Let it go!

I am trying to let go of the fact that my blog looks like shit, but it is really really hard. It makes me not want to blog. What's with that? I did some research and found out that the problem is not just my own, but one that lots of people have to contend with....the loss of their almighty "design" button. Ahhh, well. There are certainly worse things to have to deal with.

Worked down in the lower field with Sid (who will here-to-for before referred to as Mr. Shoulder-to- the-Grindstone) yesterday. 250 Pacific Crab Apple trees arrived on Tuesday. All of which need to get in the ground soon. Most of the trees planted this year have had much smaller root systems. However, the crab apples are beautiful with major root systems, which means that every hole has to be "custom dug" for the individual trees. Other places have custom drapes, custom furniture, custom homes, but here in Old Moore's Valley, we have custom holes for crab apple trees.

Mr. Shoulder-to- the-Grindstone digs the hole, trims the roots, and then I get down on my hands and knees and plant the tree. Remember that this is in very wet, heavy, sticky, clay soil, and it has been raining and snowing. So after a few hours it is difficult to differentiate me from a walking piece of boggy sod. However, even with all that, planting is the easier of the two jobs. Digging the holes is harder. The muddy clay soil sticks to the shovel, water pours in before the hole is finished, making each hole more difficult than the last.

We planted 70 crab apples yesterday morning. Yeah, only 180 left!

(Why so many crab apples? This is part of a Conservation Restoration EnhancementProject (CREP). We (mostly Mr. Shoulder-to-the-Grindstone) have planted a few thousand trees/shrubs so far. Pine, ash, alder, ninebark, snowberry, oregon grape, willow, red osier dogwood, and the list goes on. Spence has come out from Portland a few times to help. Thank you, thank you, Spencer.

Stay tuned. I will get my camera out to the field and take pictures.