November Pasture Fun

 So I'm sure this Election Day will be well remembered.

What did you do? I'd voted already, voted early. My goal for the day was to mix up Chicken soup, make bread, and head out to the woods to do battle with more Buckthorn trees. 

I'm doing the easy route first before I go tackle the harder stuff. I'd cleared 8 trees from one area that I've been working on. I didn't use the Black Bag method, but I did saw them down with a hand saw, then applied brush killer to the stumps [per instructions from DNR videos and foresting videos]. I then wrapped them in white bags and painted other stumps yellow so I can see if they sprout this coming spring.

The Black Bag method is supposed to deprive the stump and roots from getting sunlight and nutrition. I thought since I didn't have the bags, I'd brush the killer on the stump and wrap it in a plastic bag to deprive it of...I don't know...water? If nothing else, it will keep me from tripping over them for a while.

I've let the trees sit for three weeks to dry out a bit. Then I've chopped them up and put them in a small pile to burn. I make a small fire and just add to it.

That little job took me all morning. But the trees were burned and the coals raked out. I moved west to work on another section of pasture. Rich had cleared things with his skid steer quite a few years ago. I personally think that all that disturbed soil let in more Buckthorn Trees and nasty weeds.

Below are more piles I've made by clearing out multiflora rose bushes and Elderberry trees that have choked the area. In the spring I can pull most of those plant stumps up right out of the ground. But here I have won the battle of against the burdock!

There is a small outcropping of rocks that are really neat. Over the years they have become overgrown with the dreaded Buckthorn too. But since the roots have to be very shallow on the rocks, many have died leaving a huge mess.

I'm going to take that little area and do 'something' with it. Clean it up for sure, but I'd love to make it a place I can walk to and sit. 

The soil is very rich and fertile around the rocks.

I'm thinking of moving some ferns into the area.

Maybe I'm just a dreamer. But I needed an outdoor project to keep me from going nuts this November. 

For my inside entertainment, I've taken the huge balls of material that I inherited from my Grandmother by way of a cousin...and I am crocheting a new rug to be placed by the kitchen sink. Grandma used to weave her rugs, but I don't have room for a loom and crocheting is easy. Well, sort of. My rag rugs have usually turned out lopsided. However they are very functional.

Off I go early tomorrow as the sun comes up. 

Staying home is a good thing.

Covid-19 has sickened a whole house on our ridge as well as infiltrated assisted living in town, as well as one of the nursing homes. 

[One house is a lot ... we have 5 homes on our ridge.]

A Shovel and a thought...

Shoveling 101.

There was only about 2 inches of snow to I just pushed it with the shovel out of the way. I sanded the spots that have ice underfoot. This is by the north side of the house. I didn't want to fire up the skid steer just for that. I don't like using it and I thought by taking the tracks off from it, it would be easier to operate.

It is but without the tracks AND the spikes it doesn't have the traction it used to have. I just can't win.

I pushed snow out of the way for vehicles to turn around. Keep in mind that I've had to call 911 for an ambulance many times over the years for my husband.

Actually the work kept my mind off from a few other things and I was able to sort of plan how I'd clear this spot with the skid steer after the major storm that is predicted to come in tomorrow through Saturday. I also had time to work out which elder mules would go inside tomorrow afternoon.

Charlie looks up the driveway towards the ridge.
My neighbor has taken over the plowing of the hill for us with his tractor.

I am very grateful that he comes down to my place and turns around. I am standing in the middle of my driveway for these shots. The hill to the south and the house to the north.

This winter I can park the Subaru in the large shed so the driveway and the north side of the house are clear for med deliveries and an emergency vehicle should we need one.

The flatter areas could easily be plowed out with a 4 wheeler or UTV. I'd like the Polaris Ranger as it has a dump box and I could use it for fence work, yard work, level plowing, moving dirt, gardening, and ... well, it is handier than the skid steer, and since it could replace both the skid steer AND the 4 wheeler....

....Still working on that idea. 

Anyway.

Update on MIL.

The nurse told me yesterday that Dr. Bassett has now decided that MIL has a viral infection. [I'm thinking viral pneumonia, but no official dx has been offered]. She still has CHF and Stage 3/[just points above stage 4] Kidney Failure. 

When I texted and called around to offer that up as an update, I got one odd comment back.

Oh that is a relief.

Um. What?

So this new revelation says to those who haven't seen her...that she is okay and it is just a cold type thing?

So now this development says to me that a common cold or virus is/can be deadly in her condition. But a collective sigh of relief?
She is still very sick, she is in the hospital still.

I imagine they will treat her and get her released back to the nursing home as soon as possible.
Which brings me to another sore point in my mind. The mentality of health care these days are get them just good enough to be released. So they can get another patient in.

I'll be headed into the hospital this morning after chores [it is -2 F with a wind chill of...pretty damned cold!]