I’m biased toward work.
There’s much that I don’t know how to do, but I’m always willing to learn. I don’t have the tools, the materials or the funds to do everything I’d like, but you can be sure I’ll make the most of what I have. Many things are beyond my physical capacity, especially as I age, but I’ll do the best I can within my limits.
Even a casual glance around this place confirms that I live up to all three of those commitments — for the last two-plus years, I’ve busted my ass up here. If I hadn’t, I’d have every reason to be ashamed of myself.
When something like oppressive summer heat reminds me of my limits, I adapt. Usually that means getting started early, while it’s cool(er), and that’s what I did yesterday morning — weeds on the west side of the driveway desperately needed whacking.
As I’d done several weeks ago, I knocked down the unsightly overgrowth around the camper, leaving my “accidental garden” intact over the septic tank. The task consumed a good half-hour and more energy than I expected, owing to high humidity (90%), but the result was satisfyingly tidy (in a rustic sort of way).
I hosed the clippings off my muck boots before moving on to the next job I had in mind.
I decided that the freakishly fast-growing princess tree on the lower level would have to come down. As much as I wanted to leave it another year or two, if only for the sake of curiosity, it occurred to me recently that this invasive was putting down roots perilously close to my main septic line. I needed to fell it before it caused damage that’d be costly to repair.
The base of the two-year-old tree, about six inches in diameter, was near the bottom of the bank. I gauged its lean, fired up the chainsaw, and began to cut my notch.
I didn’t get very far. The light, sappy wood gave way before I could finish the undercut, and the tree came down on its own — but not in the direction I’d planned.
It fell onto the camper.
Actually, the crown just kinda leaned over on it. No damage. I walked back up-top, made a relief cut, and the upper trunk fell harmlessly aside.
I did some quick limbing and left the remains of the tree pretty much where I dropped it. I’ll come back during the colder months and process the trunk for firewood.
A second princess tree, a year younger and a whole lot smaller, was growing over by the well shed, and it posed a risk to my water line. I took that one down, too.
These trees respond favorably to “pollarding” — that is, they can be pruned back aggressively to encourage new growth. I’ll be keeping an eye on both stumps to make sure they don’t rise again. If they do, I’ll have to drill and treat (poison) them.
I finished up, put my tools away and looked at my phone — 8:15am, 78°F, 92% relative humidity. I was sweating my ass off, but I’d accomplished something. That felt good.
Yesterday morning’s tour of social media uncovered this gem (pictured) on one of the Ozarkansas community pages I follow.
Technically, yesterday was the first day in almost a week that Ozarkansas wasn’t under a NWS “heat advisory.” I don’t know how they determine or assign that sort of thing, but conditions here were no different — mid-90s, heat index 105°F.
We did get enough passing clouds to moderate things some. Every little bit helps.
I came in from morning tree work with a headache I couldn’t shake. Figuring it might be due to poor hydration or otherwise related to the heat, I checked into the cool cabin and disciplined myself to drink water.
And I mean the rest of the day. We do what we must.
Life is good.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable