Author: Diana Blakney

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Earth Day

Sandra and Sid have worked hard to get the farmhouse flower gardens looking pretty for Tory and Robert’s upcoming wedding anniversary.
Enough of the beautiful, blooming plants around the farmhouse. As Bill and I went out to find and conquer Scotch broom, we saw some newly fallen trees in Rock Creek and elsewhere on the forest roads. We will bring the chain saw tomorrow and clear some of the debris.
These guys are no match for our Puller Bear!

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Baby Crawdaddy

  • This cutie was lost, wandering on the Creek trail. We returned her to the creek.
  • Yes. More Scotch broom pulling.

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Spring planting fever!

Sid works on expanding the edging around the side of the farmhouse. It will act as a safety barrier when we mow the lawn.
Making it level is of utmost importance, of course.
  • A little mulch will help define the area.
  • Progress on the evil patch of Scotch broom
  • Bill points to the location of the trail camera, newly placed

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Spring Weather and …

Sid, Bill and Diana spent quality time attacking the big patch of Scotch broom.
  • Bianca watches for danger as Bill pulls Scotch broom
  • Sid has mulched and mulched and mulched
  • Two new elderberry plants are keeping their feet wet
  • The peach tree near the entry gate got girded by rodents. New tree planted.
  • Sid guards the new peach tree

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Another day, more Scotch broom

Although this patch contains young plants that are easy to pull up, the patch is so big it will take awhile to demolish. Then … on to some other, more familiar, patches.
It is important to keep our forest roads accessible in case of forest fire. The hanging limb you see ahead has to go … it will take strategic thinking to take it down safely.

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Safety First

No limb is going to fall on my head!
See the dark green vertical stems sticking up? Scotch broom!!!!! A huge new patch!
Bill begins the long process of pulling the Scotch broom up by its roots. It will take us awhile, but we will eventually get it all. For this year, anyway.
Too bad Bianca forgot her chain saw … there is a tree down on the “uneven aged” demo trail.
If you look closely, you can see spots of yellow daffodils Unk planted on the side of the hill.

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Watershed Council tour

On St. Patrick’s Day, Bill and the Marys River Watershed Council took a tour of some of its projects. This photo is of the North Fork Reservoir from which the City of Corvallis gets some of its drinking water.
Next stop, Shiver River and the Griffith Creek Pond. Then on to other log structures and riparian plantings on our property.
Fish biologist Steve and Kathleen (MRWC project manager) led the group of 10.
Steve at one of Shiver River’s riparian planting sites.

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Death defied!

Sid was happily driving through the woods when a big, rotten limb fell on him! Luckily, the roll bar broke it into pieces … a close call nevertheless!

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