Rumor has it that there are still a few chestnuts around that have not
yet been planted and are still viable. Maybe so. But it's hard to
believe given the late killing frost last year, the bizarre behavior
of the chestnuts (nearly all of which dropped their seed from the
still attached burrs), and the consequent paucity of collected seed.
In any case, the whereabouts of the rumored seed is a deep mystery
whose solution seems unlikely given that a seat cushion for one of the
deck chairs (which, it should hardly require stating, is considerably
larger than a chestnut.....regardless of species) remains MIA three
weeks or more after its disappearance. No ransom note has as yet been
received.....or even so much as hinted at.

So we turn our attention elsewhere. Today was spent mostly in pruning
a mixed bag of conifers lining a hundred yard long stretch of the
driveway and in disposing of the detritus. Much of it was
chipped.....until it was discovered that the chipper had a major
hydraulic leak. The rest was burned. And a lively blaze it was,
indeed.

Alas, there is just so much killage and burnage that is justifiable
(despite liberal tolereances) in a given day. So the early evening
hours were spent in planting herbs (arugula, basil, cilantro, mint and
oregano) and sunflowers. Yes, we are aware that arugula qualifies as
an herb only by virtue of liberal definitions.....but we really don't
give a **** about that.

The plan is for the sunflowers to form a rampart around the deck which
will forestall the need for early feeder intervention in the late
summer and through the fall. They are also pretty. This doesn't hurt
at all. Larry is dubious. This is synonymous with "Larry has never
done this." This is pretty much a working definition of synonymy.

He'll change his mind when he sees the sunflowers.

Meanwhile, the mower, the chipper, the chainsaws, the gator, the log-
splitter, and all of the other power equipment is in serious need of
professional service......isn't that EXACTLY what I was saying all
****in' winter long??!!

Yes, it is.

But.....

But **** still keeps growing at a stupefying rate. Green is
everywhere. Each hour of sunlight puts on more wood than was burned
throughout the past six months.

Fecundity on an obscene scale. It boggles the mind.

giles
who would grow squash, beans, corn, tomatoes, potatoes and other such
truck but for the fact that he can get it for free from others who
grow more than they can sell or legally dump......and the asparagus,
dandelions, violets, day lilies, morels, fiddleheads, berries (of
various sorts) and sundry other goodies are free for the taking
without so much as a by your leave wherever found.

things could be worse.