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Here are the highlights of our visits to the ranch so far this year:
Sat-Sun Jan 31- Feb 1.
- Pulled out and pruned back grapevine climbing high into trees on lower wall. Also removed some black oak (used Randy’s chainsaw) and toyon growing on that wall. Left vine trimmings rolled into a pile for later removal, (hadn’t decided where to put it), moved other trimmings to pile near drag for chipping program.
- Sedum full of mildew, woody and lanky, spreading. Daffodils blooming early, very few narcissus blooming, pulled lots of euphorbia.
- Removed one manzanita on uphill side of redwoods and cut back a toyon to make passage wide enough for lawnmower to drive through.
- Rodents snapped: one in shed, two in garage (one was a small rat by workbench), one in WC. Cleaned and reset traps.
- Evidence of mice in kitchen: dish drain, stove top, oven drawer. Thorough cleaning of all.
- Cleaned oven using steam method. Pretty nifty!
Sun, Mar 29
- Moved grapevine cuttings to debris pile below lake.
- Always pruning and weeding. Can’t remember what else.
Sat-Sun, April 18-19
- Bobcat siting at turn-around below cliffs!
- Sedum: Main focus was removal of sedum under the alder tree. Worked on it both days. Each little broken bit lying on the dirt can sprout new roots. There are, of course, still roots we didn’t get dug out as well. It will come back fresh and nice. Then it will be up to us to control how much and where we want it. It will never be eradicated.
- Three trailer loads of sedum hauled to dumpsite below lake. Allan will move it off the dirt to the top of the pile with his tractor loader when he comes down to do other tractor work for us. Elevated atop the big logs and debris, the sedum should dry sufficiently over the hot summer.
- Did a B level cleaning of back porch.
- We tried lawn mower, couldn’t get it to start. Used weed whacker.
- One mouse caught in WC.
Sat-Sun, May 2-3
Did more raking and picking up bits of sedum (after last photo).
I don’t think the arum belongs and I’d be in favor of trying to eliminate it.
I ended up just cleaning it up a bit (see last picture).
Cheers,
Ingrid-euphoria attacker and Victor-star thistle attacker
- Continue sedum “removal”, focus under Hachiya persimmon. This area has become a jungle of Sedum, honeysuckle, california bedstraw, blackberry (needs digging up), poison oak (sprayed and left in place), bay, toyon, usual weeds. Will continue cutting and pulling honeysuckle and remove dig out blackberry and poison oak next time.
- Also cut back and pulled sedum on former arbor side of house.
- Lawn mower saga continued, consulted with both Peters and Allan. bottom line, needs new battery.
- Green jeep also needs new battery.
- Kitchen Notes: balsamic vinegar has heavy sediment for some reason but tastes fine.
- Al will move remaining sedum pile to lake when he is there to shove material deeper into hole by woodshed
- no new mouse activity in kitchen
- saw a lone turkey stroll down the road in front of the house!
Did more raking and picking up bits of sedum (after last photo).
I don’t think the arum belongs and I’d be in favor of trying to eliminate it.
I ended up just cleaning it up a bit (see last picture).
Cheers,
Ingrid-euphoria attacker and Victor-star thistle attacker
Sedum Removal by Alder
After Sedum Removal