How I Fill my Days

Heading south across the pasture.  Recently mowed with our new ride-on mower.  The clover is blooming so heavily you can smell it.

Willow being managed as pollard on right side of photo.

Quercus bicolor.  New growth showing rosy glow.

I spread the limbs on this pear tree.  Spreading limbs induces early, and heavier fruiting.  The branches "tip" into bearing because the leaves get more sun and the buds respond to the higher Carbo/Nitrogen ratio by forming flowering buds.

The ground beneath the pear tree is carpeted with Poison Ivy.  I pressed nearby saplings into service to anchor the tie-downs.  I also used a couple of chunks of fire wood where there were no conveniently placed saplings.

I am proud of myself.  I got cages around these trees before the deer creamed them.

This emerging shoot on the persimmon graft could be easily broken or rubbed off by a passing deer.  Or, one nibble and it is gone.

I also cut down the taller saplings that were shading this little tree.

One seldom appreciated downsides of being retired is that you never get a day off.  So you gotta pace yourself.  It is amazing how many working people roll their eyes when I bring this up.   I  cannot go to work to recover from a crazy weekend!