Treeline blobby-bloob

 A recent check of trail cam cards reveals once again the wildlife can co-exist in a way that most humans cannot. But I digress. Let's look at animal pictures, shall we? A fox or two, and what I think might be a falcon? I still have to learn the differences between falcons and hawks. Not pictured here were numerous does and bucks, raccoons, a black cat, woodchuck, etc. All utilizing ONE area for passage, food, rest, and more.

As much as I want to join the wildlife and leave the real world behind, there's shit that needs to be done. Like this door frame, for instance. Why are we paying hundreds and hundreds of dollars for stuff that just doesn't hold up? So we bought paint, I taped it all off, climbed up and down a ladder a gazillion times. Numerous coats, because I tend to do light coats, and this better stay nice for a long, long time. (shaking my fist).

It's warmer today than usual, and there's mixed clouds and sun. Of course, I think it's just the two of us and take my t-shirt off so I could be cooler in my sports bra......and that's when someone unexpectedly shows up. Stop that. Stop unexpectedly showing up.

One of the first things to turn fiery red on the land, and pretty much one of about three things to turn red at all, is this Winged Sumac. We don't have a lot of them, and I am trying to keep them from the tractor sights. 👀

A tiny little tree-line has big invasive energy and we keep chipping away at it because even just the seedbank is horrendous. One of the multi-flora roses I found. Notice the little frills at each stem base?

But there was also honeysuckle and autumn olive as well. 

But it's satisfying to see it cleaned up for now.

I also bagged the berries from the honeysuckles right now. I'll go back in later and cut and treat the bushes.

I know some of this stuff is just over the property line, but since it's a concentrated area, and we are the only ones doing anything about invasives, and the seeds falling will still affect our area, I am cleaning it all out.

No more bittersweet wrapped around this tree!

I've got my trusty chainsaw with me today

What it started looking like...

Oh look! A feather! I consider this a gift from Mother E for all of my hard work.

And the after for now....

Unfortunately, the vines are so established high up in these tall trees, and that is where the berries are. This will be a multiple year project.

We will keep fighting, little friend.

We have to move on for right now though. It's time to start wrapping things up for the day, and head back home. Starting with pumping water to put out the burn pile. I am always amazed and grateful when I see water coming out of the hand-pump. We did that ourselves?! This is coming from deep in the ground?!

We also need to take an autumn olive down that resprouted from a previous cut and treat we did. It had an Ootheca on it.

And then I needed to treat some fresh phragmite that is popping up from the excavated areas. I had wondered if there was a den of sorts over here. While no hole in the ground was found, it was the area that the "witch's hut" was.....a brambling, twisted pile of bent over branches, and debris that resembled the shape of an igloo. These bones, now piled by me, were found on the ground where that once was. I told Woodchuck that we need to replace some of these natural structures that gave the wildlife safety, warmth, and rest. We can't just strip the land of all of these things, making it look cleaned up and pristine, like some sort of park, and expect these creatures to stay on our land where it is safe. It is one of the things that we disagree on.

And it was as if the land heard me and said, "Show this child what she is protecting, and that these things appreciate her."

**It took me weeks to finish this post, and I am hoping to get caught up on the new ones over the this weekend

Holding Hands through the seasons, through the projects, through the unknowns

 An evening trip to the land while the weather was still holding up was to wash the barn floor. I admit that I wasn't down for it....I mean, the only water source we have is across the prairie and I knew that floor was going to need several rinse downs. Can we wait until we move out there and have more options? Of course not! I can tell by the position of the sun that Summer has left us. It is funny how you notice things like that when you are working outside around seasons, weather, and time-crunches.

Woodchuck has been having me drive the tractor here and there lately, so that I don't forget how to do it. We decided that the only spot that we needed to wash today was where she was parked. 👇

That is fine, I'll move the tractor out...it gives me the chance to see the forest. I dislike being inside. 👇

The barn floor has various spots of oil and grease spills. The washing was only going to do so much now. With me being a former custodian, we decided that I would mop while he changed out the water. Before. 👇

Once the floor was mopped, we closed up, turned on the ceiling fans and went for a walk while the floor dried. You will join us, won't you? This is after, while the floor was still wet. 👇

I didn't catch a photo of the spider in time, but his front door to his abode was quite impressive. 👇

I continue to find at least one turkey feather on nearly every trip! But they are getting harder to see while mixed in with fallen leaves. 👇

Taking a break on the bench, looking at the foot bridge that grows ever more crooked since the trees underneath are starting to rot away. We still take our chances walking across it though 😉 👇

Something caught a feathered friend. I left these feathers, as I have more than enough and still need to finish cleaning and packing them away. 👇

We love looking at the black walnut tree! It looks kind of comical. 👇

Ah yes, confirmed second Tree of Heaven. It was dispatched. 👇

A kind of Aster. 👇

And a glimpse of a yet uncleared area. It is one of the areas I am most excited to see cleared because I know it is going to look completely different and will let some fabulous things breathe and grow! But for this trip, we are done and headed home.

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Woodchucks vehicle (only a work vehicle, I do all of the other driving) continues to need work. He puts things off as long as possible, but it always seems to need some thing all at once. He is nearing 300,000 on it, and I think GM needs to put a picture of him, and his car, on their wall! We dropped it off down the road at the local garage we use, went to the land, and then walked down there to pick it up. It's another one of the things that I will miss about living here.

We continue to try and do things together, but honestly, they are fleeting minutes, and I am beginning to miss him. Occasionally the loneliness hits differently. I finished making the jelly on my own, there was no way we would find the time to make another batch together. It was fantastic, and we are nearly almost out of it! The guys are eating about a jar a week. 👇

His annual medical testing continues to take up most Mondays, so another quick trip out to hang up no trespassing signs in the forest and around the property. I am grateful for all moments there, and with him.

He is almost always the first to reach out for hand-holding as we walk. 💚

And then we were surrounded by magick!

Even the kind of magick that is even more difficult to see. Leave the leaves! The insects/bugs/spiders need them to over-Winter in. (as I am typing this, my neighbor is once again out mowing hers over). 👇

What a cathedral to be standing before! 👇

And this church is full wonder, and hope, and peace, and acceptance. 👇

As the winds change direction now, the ponds is clear more often. 👇

This sassafras is silly. And honestly, nearly able to be toppled over with just your bare hands! But it continues to live. What a lesson we can take from it. 👇

The smallest of energy can be bring big joy! But our time here today is done again.

I wanted to share this neat game that I found on a resale shopping trip recently with a friend. Made in Germany in the 80's, in nearly perfect condition, and has all of the pieces! What fun! 👇