Denim Deb Hay, hay, hay. Thank the Lord!

[Denim Deb]

Coffee didn't work to well since I can only drink decaf. But, I made it thru the day.

 

[Denim Deb]

Today was a much better day! I'll admit to oversleeping this morning, so I didn't really get much done this morning. Got to the farm, got everyone fed and did some more weeding. I thought I'd be done the one section today. Nope, still have a bit more to do. There's a TON of short pig weed right there, something that's not really visible until you get right up on it. But, even getting done some of it was better than not getting any of it done.

Went to the Nature Center for the next "lesson". Part of it included a walk. I'll admit to not paying too much attention to what JT was saying. She was talking about plant IDing, and that's not something I have a problem with. In fact, if she's not sure what something is, she asks me! But, I did find some things out there that I hadn't realized were there.

First off, I found a big tooth aspen. I knew there were several near the lake, but didn't realize there were any in the area we were walking today. But, I found a leaf, so of course, I had to look. And, I found the tree! Then, I was seeing all these green fruits of some sort on several small trees, but I couldn't really tell what they were until I walked into the woods and looked. I found a bunch of small persimmon trees! And, the fruits are low enough for me to reach! So, as long as the animals don't beat me to them, I know where I can get me some persimmons! Got up a bit farther and heard a bird I had never heard B4. It was a cuckoo. I knew we had them in the area, but they're not all that common. And, there were 2 of them! I only got a glimpse of them, but I now know what they sound like. There's 2 different cuckoos in the area, so we don't know for sure which it was, but it was still thrilling.

Got out to the farm, and did some more weeding along the fence line. Then, I cleaned up a bunch of manure and went home. Got a load of clothes out on the line (they're still there ), FINALLY got caught up w/the dishes, and got part of the bathroom clean!

Hubby came home. We were going to go look for a net book for me. DS called from his girlfriend's. He's working on splitting up a maple that came down when we had the nasty storm, and hubby wanted to look at the tree. It's a Norway maple, so we'll be getting the wood! There's a field behind the house, and I noticed that someone was in it baling hay. Right when he got up even w/us, he had to get down, so of course I had to ask him about his hay. Well, I'll be picking up a bale tomorrow and if the horses like it (which I'm sure they will), I'll be able to get all the hay I need for the winter off of him!

Went to look at the net book and found they're all out of them. There' another store that has one, but they were holding it for someone. But, if the person doesn't pick it up by tomorrow, they'll call us! So hopefully, by this time tomorrow, I'll have my net book. We found that we can add it to our cell phone plan w/no problem. And, since we'd be getting rid of a phone that's not used (my MIL's), we'd actually be saving money every month! If we can't get this one, we'll have to keep looking. This one was a great price-which is why we can't find one. But, if I'm meant to get it, I will.

OK, it's getting late and I can't keep my eyes open. The Phils are winning right now, so hopefully they'll hold onto the lead for their 8th straight win. Night everyone.

 

[moolie]

Hope you got another good night's sleep! Wonderful about your discoveries along the trail, I love things like that. I don't know the big tooth aspen, around here the trembling aspen is very common, and I've never seen a persimmon fruit or tree, or heard/seen a real cuckoo bird but my Oma had a cuckoo clock that I loved as a kid--do the birds really sound like that?

 

[Denim Deb]

I don't know about the cuckoos in other parts of the world, but this one was saying something that sounded like tock, tock, tock real low. If you've ever heard a squirrel make that noise, that's about what it sounded like-only deeper.

And the big toothed aspen is very similar to the quaking aspen. But, the leaves are a bit bigger, and the "teeth" on the edge of the leaf are bigger.

Hubby told me he thinks his brother has some type of persimmon bush! I'll have to go and look. If it is, I'm going to see if I can get some seeds from him and try to grow them. Since it's a bush, and the fruits are fairly large, I doubt that it's the America persimmon-especially since they're already eating the fruit from it!

Got a good enough night's sleep, it just wasn't long enough. I'm ready to go back to bed!

 

[Dawn419]

Yay on the persimmon find, Deb!

The trees out here are loaded this year, despite the heat and drought. Hoping we can get out to my aunts' place and do some foraging for them during docs' week off. On one of our visits back there last fall, we went exploring to see if we could find any Chinquapin tree survivors from the trees that used to be on their place.

Well, we never found the Chinquapins but the fencerows were loaded with persimmon tress, to the point were we couldn't help but seeing them everywhere. It's supposed to get down to 43F on Tuesgay night so hopefully that little burst of cool with get the ball rolling for sweetening them up.

 

[Denim Deb]

We don't have the chinquapin trees around here. What do the nuts taste like?

 

[Dawn419]

Unfortunately, they're very rare here, Deb, due to a blight (the same blight that decimated the American Chestnut trees) back in the 1950's - 1960's. We joined the Ozark Chinquapin Foundation, last year, to help try and restore them to the Ozarks. We received 2 seeds but only one of them sprouted and that succumbed to the drought and heat.

I've never taste one but have read that they're supposed to taste like Chestnuts. The older folks here, who have had them, said they're a lot like persimmons in that you have to get them at just the right time and hope that the wildlife doesn't get to them first.

 

[Denim Deb]

I know where there's one American Chestnut, but it isn't very big. And, I don't know how much longer it's going to live.

I wonder if the Ozark Chinquapin Foundation is connected w/the one I've heard that there is for the American Chestnuts. If any of the few surviving trees get nuts, if at all possible, they want them to hope to be able to find a way to grow them again.

 

[moolie]

Cool trees, too bad your seeds didn't make it but I'm sure you'll try again!

Hubs started two Garry Oak trees from acorns about 30 years ago when he lived in Victoria BC--they are a local tree that is so rare it only grows in a very small area on southern Vancouver Island, and it's a protected species--no one is allowed to cut them down. He gave one to a friend who planted it in his parent's back yard--that tree is over 20 feet tall now. The other one he kept in a pot for years and then planted in the yard of the house where he lived when he moved out when we got married and got our first apartment. We assume it's still there, but couldn't tell from the street the last time we were in town. He said it was the coolest process to watch those trees grow up from something so small as an acorn.

 

[Denim Deb]

OK, I've always called Licorice a brat, and she's living up to that. Saturday when I got to the farm I found her in the seeded area. I didn't think too much of it since I hadn't topped the water off the day B4 like I had planned to when I fed Stormy. But, since I normally do it in the morning and I spent several hours waiting to hear from the hay guy B4 heading out, I forgot. So, they were really low Saturday morning. I chased her out, filled up the water and figured I was good to go.

Yesterday morning I got there and found her in the area I store RBs. I had 2 in there, but they're the same hay as what I have out. Based on the amount of poop in there, she was in there for quite some time. And, she was glad to get out.

This morning I got there and once again, she was in the seeded area again! I didn't let her out until I had her feed in the bucket. Otherwise, I would have had to chase her out.

Once I had everyone fed, I went and got some tools and tightened up the electric rope. Then I tightened up the rope. And I told her that if I find her in there one more time, I'm putting up another strand of wire!

Once I had that done, I did more weeding. I'm almost half way done the seeded area and should finish it (hopefully) by the end of the week. They're calling for rain tomorrow, so I don't know if I'll be able to do more or not. But, if I can, at least it won't be as hard! Right now, the ground is almost rock hard.

I also got more of the manure cleaned up. Tomorrow if it's too wet, I'll get the tack shed all cleaned up. I've been looking for something I could put the feed cans on that had wheels. The other day hubby and I were in Boscov's and they had this little rolling platforms for $5.00! They'll hold up to 220 lbs, and I won't even have half that amount on them. So hopefully tomorrow, I can put them together and get the cans on them. That way, I can move them easily to clean around them.

I need to do some work around here, but don't feel like it. Can someone come over and get me moving?