Monday, February 22, 2016

An afternoon in the woodlot

Last Friday, I went to poke around my little bit of property in the woods.  We had a portion of it clear-cut several years ago.  The pines that naturally seed themselves in a clear-cut area are starting to grow, but the sprouts from the hardwoods are quite thick as well.  I had taken a few hand tools, and I removed some of the smaller stuff.  My father arrived later with a chainsaw and helped out a while.  I had inherited Grandpa's old bush axe, but it was heavy and cumbersome.  I remember one summer that I worked with the forestry service, we used Swedish axes that impressed me considerably for cutting saplings.  I'm thinking I might just spring for one of those.
After all was said and done (I can imagine my mother interjecting here, "...more was said than done!..."), I felt only a small fraction of what needed to be done was done.  On the positive side, I did get some exercise, I did enjoy the nice day, and I did enjoy listening to Daddy's tales about the olden days while we took a break.  I tried to imagine how times were when Daddy was a youngster riding a bike all around the rural community selling packets of Henry Field's seeds.  While we sat on a sourwood tree that had survived being uprooted, I saw two lizards venturing out.  It was a warm day for February, and they were taking advantage of the sunshine.  Earlier I had seen a warbler of some sort foraging for insects in the thicket.  The day was perfect weather-wise.  I might try to go back again sometime soon.  (I live too far away to go as often as I would like.)  Once warm weather, ticks, and redbugs arrive, I will not want to be out there.

2 comments:

  1. What a lovely day that sounds like. I am so glad you can take time with your dad and LISTEN. Funny that, I thought I had listened, but I really did not. There is so much I wanted to know from dad, AFTER he was gone.

    I like the interjection you added for your mom! Neat.

    Love from down here in Belmont.

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  2. I love work like that. We recently bought four acres (more or less) that is adjacent to the back of out property down by the barn. I've been spending time as weather permits clearing fallen trees and underbrush. The idea is to make walking paths to use throughout the year.
    This kind of work is good for the spirit. I wish my dad was still alive to give me a hand.

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