Shortcut
I had not been out via the forest road for a while, so I wanted to check it out. After the heavy rains of April and May it was mess making for slow going. The Warm Fork was higher than I had ever seen it, but not deep and I had no problem driving through it. I did run up on a turkey. He trotted right down the road ahead of me, but disappeared around a corner before I could get my camera ready.
Brood XIX
As soon as I got out of my truck I knew something was different. It was loud, the insects were louder than normal. Then it hit me, brood XIX, the 13 year periodical cicada, has emerged. We've been hearing that they were coming, but I've yet to notice them in town. This picture is of a few on a sycamore tree down by the pond. I drove the mower past and it startled me when they scattered. A few more left when I approached with my camera -- there were 10 times this many before I disturbed them. In the mornings it was quiet, but as the days warmed up they would slowly get louder and louder. I remember them from 1998. Not from Arkansas but from driving across Kansas to Amanda's graduation. On I70 when passing a low forested area they were deafening. Weather
I am pretty sure we have had record rainfall for spring. There was 4.75" in the gauge, but that was probably only half of what we got over the past two weeks. We did not come out the weekend before because the forecast was for rain all weekend. In town we got approximately 3 inches Friday, 1 inch Sunday (the day the devastating tornado hit Joplin), 4 inches Monday, and another 1 inch Tuesday. The pond had over-topped the dam again and the spring was still full. This weekend it was warm (upper 80s) and windy.
Brush Whacker
Friday I went by JCs and picked up a used weed eater handle for $5 from some of the junk he had. I had some difficulty getting the allen head screws loose, but with the help of liquid wrench and two different allen wrenches I persevered . I was very pleased to get it mounted and once again have a firm handle on this beast. I used it on the hill in front and behind the house. I then loaded it up with a new spool of .105 line. I planned on doing the road, but never got around to it.Blue Bird/Bat Houses
I brought these from town. The bird house has been sitting out back for years with a broken top and rotten back. With some scrap wood, a hand saw, and hammer and nails I got it back into good shape. I had left my drill in town though, so I couldn't hang it without a nail hole in the back. The front door swings up to open it, like the house out back. Previously it was screwed down and you had to unscrew it to open it -- presumably just for annual cleaning. I'm going to make a diagonal drill hole through the side and into the door so that I can drop a nail in to lock it, but easily remove it to open the door (like the house down the hill). I plan to use one of my many cedar poles and put this house down by the pond.
This is an official Harry Harnesh bat house. He built it at a demonstration during one of the annual Devil's Den Bat-o-ramas probably 20 years ago. Its been hanging on one of our oaks in town, but just barely. I decided we needed it more at the farm. I cleaned it up, tapped down the nails, and put it up the big oak behind the house. Bats will only use it during the summer, but that is when I want them out and feeding. (I bet if I put it next to the ground in the fall lady bugs would use it to over-winter -- better than them coming in the house.)Garden
I brought out a marigold, a jalapeno, another sweet bell pepper (first one froze), and another basil (first one froze). I got these right into the ground and watered them good. I was surprised at how dry the surface soil was given the amount of rain we had received, but we had had several warm and windy days. There were lots of weeds, so addressing them took quite a bit of time. The picture is of the lettuce, chard, bock chow, spinach, and cilantro I picked. I also got a couple more radishes which I just ate out at the garden. I made a salad for dinner with most of the above. Sunday morning I spread more straw and watered the entire garden, as I did again Monday.Autumn Blaze/Dead Apple
I decided I would pull up these two deceased trees and see what the root system looked like. As I was about to tie the tow strap around the maple, I noticed a sprout coming from the root. I thought it was a goner, but no! So I cut off the dead trunk with a hand saw and cleared out around the sprout. Hopefully it will live again, and someday shade the west side of the house. The apple popped right out of the ground. It had no roots and just a rotting stump. No wonder it died.
Blue Bird Houses
The nest out front has these 5 eggs. The mom didn't leave the house until I opened the door -- hopefully she returned to resume her task. The house out back also has 5 eggs, but I could tell they are not blue bird eggs since they are off white. The house down the hill has a nest but no eggs and I didn't see any birds entering/leaving. I'm wondering if I should clean it out and hope they start over.Mower
When I rolled the mower out, I noticed the left rear wheel was very low. I aired it up and mowed everything on the house level Saturday. The blade started hitting the deck on the left side, so I had to use a pipe wrench and bend the deck out. This happens because there is a roller on the front right but none on the left (to lift the deck over ostacles). I've hit so many rocks with the front left corner the lower part of the deck is a bent, cut and sharp mess of steel.
I also changed the blades and sharpened the old ones with the bench grinder -- there was no edge left at all. Sunday I mowed almost everything below the house level. During the process I noticed that the rear wheel was low again. And then I hit a rock while working around the spring and had to shut it down because the deck was bent such that the blade was hitting hard. I drove it back to the house and used the pipe wrench again.
In 2007 I had ordered two tubes from some e-bay site (they only sold them in pairs) for the rear tires. At the time the right rear tire wouldn't hold air, and so I had put one tube in it then. So I dug out the other tube and put it in the tubeless left rear tire. Hopefully it will still be aired up next week.
I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this Murray running. It is burning oil, the engine has a knock, the right drive bearing is loose and going out, and the back tires are nearly bald (which scares me more than anything on these hills). I think I need to start shopping for a replacement.
Walking the Fields
I went up into the field above the pond to check for sumac. I hadn't gone far when suddenly a turkey jumped up about 10 feet in front of me and flew off. Those wings flapping were loud and it gave me quite a start. It was hen sitting on this clutch of 8 eggs. The nest was well hidden and I doubt I would have seen it if she hadn't jumped. (Amanda and I had this same experience about 3 years ago, but it was in April and there were no eggs in the nest.)
This next picture if of the farm as viewed from the SE corner (darn, forgot my GPS to set a way-point here). You can see just a tad of the pond between the trees; the power cut coming down the hill; the house, garage, and barn; and the bluff back of the house. I don't think Sally has ever been up here.From the corner I decided to check on my Northern Red Oaks across the creek above the pond. On the way I noticed water running down the drainage from the cave, so I decided to hike up and check it out. Getting there is difficult because of all the downed timber from the ice storm. The cave was full of water, but not completely full.
Once I saw it running right out of the mouth. And to think that Chris and I tied a rope to a tree outside and dropped down about 10 feet into a hollow back to the left.It was hard to find many red oaks. I planted 90 back in this small clearing after the pines I had planted there were brush hogged. More pines (and elms) seem to be there now than the oaks.
I did see lots of wild black berries through out this whole area – from the SE corner down I've planted pines and finally gotten Larry to stop brush hogging. I'll have to come back in a month with a pale.
Fruit
I could not find a single pear on either tree, in spite of seeing some earlier in the year. I only found 3 apples on the gold rush, which I sprayed again for apple-cedar rust. The black berries are blooming nicely, though several of the plants have just up and died. Almost all of the raspberries have also died.
I spent an hour or more pulling weeds from around some of the black berries and then laying down newspaper held in place with cedar limbs. I didn't get a quarter of them done though.
Black Snake
Monday I was exiting the garden to get the hose for watering when I noticed this 3 foot black snake going through the gate to the house. The first live snake I've seen this season. He slid under the ivy there by the garage, and I only got this fragment of him before he slid under the siding and into the garage -- taking shelter behind some boards I had leaning up the wall on the inside. I was glad Tender didn't see him. I don't mind having a non-poisonous snake around as he will help with the mice (there were 2 in the well house when I arrived). Sally probably has a different opinion.
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