The Trees

There's a breeze this morning.  Temperatures are near perfect and sunny.  Forecast will take things into the 90's over the weekend, the first time this month.  Can't say that it's been cooler than normal and it certainly hasn't been hot either.  Since no rain; that's normal.

The plants are just hanging out, no great changes.  Fruits of pears, apples, grapes and wild blackberries are just filling out before ripening.  They say the first peaches have past harvesting and the next batch is yet to come.

Lawns are not growing except for the false dandelions.  There's no reason to mow except for pride, to be proud of the yard before the neighbors and visitors.  The water from the spring is running well and I have to move it location several times a day.  The pond has refilled even with no rain so the spring in the hillside must be producing better that usual.

This year I'm filling a 55-gallon barrel with water, putting it in the scoop of the tractor and watering the trees in the lower field.  It's a sad story but it's still moving forward.  I planted about 90 saplings, mostly from under the tree I think is a California Red Fir and a few that have volunteered around the yard in inappropriate places.  There a larch, a hemlock, a Douglas fir and a couple others.  The sad part is that only about 25 are still alive.  Perhaps they need more water more frequently.  Perhaps transplant shock was too strong.  Whatever, there are more to transplant but I'll wait until fall when the rains return and I will water more diligently.

While I was watering the trees yesterday I looked up and there were some wild turkeys in the labyrinth; four hens and ten chicks.  We have seen three hens and four chicks at other times so we suspect this is another group.  If I were a hunter I'd think that nature is raising a Thanksgiving meal for us.  However, we'll probably buy a turkey from Safeway and let these enjoy their wild free life.

It's a quiet day on the homefront.