A Tint of Green!

After church, we drove to Council Bluffs & bought a new door for the back of the house - one with a screened window that opens.  Next, we stopped to check on Farah, who was enjoying the 80+ degree day.

 Now, I'll know - if we have what is being called a mild Winter, then the first flush of green here at home will happen St. Patrick's weekend.  (27-years this weekend since we moved to the Homestead in WA.)  Little did we imagine then - that all these years later - we'd be working to clear along another creek in Iowa!

South side of our back fence, cut vines on the right~

This little fox was the first piece of yard art I bought for the Homestead & the only larger piece we brought with us.  He'd sat out on the hill along the creek, then later up in the woods.  I thought it fitting he find a new home along Tinkle Branch :-)  He'll be groomed with a new coat of paint this year!

Clearing!

Butch started in, cutting through all the tall grass & weeds, behind our south fence & to the west on the property we're purchasing.  Once that was done - I took my pruners & starting cutting all of the horrible, nasty vine Greenbriar that had grown into the trees & shrubs.

Greenbriar stem & creek in the background~

I just thought Blackberry was bad... Let me tell you - it can't hold a candle to this stuff.  So sharp that my work gloves were shredded by the time I was done.

Vine in the middle of the frame~

 With vines going well over twenty feet up into the trees.  I had to pull, tug & even wrapped some around other trees, to gain enough purchase to pull them down.  I could almost hear the trees sigh with relief.  I also found what looked to be grape vines?  They had wrapped themselves around the trunks of the trees all the way to the top.  I almost think some type of Ivy - but time will tell - unless I can get it fully killed before it leaf's out.

The "piles"

The piles don't look very impressive, but you wouldn't want to try to walk through here!  Next, I'll have it all to cut into pieces & haul to the fire to burn.  My goal - is to eventually earn the Yard of the Month title from our Glenwood Garden Club.  I think it's years away!  We also planted our second tree, a Black Austrian Pine - up near the top of the hill.  It gets huge, is hearty to 40 below, deer resistant & can live 500 years!

A very warm day!

 Tired & dirty, we sat out with cold drinks, watching the sun set behind the trees.   Six-months here now & so appreciative of the friends we've met & community that's welcomed us~