Actually, no blueberries, not as much willow, all of the beautiful and native plants gone. Look, I know it is necessary, I know they said I'd lose most of the blueberries when they started the pond, but DAMN! It was really hard to see it. I felt nothing emotionally, but mentally it was kind of shocking.
The willow that I cut and use for my art is gone. This was always the plan for this spot because it is where Woodchuck eventually wants to build a pier, and I made sure to grab some cuttings a couple of days prior, but it's so weird to see it ALL gone. It will come back, it's an aggressive species, lol.
But ugh, oh ugh. The previous blueberry bushes that came with the land, the elderberry I found last year, all of the Joe-Pye weed that the butterflies love, and Jewelweed that the hummingbirds love, and the hiding places for the deer. All gone. I know it can come back, I know this important, and I am grateful to have found someone to help us fix the issues. I am also grateful for the nutrients that the blueberries provided us for a few years before having to do this to them. We can always start over and make this spot even healthier for them! One blueberry bush at the end of the clearing.
They did a fantastic job stopping at the watershed sign! I have to check out if something I see growing there is the phragmite spreading into this area.
It makes me think back to how it all looked when we first bought the land. All of the aforementioned plants, and more, that were chest high--even higher! It was SO hard to walk through it all, and SO humid. How we single-handedly changed the look of the layout. I really am proud of us and all of the hardwork we are putting in to getting this beautiful land back to native.
Woodchuck is so excited now, which is funny for all of the grief he has given me over the years about this project, and how long he put it off for. I guess everything happens in the proper time, and not necessarily when we think it should.
We assumed that they hadn't done any work yet on the other sides of the pond, but we walked over to look anyhow. I found this single lily blooming, though there has been a few more at the land I've seen over the years. It's called a Surprise Lily (I call them Fairy Lilies because they sparkle and their leaves remind me of their wings), and is native to China and Korea. I did not plant these here at the land, the previous owners did, and I've been busy with other plants to have had the time to deal with them. I do have them at my house, planted by me. They were given to me by a friend years ago, before I began getting non-natives and invasives on my radar. When we go back to the land, I will be getting rid of this one, and the ones at my home too at the end of their blooming. I will make sure this little spider friend has another plant to call home.
Woodchuck had worked in the heat all day, then we walked around in the sun and heat around the pond, and we were supposed to be trimming more branches from the pine trees. He did a few and had to stop, so he sat down while I did a few more. We left the branches this time where they fell and will get those the next time we were out there and it's not this stifling hot to be working outside. Before cutting the limbs about 6 foot up.
After cutting them and letting them fall where they landed.
We also marked out the new house dimensions since this one is different from the original one. I have to say the guy Woodchuck hired has some great foresight, because it fit PERFECTLY in the space that was cleared. We will still be taking down a few more trees--mostly white pines that were damaged in the clearing projects, but also some other kinds that are leaning precariously, dead, etc.
I worked outside most of the day too, but differently than Woodchuck. The morning was peaceful, but super hot already. The sun shot in through the bedroom window, which is one of my favorite things to see.
I finished the evil eye mandala, and this thing was NOT easy! The frame is made from willow I cut from around the pond, the eye is a metal frame that was crocheted with cotton yarn, the web is white cotton thread, the items hanging from it are suede lacing in black, gold acrylic pony beads, a beautiful blue/purple glass pony beads, and crow feathers that I found in my back forest after wildlife had made a snack of it! I hand-washed the feathers with a natural cleaner that also has essential oils in it. I used those blue/purple beads in honor of the Mud Dauber who shared the patio with me on the days that I worked on this outside! I hope to make a few more of these, in different colors, and have the frames shaped and drying in the workshop.
When that was done, I worked on the next step of the Halloween ornament I am making. Woodchuck made the hats, because he is the sculptor, not me, lol. They are made from air dry clay that a previous artist co-worker gifted me! They have been slow to dry completely with all of the humidity, even though we have a dehumidifier running in the workshop, and a box fan. I made the hanger loop from scrap wire I had, and the hat band was from supplies I also had on hand.
I appreciate you being on this journey with us and I am excited to get back out to the land to see what else has been done! In the meantime, there is more than enough to keep me busy!
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