Yard

[lighter]

Oh.....they spend an entire day digging up 14 foot trees, mostly white oaks and red maples.  Some ornamental trees ...Red Buds, Dogwood and River Birch, but most are the hardwoods.

They used an excavator to dig holes and move trees...guessing rootballs 2' to 3' wide.  Big.

Early this morning we put a ham on, made baked beans, salad, cut oranges and served with crusty hot French bread mit butter.   The guys ate at noon...they started their day at 4:30am and will likely finish 4:30pm. 

We had no idea 7 men and one machine could move so fast, but they can.  Watering in began 10 trees in.

We have food to feed them for days, so will pack them up with samiches and burritos to go.

I'm really tired. Not gonna lie.

Lighter

[Twoapenny]

Sounds like it went well, Lighter, and the food sounds delicious   Is this storm damage they're sorting out or stuff you had planned anyway?  Glad it's going well, whatever the reason for it was!

[lighter]

Tupp: Not storm damage. They planted trees around the point, as per army Corps of engineers....we took some trees out.  We were required to put some trees back.  It's done, and feels like a flame under my arse was snuffed out.  Like magic.  Pain free and they left no mess!  Amazing!  Now, to keep them alive!

Will water them in again today.  We expect rain next week. 

Have to brine all these pork chops and plan a dinner with the girls.  The female impersonator, hosting our favorite karaoke, said she'd come. DD22 and she share interest in sewing, costumes, humor and singing.  Hoping for a singing dance party!

Lighter

[sKePTiKal]

Wow! That's a big planting project!

Those excavators (especially tracked ones) are great tools. We have the bobcat & frontloader/backhoe - but both are wheeled making them less able to deal with some of our steeper terrain. Wish I'd known you had ham on the menu... I have two spiral honey-baked hams I'm looking for a good home for. Seems the churches/food pantries have "rules" but I haven't put a whole lot of energy into that yet.

[lighter]

We do have some steep terrain, so the tree guy brought the next to largest size excavator before the one's using metal tracks.  Small, but nimble. Easier to maintain.

I'd eat those hams, but suggest making them available on a neighborhood site like Nextdoor.  There are people who'd really like to have them, I'm sure.

We're still in shock, bc sis and I finished making wells/watering in trees in 4 hours yesterday AND two rangers stopped by and chatted while we worked.  We just kept digging and watering, which was exhausting.  I was huffing and puffing like a train.....esp moving the huge hose up and down the inclines, whew boy!!!! It's done!

The rangers were super pleased, btw!  That was the cherry on top.
Lighter

[Hopalong]

What an amazing, large-scale project, Lighter. I groaned at the thought of hauling the huge hose uphill. Hope you got a great night's sleep and aren't too achy today.

And I hope watching the new trees grow will bring joy. You are very open to the joys of beauty and change. On a lake, yet. It must be so beautiful.

Kudos!

hugs
Hops

[lighter]

It is beautiful, Hops, and the weather was splendid for working outside, and viewing the the point.  In some places, there's just water and shoreline....feels good on the soul.

About that hose ......I found one tree without a well on the opposite end of where we finished.  Building the well meant building on a very steep incline.  Filling it mean dragging hose up steep incline and attaching at opposite end of house, then dragging again, and that laid me right down flat to catch my breath and contemplate.

Sister came to help and found out why I had lost my sense of humor, as I ended up dealing with attaching 3 heavy hoses and watering in the final portion.  Thank Goodness it was on a milder grade.

I'm not very achy.....handsa but stuff.  Sister stuck overnight at airport is super achy, poor thing!

Lighter

Lighter

Still feels like a miracle.

[lighter]

I had gutters looked at yesterday....they need attention, bad.  Guys said roof and more needs done.  Oh dear.

Lighter

[sKePTiKal]

It's always something, isn't it?

[lighter]

Sure is, Amber.

[lighter]

Avoidance popping up while walking baby girl pug Saturday.  The cowgirl and yelly guy's wife somehow ended up on my path 3 times.....3.  I realize.... there's still a little dread in making chit chat small talk with them, as I have zero interest.

I suck at chit chat, at the best of times.  Having to wing it, while my mind blurts out  icky facts, I mostly ignore in my head, creates avoidance......and I'm working on dropping avoidance.

Just writing that out, feels very calming.  I'm reminded to pull my energy back, tight to my body, and not let others disturb my chill.

I can skip the avoidance and worry.....go straight to handling it, sans upset. Revelation.