Last Day of Indian Summer

How strange to spend this Sunday morning in leisure. When I was working, I would often clean house on Sunday morning, while trying to catch a glimpse of  'Sunday Morning' on television. So glad those days are over. It's still early this AM, Bruce is snoozing, Grace has already announced her presence at my office window, and is now content on the heated back porch. I appreciate her routine. Makes the world so orderly and right. Nice to snuggle with her for a few brief moments before leaving her on the porch.

Yesterday Bruce and I tackled our Camp Colegate trails with some more major grooming. Last spring we had widened, really widened our pond trail. What we had realized over the years, despite all our mowing and trimming of the branches that stray in from the side, was that the 'walls' of the trail will grow up - looks nice - and then grow over. We eventually end up with trails that are enclosed in lovely, treed canopies. That sounds heavenly, but there is really no way for two short people maintain that growth that keeps on growing over their heads.  It seems odd that our flat, former field requires so much chain sawing, not to keep it clean, but to allow us free movement over our property.

This is only a problem with our 'vista' trails and 'service' trails. Vista trails lead the eye to a point of interest. George Washington had one at Mt. Vernon, leading down to the Potomac River. I believe he referred to this as his bowling green. Nevertheless, the vista trail should be somewhat grand. Even grander to the eye when cut, because it still will grow up and then over. There are simply some trails that should remain as open as possible, and not tunneled. The service roads obviously have to be maintained with enough opening to allow vehicles to travel without being scratched by raspberry and rose vines, which can really damage a nice paint job.

So we went to work on our short vista trail leading to Todd's pasture. While we were selecting, debating, trimming and cutting, I kept my eye out for saplings that could be used for future wood working projects. I've been frustrated the past few years with my culinary garden. I really micromanage those plantings and weeding, only to discover one morning that the rabbits or deer have munched away overnight. For the past two years we've secured those selected gardens with the green plastic fencing. Not too ugly, but oh, no! I'm then fenced out of my gardens. Every time I want to weed or harvest a little here, a little there, I have to unwrap the garden, work, then rewrap. Not fun for me, but my crop is protected. I kept thinking I needed a box of screen that was heavy enough to keep from being blown away, but light enough for me to lift and move easily.

As we were preparing to chainsaw, I realized that many of the young trees we were targeting would make great frames for my chicken wire. The only other puzzle was how to support the top of the boxes without making them too heavy. As we continued to work, I found the answer: grapevine. Oh my goodness, are we ever our parents' children. I now have a plan for my frames, even figured out how I might make handles for them. And that sounds like another chapter in our chronicles.

Another project we've been contemplating is making twig furniture. I had been browsing some of my catalogues that came in the mail before I tossed them, and marveled at the twig furniture tables. Twig chairs are much too uncomfortable to sit in, but twig tables seem very useful. Wouldn't those be neat at Bonfire instead of the white plastic tables (I always want to sit with one near my chair, so nice to rest your drink or plate), or better yet, down South on a big porch overlooking the woods? So I targeted some saplings for that purpose, tagged them, and located some more grapevine. Ah, winter projects just waiting for the perfect weekend. I love to have something to look forward to in the winter: peanut brittle, twig furniture, and chili. Makes the winter fly.


Vista Trail to Todd's Pasture
The young trees are cut, but were already closing in



Service Road from Lane to Bonfire
Bruce has done the widening on the left

Grapevine marked with blue string

Saplings stripped and ready for garden frames

 We took time out in the afternoon to head to Landen for a late lunch and a movie. Bravos served a fabulous Mah iMahi over a bed of romaine, roasted fennel and carrots in a rich broth, garnished with grape tomato halves. There was some sort of cheese/cream sauce sandwiched in the middle there too. Wonderful. We watched 'Social Network' which was great, then headed home in the dark. I was concerned, as Bruce had deer hit last week on his way to work in the dark. We spied a deer as we headed down into Clarksville, then, as we pulled into our lane, another deer ambline across our field to the Bakers'. I am so greatful that I don't have to commute to and from work in the dark.