I have been cleaning the brush along a fence line. I want to mow along this because the area is “ladder-fuel” for larger trees. Unfortunately my neighbor likes the natural ambiance, so her side is loaded with brush, trees, and dead/dry material. The cleaner my side is, the more resistant it is to fire coming from that direction.
Three plants are most troublesome: Sweet autumn clematis, Washington Hawthorn, and elderberry. The first is a climbing vine that smothers other plants. Elderberry is a nice plant until it grows tall and starts to die up where one needs a ladder to remove the branches. At this point a small tree develops a top as burnable as newspaper. Hawthorn is a small tree with hard wood, pretty blossoms and berries, and thorns.
The branches do not grow in a neat fashion. They go every which-a-way. The problem is getting rid of them without being impaled by the thorns. Two years ago I managed to get a thorn through the sidewall of a truck tire. The solution was a new tire. Ouch!
About 10 years ago I bought a Gorilla garden cart. The tires were not tough and after 3 thorn-flats, I had the tires filled with foam. At that time the cost was $1/pound. It took 8 pounds per tire. No flats since, but I have to pull an extra 32 pounds around. I do use the cart a lot; gave the wheel barrow away.
It has been suggested that I move into a town apartment and leave the aggravations out in the country. Not seeing that just yet.
Memorial Day will have the best weather we have had for weeks. A high near 72° and light wind. Wind above 25 mph and gusting to 45 has been common in May.
Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan
John