I generally take a day every spring to tidy up the yard and cut down the volunteer trees that spring up all over the place. This year I skipped one side of the house and never got back to it. Then we had an uncharacteristically rainy summer and pretty soon this happened:
So I finally made myself go out this morning before it got too hot. I made sure to wear long pants, boots and long sleeves to protect myself from all variables. Armed with loppers and a hand saw, I tackled the unruly vegetation and triumphed:
The largest tree in the pile is a locust that had managed to reach a trunk diameter of more than two inches. Special locust tree bonus: lots of sharp thorns.
The final result:
One of these days I should actually do something with that flower bed. The ratty tiger lily remnants are not a good look.
Now I'd like to introduce you to the bumper crop of poison ivy that's been flourishing near my front door:
I've been trying to kill this particular plant for years, and every time I come near it I end up getting a miserable case of poison ivy. This year I didn't mess around with trying to cut it down, I just bought some special poison and drenched every leaf I could find.
I also poisoned the stumps of the trees I cut down on the side of the house. We'll see how that goes.
I dragged the pile of limbs to the back fence and added it to the brush pile in the woods that I'll someday have to pay someone to haul away. I finished up by hosing down the central air conditioner unit to remove all of the cottonwood fluff and grass clippings that had gotten plastered against the condenser fins. The End.
Now all I have left on today's agenda is work out, tidy the kitchen and record some vocal tracks. Ahhh.
And in case the title of this post doesn't make sense to you.
I hope you hosed yourself down anyway...just in case!
Posted by: zen zone chick | August 09, 2009 at 10:54 AM
My garden is looking raggedy this year too because it's been too rainy to stay on top of the weeds and other unwelcome growth, I went out this morning and pulled weeds for an hour but haven't gotten to the little trees yet - better get to them soon or I won't be able to get rid of them!
Posted by: Liz | August 09, 2009 at 02:14 PM