A Cool Down

I haven’t posted much lately because we are experiencing a much needed cool-down in temperatures in Minnesota so I’ve been spending a lot of time outdoors after being cooped up for almost a month because of the hot weather, humidity and high dew points.

My attention is now directed to the 1/2 acre in the back of our property although I had told myself that I wouldn’t start that project until next year.  Walking the property to see what needs to be done, all I can say is “Ugh.”  There is so much work to do in the back that I’m not quite sure where to start.

I pulled weeds for a couple hours then stepped back to see what it looked like and it didn’t seem like I had done anything at all.  I am now starting to pull up some small bushes and trees that are growing wild. This could take forever …

The two neighbor teens I have been using to help me have not been around much this summer so I think it’s time to find other “workers.” I hope to work in the backyard off and on as long as I can before autumn arrives along with its showers of daily leaves.

The rains come back today and tomorrow so I will have a little bit of rest from my outdoor physical labor. And the bugs have been cooperating even if I was bitten by mosquitoes three (3) times —  not bad for working outdoors a few mornings this month.

Has anyone ever cleared a large area of brush like this before and if so, do you have any helpful hints on how to work efficiently without calling in the professionals?

(Oh — The picture you see as my header is of a flower called knautia macedonica. It was growing wild in the front yard of one of my friends who lives in Seattle. I found the flower quite pretty and asked my friend what it was called. Since he didn’t know, he headed to the nursery to find out what it was called as his family had not planted it. Knautia macedonica – quite a name for such a beautiful flower.  I don’t know if we’ll be able to grow it in Minnesota as a perennial considering how cold it gets here but I’m hoping to get some seeds in the spring and plant them in one of the two sunny areas we have on the property). 

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