule is more satisfying that most anything else I can think of.

Promise me

Ugh the tail!

I haven't been doing much with Siera and unfortunately she has gotten into Burdocks. I don't like burdock and I like it less in horse manes and tails.
Siera has cultivated a lovely full length 'horse' tail which not every mule can do.

However, because I've been busy painting, purging out the dressers, moving boxes, and ignoring my best equine friend...she had a mess in her tail.

I hoped that I wouldn't have to cut burrs out as I've had to do in really tangled messes of tails. Last night I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.

I couldn't recall where I had put my Showsheen, so I grabbed some hair conditioner and put water in a little jug. I worked for a long time. Siera would munch a bit on grass and then stop and turn her head to watch.

A few times she wiggled a bit and stomped her foot. But we talked about her tail and her remarkable beauty. I told her this was in her best interest.

She agreed. Her tail and back end were her best parts. 

Who could not stop and admire her long flowing tail and her well rounded butt?

I had to use the scissors twice to cut knots. But in the end we persisted. I need to find the Showsheen to make the tail easier to maintain.

I asked her if she wanted it braided and wrapped. She turned her head and stared at her tail.

I received what amounted to a mule 'shrug'. As long as her tail remained beautiful, she didn't care.
She swished it to test it.

Much better than that lump of burdock.

Why don't we go for a ride so I can show it off?

Of course. Why did I not think of that? I grabbed her bridle and got a leg up from hubby.

We went for an evening ride and on the way back collected the mail.

We stopped and chatted with the neighbors as they were getting wood from their wood pile. Siera stood quietly and watched the kids as they ran back and forth. They'd stop to pat her on the nose.

See? I am The Good Mule!

Off course you are Siera. You are totally relaxed, even while getting the mail! 

It was a short ride and I led her into the pasture where I took off her bridle and halter. I dropped them on the ground to hook up the gate.

Leave these. We could use them again soon. Please?

I sighed. Maybe tomorrow evening?

Perhaps. When will you braid my tail? And do I get ribbons in it? Pink is nice.

I stood. Siera stood with me. She even stood at the gate after I closed it.

Promise me.

I promise.