The extreme heat looked like it was breaking, at last. There had been adequate rain, usually after I watered from the cistern. For weeks, it was a bad idea to do much outside in the oppressive heat and humidity.
As predicted, the weeds pulled ahead and now needed to be dealt with. The weeds didn't look too scary from up on the deck, but an apple tree and some hibiscus were in danger of disappearing from the landscape entirely if I didn't get in there.
The first step was to yank out the cow guard fence and pull up the fence posts so I could use the weed-eater. The lawn mower would just push the weeds down. The fence, however, was secured with lots of grasses and weeds and it wasn't the work of an instant to pull it out.
The fence made it hard to mow around the tree. However, I was glad to have the protection for that young tree when several enormous cows stopped by recently. Cows are like the weeds, much more terrifying up close. They brought their largish calves. I helped the guy who owns the herd, who was foolishly trying to herd them by himself. I carried an old broom, held aloft to give me a more imposing stature. He said they had pushed down a fence and gotten out, so I lucked out to not have more over here than I did.
Another apple tree that I planted years ago didn't survive a cow using it as a scratching post. So, this tree has been perhaps over-protected since when it was a young whip that didn't even have limbs. It now has two apples. It's a Golden Delicious.
Step two of the land reclamation was to use the weed-eater. But the grass wound around the spinning trimmer head, making it more work to stop and untangle it than it was worth. I was able to use the hedge shears, which was a big bother, too.
The hillside by the garden has great soil. In springtime, after huge rains, I pulled up lots of chicory, those pretty but pesky weeds with foot-long roots. A few days ago, I yanked out a few more after a six inch rain. As far as weeds go,though, chicory was only a drop in the bucket. The others either have three foot long roots or the roots are somehow anchored in place forever.
In spring, I envisioned the entire slope covered with lovely perennial flowers. I didn't get around to planting any, possibly because the row of lovely perennial iris I planted there a few years ago got choked out by those invasive grasses and bindweed.
When I say that I actually love weeding, let me make it clear that what I like is weeding in cultivated ground, where the weeds can be pulled up out of the friable soil. What has gone on in the hibiscus patch is nothing less than a return to grassland. These are weeds that can only be dislodged with explosives. There will be no weeding as such in the area. What may work is smothering with cardboard topped with anvils. I don't have any anvils, so maybe some loose bricks and quantities of mulchie stuff.
The chicken coop needs to be cleaned out, which will be a start. A few weeks ago, the three old hens vanished. I'd like to think that they just wandered off and are scratching for bugs in a nearby field. However, knowing how they always loved the comfort and security of Fort Flocks at night, I have to admit that something got them. There weren't even any telltale feathers left behind. I miss them.
At first, I vowed to not have more chickens. The problem was the eggs that I bought didn't really taste like eggs. One would think that free range brown eggs would be just as good. Instead, they were pale replicas of delicious breakfasts of yesteryear.
Thus, I'll be bringing home some chicks when the local farm store next offers them, at the end of the month.
Meanwhile, a return to heat advisory days has put the hill clearing project on hold. I would be less than honest if I said I was disappointed. Perhaps tomorrow will be better, but today's heat index of 108 degrees at least had some benefit.
