The weekend was another work time at mom’s. We’re moving forward with the goat pen. Another 6 postholes dug (although until the shed itself gets moved in, the posts cannot be set into them), a good section of what will be the fenceline cleared of dead brush and debris, said brush and debris burned. Large Fiona-victim trees cut by chainsaw and at least 6′ of them removed, to give a jump-buffer between and the fenceline.

I was largely on fireguard duty, as much of the work is physically beyond me at the moment

There is much left to do, but forward progress is being made.

Today, my friends were back to dig another couple dozen trees. There isnt much time left for transplanting, so they took the day off work and came and got some lovely maples that were in places they could not be.

Once they left again, I set to work on the kids’ garden beds. I had gotten one of them assembled a couple days ago, but still had the remaining two to assemble and place with landscape barrier. I will eventually have a good layer of mulch overtop the barrier around the beds.

Once I finished placing them, the kids then had to haul over the half-rotten logs from the pine pile and set a solid layer into the bottoms of the beds. This will serve as a water sponge once the beds are filled, as well as being compost material and medium for microrhizal colonization.

I had hoped to divide and plant the rhubarb crowns my friends gave me, but that will have to wait until husband is home, as the crown plug is far too heavy for me to lift out of the pot on my own.

I may yet take half an hour or so to plant my squash, cucumber and melon seeds out in the greenhouse. At the moment, I am taking a few minutes to sit and drink water. It is quite warm today, which also means the blackflies are out en masse. How fun.

I need to remember where I put the smaller-guage bug screening last fall and get that switched in our windows. The midges, blackflies and smallers mosquitos come right through the mesh. Not cool.

I also need to measure and mark the T-pieces for the clothesline attachment. Then they and the two diagonal gate braces can be cut and readied for use.

Always lots to do. I really do want to get the chicken run completed soon, so they can GO OUTSIDE. Then, the super-fun job of cleaning the pen can commence.