ROLL OUT THOSE LAZY, HAZY, CRAZY DAYS OF SUMMER

And hazy they are now that the wildfire season is upon us. The fire doesn’t have to be close in order to affect our environment.

Mike and I have been watching the Lapins cherry tree for ripeness. We thought to pick them yesterday but decided they really do need a few more days. There’s some evidence that the birds are also sampling for doneness, so we’ll see who gets the most fruit.

Son Clint drove out to spend a few hours here on Monday. His visit was the highlight of our holiday weekend.

Narrow-leaf plantain

Mike installed a plant identification app on his phone, and we’re enjoying it. For instance, he has learned that the weed that has totally overtaken our yard here is narrow-leaf plantain. Not a surprise that it takes off in compacted soil where the grass is poor and the soil dry. We do have some good soil here and there, and in those areas, the grass is healthy and the plantain sparse. And this is in line with information I have read: a healthy lawn will crowd out the plantain, but if the grass isn’t healthy, the plantain will take over. Watering might help, but we don’t do that here. We would like a lovely lawn, but it’s not in the cards. So, this morning Mike is mowing the plantain, a dusty job.

Mike splitting wood in the grove

Having carried a load of wood to town and splitting most of it for Ken, this trip we brought Mike’s electric wood splitter with us. Late in the afternoon, when the grove is in shade, Mike splits a 4-wheeler trailer load or two and hauls it to the barn to add to our lifetime supply of pine firewood. Mike says splitting wood is his new hobby. KW