Trees

It is just over 10C, which isn’t very warm for sitting on the back porch, but it is as warm as it is going to get today, so here I sit! And I am enjoying it.

A pair of Cardinals are flitting around the yard, their nest in the tree beside the porch. They are such pretty birds. The robins have been very active today, fighting each other mid-air, quite a show. Grackles and mourning doves drop by frequently to check out the yard. There is constant activity around here!

We have owned Mist Cottage now for a little over ten years. The trees have changed a lot since we first took possession of the property. One tall ash tree in the front yard died two years ago, and luckily hydro took it down. We have two more ash trees that are both dying from Emerald Ash Borer infections. They are mature trees, we have loved them, but their days are numbered. Woodpeckers have stripped the bark from them, to get at the Ash Borers that are killing the trees, and it has yet to be determined if the trees will have leaves growing this spring. Another issue with trees is with the crab apple tree in the front yard, it has never received attention in all its life, and is in poor condition. And then the two spruce trees that had such luxuriant growth when we arrived, now have a lot of dead branches. They suffered when the leaking water main was fixed, which must have been leaking for decades, so that they grew accustomed to a good water supply.

Attila finally bought a pole saw to attend to our trees. He is well versed with pruning and felling trees, as he managed an apple farm for years and years, tending thousands of trees. This weekend he has been very busy pruning our crab apple trees, the ornamental one in the front yard, and the fruit bearing one in the back yard. He now has the equipment he needs to begin bringing down the huge ash trees, which will be a long process. Luckily he enjoys working with trees.

Attila is also spending time planting more seeds in pots for the little greenhouses he has built. He has kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, zinnias, marigolds, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. We are off to a good start.

I’ve not been busy with anything in particular. Lots of little jobs keep me occupied, paying bills, filing, doing administrative things, milling flour, baking bread, cooking meals from scratch, reading, and just generally enjoying every minute of my day.

We had our grocery order pick up today, which involves sanitizing every item. This takes some time, but we are now well used to the routine of it. Every item that comes in is washed with warm soapy water. One of the benefits that wasn’t anticipated is that the fresh fruit and vegetables keep much longer after being washed. Who knew!

Worldly

Weather

Updated on Sun, Apr 18, 2:25 PM
15 °C
FEELS LIKE 15 (NO IT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE 15, the wind makes it feel much chillier than that, my fingers on the keyboard are going numb!)
Overcast
Wind 13 SW km/h
Humidity 52%
Visibility 29 km
Sunrise 6:19 AM
Wind gust 20 km/h
Pressure 100.8 kPa
Ceiling 9100 m
Sunset 7:55 PM

Quote

“Behind every great fortune there is a crime.”
Honore de Balzac
1799 – 1850