Sorry I have not updated the blog in a few weeks. We have, do I dare say, come down with a few viruses lately. During Karl's break from work, he commented to me how he knew he was getting sick because he was just feeling exhausted. I had to stop for a moment and ponder this idea. How do I really know when I am getting sick? I seem to be exhausted a lot lately. Well, my over drive to make everything as perfect as I can seems to catch up with me at some point. So, as a Christmas present to my body and mind, I took a few days to sleep, fend off some bugs, and pump in as much vitamin C as I could. After a couple days laying low, we all seemed to be getting better.
Once we felt a little better, it was back to the grind. Karl still had a few days left, so we tackled the vines one day and worked on some pet projects on another. Christmas decorations were placed back into their tubs to hibernate until next year and a good clean up helped us start the New Year on a good note. Soon school started back and the familiar rhythm was returning.
One afternoon before the weather became frigid, I took the children over to a friend's house to collect more leaves for my trees. On New Years' Eve, we had 55 m/hr gusts that took nearly all my straw and leaf mulch into the fields. Luckily, the trees made it with only a couple small ones leaning slightly to one side instead of standing straight up. My experiment of no-till method is practically gone, only 3 of 5 beds has anything left on them. Basically, I need some wind barriers and fast. I came up with an idea to use some of the branches of the trees to construct a cheap and rustic picket style fence, but I need Karl to trim a few branches with his chain saw. This might at least slow the wind down. Our trees need about 5 years and then wind in the front section will not be an issue. Then, I was told about the reforestation/ Agricultural department's tree program. As long as I am planting trees for ecological or environmental reasons and not just for landscape, I could purchase 1-3 year old seedlings of various trees for $.50-.75 a piece. So, this spring along with the fruit trees, Karl and I will be planting a wind barrier on the North and West sides of the land. I guess this year will be the year of trees for us!
