Planting Trees

Mar 162013
 

2013-03-16_16-59-52_922It was a grey Saturday. I rested until 11 or so, not feeling terribly motivated to do much. Then I headed out to drag the arena. Sarbjit had fixed the lawn tractor. Last week, one of the front tires had slipped loose and gone flat. I had no idea what to do about it, he figured it out. He’s a clever guy that way. I’m lucky to have a significant other who is handy with machines.

It was raining when I walked out the door, so I figured that I wouldn’t do much else. Once I was on the tractor though, it was another story. I had checked the weather for the next week and it said rain on and off. I figured that it was a good idea to get some trees in the ground while the rainy season was still here.

2013-03-16_13-14-56_438eFirst though, I wanted to clean up some piles of brush I had pruned a few weeks ago. I hitched up our new toy, a 10 cubic foot garden trailer and took one load. It was too small for this task, so I used my Jeep and utility trailer instead. All that went on the burn pile. I got that going with layers of arborvitae I had also cut last week, alternated with the brush from the pile (blackberries, holly and a mystery shrub). Does anyone know what this flowering shrub is? It has some thorns and the blossoms come out before the leaves. It suckers and has made a thicket that took over a Leyland Cypress. That’s why it’s getting cut back. I’ll definitely leave some, as it’s pretty. It grows quite tall, like small trees actually.

2013-03-16_13-28-10_112Once the fire was okay on it’s own, I moved on to tree planting. I loaded up the garden trailer with old manure, a spade and a shovel. By the end of the day, I was able to plant three Kousa dogwoods and five birch trees below the house, three red alder seedlings in the woodlot, and two red twig dogwood bushes in what will be our perennial border. There was some mowing to do, so that came next. There is a little more lawn here than I might like, but it is satisfying to make it nice and tidy.

I have that tired feeling that is welcome after good physical work. I had meant to do some things inside, but that will all have to wait until tomorrow. A soft rain is falling now, which is just perfect to settle in the new trees.

Frosty Country Musings

Mar 102013
 

DSCN0277eI was out this morning a bit late, due to Daylight Savings. Lily was shaking her head at me as usual, wanting me to get her to her breakfast faster. After horse chores were done, I walked around looking again for where I will plant my willows.

I’m going to start an area with some rows of willow for basketmaking. I want to get a few copiced plants going this year, though it will be small to start. I’ve become very intrigued with ideas about making useful things from the materials on the property. There are already quite a variety of trees and thickets that will yield with pruning. And some trees can be harvested to make room for fencing or some other future plan.

After selecting the spot, I brought out some old tarps to lay over the grass, and scrounged up some pieces of wood to keep them from flying away. We do get a decent amount of wind here. Eventually, the few Christmas trees in that area will go and the willow bed will expand.

Slanting, rising sunlight highlighted frosty grass. Bella had followed me, as she often does when I walk. She’s a quirky little cat with her crooked tail and rabbit-like hind legs. When I got back to the house, she happily curled up on my lap as I sat by the front door. Her warmth was welcome in the near freezing air. I sat long enough for the birdfeeder to become populated with Junkos, Chickadees, Robins, a Scrub Jay, and a pair of Rufous Sided Towhees.

Sitting in the stillness of the morning, I started to hear many different bird songs, including an owl. I look forward to being able to identify more of them. Then my time outside was up and it was back into the house, where there was yet more to do.

Winter in Western Oregon

Dec 252012
 

DSC_0490webWell, it’s here. We had a few days of unseasonably wonderful weather, warm, sunny … just trail riding perfection. I was even able to take advantage of it a few of weeks ago. Some friends came out and we had a weekend of great riding, exploring the trails off the property and riding in the arena too.

Now the rains have come, along with wind storms. We lost power for a few hours the other day and anything not tied down was blown about. The rains have been torrential too. I am quite thankful that we live on a hill and not down by the river.

I am seeing that we will have drainage projects for next year. I thought about putting down gravel around the back of the barn where I have the horses moving from their run in to the paddock. What I didn’t know is that the water from the barn roof floods the paddock itself. Sarbjit was kind enough to dig a small ditch to drain it outside the fence line. That ditch will need to be refreshed regularly this winter. I’ve been in this situation before when I boarded in west Eugene. The horses step all over the ditches and mess them up, necessitating digging them again .. and again. In the end, I just cut off access to the back of the barn. It will likely be only for summer use.

Next year, we will repair the gutters and run them into an underground pipe or French drain out into the woods. I have pictures in my mind of a beautiful, firm, gravel surface in the paddock for next season. And if we plan it well, there will be minimal standing water. Unless I want them to have a foot bath, that is, or if I run the drains into a pond.

DSCN0031We even had our first snow! It only lasted for a day, but allowed me to get some nice pre-dawn photos.

So, we are settling in well here at Akal Ranch, having had three weekends of Christmas tree sales and a Tack & Barn Sale. The barn sale was fun, with both consignments and several people coming to sell themselves. It would be fun to do in the summer as well. It was a cold and rainy day!

After Work Ride

Nov 122012
 

I set up a grooming area in my barn aisle today. Beau got to stand tied while I watered the arena. He was almost patient. He’ll get more used to this with time. I am happy to have a safe ‘patience wall’ spot for this sort of training. I had a couple of extra mats for the area too. It will be a good spot for trimming as well.

After dinner, I tacked him up and rode. This was my first after work, evening arena ride since moving. It was nice and easy. I used my new Ludomar saddle. It seems to fit him and is comfortable for me. It has a rigid pommel arch, but is otherwise flexible, while being very substantial and supportive. It has excellent spinal clearance with large, stuffed panels underneath. I do need a shorter girth, as the one it came with is loose even on the highest hole. Even so, it held well during my ride through a medium spook. I can’t really post in it, as the pommel gets in the way. It may end up being used only for arena and Working Eq riding. I’ll have to see when I get a new girth and try it out on the trail.

Beau seemed satisfied, only a bit sweaty afterwards. He enjoyed a good roll, flipping over in both directions. Goodnight, Beau!



Sunday Work

Nov 112012
 

I was out at 7 am to a beautiful sunrise. It was a productive morning. I dug a trench for a ground wire and pounded in a 6′ ground rod for the electrice fence charger. In between I poured gallons of gasoline on the burn pile, but found that it was filled with DIRT. No wonder it wouldn’t burn!

So I moved three wheel barrows of logs to the front of the barn, where I really wanted the burn pile. I also dug through the pile to spread the dirt out. It’s about half as big now. Next weekend, we’ll burn the small one out front and just do that over and over, until it’s the big one in horse’s paddock is gone.

After I got back later in the afternoon with fresh supplies from Eugene Hardware, I hooked up the charger and it worked to my first short section!
I tensioned the rest of the fence, made a tape gate for over the outside gate and …. the charger stopped working.

What a bummer…. The fuses are okay, so I hope that it can be resurrected. Sarbjit is taking it to a mechanic friend to look at tomorrow. At least the fence looks pretty, even if it doesn’t work. I like the brown Horse Guard tape a lot. It blends in with the surroundings better than white would.

I’m going to leave the horses inside during the day while I’m at work, until the fence is hot. I did get a bit of work done inside too. I put some patches of paint on the wall in the master bedroom to test them out. The full painting will have to wait until next weekend. It’s time to start moving to inside projects. The horses should be set for a while now, as soon as I get the charger working that is.

That was my Sunday.

 Older Entries