Thursday, May 19, 2016

Getting up with (or before) the sun has its benefits

Morning fog in the wetlands hem us in, but the sun slowly rises as three deer take a stroll across our backyard, and head for my "garden project". I believe they approved as they mused at the artwork of glass jars, the door, and a few other things I've placed there. Oh, and I'd left the wheel barrel out there, just because I was too pooped to move it again. I just hope they didn't eat any more hostas. I have cages guarding them.

Yesterday, while we ate breakfast, Dennis saw the wood ducks shoot in from the ponds/wetlands through the trees. From my window I saw the female dart right into the large hole in the catalpa tree, and Mr. Woody settled on a branch of a nearby tree to take his post as guardian. So, it was settled, we have Mr. & Mrs. Woody nesting in our backyard about thirty feet off the ground. Somehow they must have wrangled that hole away from the squirrels. Today I saw a squirrel poke it's head into the hole and didn't linger but climbed away. He thought better of it. I'm guessing the Missus isn't in the mood for visitors.
Meanwhile, I've been digging, cutting, pulling and transplanting certain plants, which I hope will take hold. Still have a lot to do. I have to remind myself I haven't even been off for a week, and yet I've gotten quite a lot done in my woods. I've gotten mulch down on my pathway. (Maybe someday I'll have pictures, but for now, believe me, this is coming together). The other day I hauled 6 wheel barrels full of mulch (basically wood chips from trees the forest preserve downed--they were the ash trees that had been attacked by ash tree borers), although I had put plenty down in other places on another day, more is needed. My pathway meanders through what once was very wild, with thorny raspberry bushes and weeds of an indeterminable type. The first phase took about 2 springs to work on. I didn't have the luxury of time as I do now. And once summer came in, the bugs too put a kibosh on my work in there. So far the mosquitoes have not hatched, but it's only a matter of time being that we're in the middle a wetlands.

I've stated that I've cleared another pathway through another spot where raspberries grow, and comes out about twenty or more feet just up from the original opening under the white pines. This section will have to come later for further development. Possibly next year's project.

I've determined there are many elderberries growing on our property (as well as in the park). Elderberries have the ability--it is claimed widely--to help the immune system resist certain ailments, including colds, flu, and who knows what-all. As a syrup or any other liquid form, they charge an arm and a leg in the store. I'm going to find a recipe on-line, and gather up the berries this year for our own drink. I've got a lot of faith in the power of natural remedies. This one is highly touted and I'm not one to miff. I've used natural remedies before, including cherries for gout--worked in 12 hours! Asparagus is good to keep kidney stones at bay--and since I've always eaten asparagus, I've never had a problem with such. I've put comfrey root on sprains. I need to get new plants, as mine have somehow disappeared in the last few years. The list goes on for natural remedies that I've tried. I'm a believer. Indians, and old world wise people knew the herbs and what cured what. Why use something that might cause other problems when a natural remedy might be easily obtained and used.

Well, that's my up-date on things around here. hope your week is going well.

4 comments:

  1. Those wood ducks won't be using that spot for too long... once those little ones are out of the nest, they're all out and about.

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  2. That's true. I hope we'll catch that moment!

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  3. Me too. I hope you get photos!

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