Sally was in Florida visiting her sister and soaking up some warm weather. We thankfully had received several days of slow rain around New Years, and the ground was still wet. It was cold, cloudy, and dreary Saturday with highs in the low 40s, but Sunday was clear and beautiful with the thermometer touching 50.
Antler Sheds
I had been disappointed that I was unable to find any antler sheds the last couple of years. But as I drove in to park behind the house, low and behold this nice pair was laying right there in the back yard near the garden. Then, when checking out why the front gate was open (never figured that out), there was another smaller one in that yard. Deer poop was everywhere around the house, much more than I have ever seen before.
Deer had eaten all the ivy leaves from the front fence, just like last year. But with the gate open they also cleaned it out on the inside. And then there was the damage they did to our struggling maple, once 15 feet tall but last winter the bark cracked, it died off, and then sprouted back from the roots. It's pretty mutilated now. I guess the buck was trying to shed his antlers and was scrapping them against the tree. (Like they do in the fall to rub off their velvet – skin that covers the antlers while they are growing.)
Pond
Tender had some energy after we arrived, so I let him lead me to the pond. With the rain earlier in the week, it had come up about half way – I guess six inches with another six inches needed to reach the culverts. There was water in the creeks in places, and a few spots where it was actually flowing. But it was dry at their confluence where they enter the culvert under the road. (Many places it runs underground.)
Lopping
After taking Tender for a walk to the pond. I spent Saturday afternoon lopping in the big field below the house. Actually, I pulled more little cedars than I lopped. Its just easier with the smallest trees. They were extremely thick under the big oak in the field, where I believe I pulled up at least a thousand. Through the field and along the road back to the house I got another 800+. Of course you never win this battle, but the effort is required to keep them in check.
Heater Pilots
When I arrived, the pilot was out on the propane heater in the living room. It re-lit fine and showed no signs of the pilot being dirty. I'm puzzled as to why it went out, but did no more about it. While reading in the kitchen area after dinner, I heard the blowing sound of that heater's pilot. Looking closely revealed the flame far off the pilot. Both signs of a dirty pilot that will eventually shut it off. Using some compressed air, acetone, a rag, and a toothpick I finally got it cleaned and burning correctly again – though it took me three attempts.
Trimming
Sunday I took the Stihl along the top of the bluffs just before the house – above where I had been clearing in December. I mostly trimmed lower cedar limbs, but also cut smaller cedars and many of the little pines that were deformed or growing up under larger trees. I also cut up some dead ones, standing or down. I used the whole tank of gas.
I then took Tender back there, where I tied him up while I drug the limbs and small trees down to the road. After lunch, I was ready to haul them down to the pile I have in the pasture above the pond. Tender did not want any more of that and chose to stay in the house. I got two huge loads, and now have a monster pile to be burned.
Walnuts
I cracked a large bowl full. They were definitely drier than when I had tried in December, they cracked easier, and had good flavor. The only negative is that they are just small, which makes the picking that much more tedious – patience is required.
Riving Boards
I rived a few boards Saturday, and noticed that the way I was pounding the froe in was causing the metal to spread around hole where the handle goes. This caused the handle to not fit snugly and was cutting up the wood on the handle. Sunday I used a round file to smooth off that damage and came up with a better technique for riving that is not as hard on the froe. (I've got another video available on request.) Basically I drive the froe into the wood to its depth (not striking it where the handle goes. Then I sit on the log while tilting the froe to deepen the crack. I then stand the log back up and work it down by hand, and then repeat the sitting/pulling process. Sitting on the log makes a huge difference and is so much better than trying to hold it back while pulling the froe toward me. I got about a dozen boards rived
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