The poles are in for the side yard fence. Looking at their placement, I noticed that I would have some difficulties mowing the lawn around the outside of the fence considering the encroaching branches from the surrounding trees and bushes. I got out the clippers and went to work.
As I was making my way along the back fence line, I decided to keep my work momentum going and take care of the bushes and trees that have been creeping closer to the back of the house. Last winter really bent some of them more towards the house to the point that a few of them were touching in spots. Some of this work required a hatchet and a saw, as well as a good deal of lifting.
As I already had Trevor working on the changeover for the cabin, I enlisted the aid of the two younger boys to help move away the little stuff. I also handed both of them smaller clippers with the admonishment to be careful lest they lose a finger. My warning must have sounded particularly dire as Rowen initially refused to even touch his clippers. However, it wasn't long until his boyish need for destruction kicked in and he started pruning all over the place (usually on branches that I had already cut).
By the end, we had cleared a respectable distance from the house while still leaving an appropriate line of wilderness. There is one birch which is leaning towards the house with branches touching the roof that needs better tools than I have to deal with. Meanwhile, I built a substantial brush pile, and the boys fashioned themselves a variety of "tools" from the castaways that they liked.
As I was making my way along the back fence line, I decided to keep my work momentum going and take care of the bushes and trees that have been creeping closer to the back of the house. Last winter really bent some of them more towards the house to the point that a few of them were touching in spots. Some of this work required a hatchet and a saw, as well as a good deal of lifting.
As I already had Trevor working on the changeover for the cabin, I enlisted the aid of the two younger boys to help move away the little stuff. I also handed both of them smaller clippers with the admonishment to be careful lest they lose a finger. My warning must have sounded particularly dire as Rowen initially refused to even touch his clippers. However, it wasn't long until his boyish need for destruction kicked in and he started pruning all over the place (usually on branches that I had already cut).
By the end, we had cleared a respectable distance from the house while still leaving an appropriate line of wilderness. There is one birch which is leaning towards the house with branches touching the roof that needs better tools than I have to deal with. Meanwhile, I built a substantial brush pile, and the boys fashioned themselves a variety of "tools" from the castaways that they liked.
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