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Spring has sprung, and along with the change of seasons, the open window for clearing the forest floor continues.
And so, we work.... and we work hard!
Tools for our outdoor goals have varied, and helpers have been many.
Even our dogs have been anxious to partake in the forest ventures, well, they have really taken to meandering about in our newly carved trails.
New to us this year has been the incredible introduction to this piece of equipment above. It's a hedge trimmer on a gas weedeater wand and just perfect for feeling like a farmer with a sharp scythe.
My many thanks to a local friend who lent it to us to try it out, and wow, does it ever pull down brambles and small trees well. I am now pricing one out, the perfect item for us to use in our forest, mostly for keeping control over the new bramble growth over the seasons.
He even created an open window around his busy work on-call schedule to assist in carrying many of the hundreds of trees we had to cut down to create a safe forest this year, free from dangers of forest fires and dense thickness to keep trees growing properly.
This pile above was one of two, that grew and grew!
What a blessing it was for a new soon-to-be neighbor, who offered to include them all in his tree chipping the following week. After carting an entire pile over to his property, it was a huge surprise to come home after mass the next day, only to find out he had driven his tractor over and pushed the other huge pile over for us.
What great neighbors already!
Everyone pitched in, even the girls who were forest floor wood gatherers for the continuous burning bonfire for many days in a row.
When our weary and aching bodies wouldn't, no - couldn't move one more step, we would sit next to the fire in our chairs and enjoy the rest of the day and the sunset ahead.
Our firestarter, wood gatherer upon occasion, and main general keeper of the flames.
Another special piece of equipment went to work trimming those smaller trees creating that dense forest setting.
Everyone tried it out. No one really liked it though. It was too noisy and not strong enough to cut trees above about an inch or so in thickness. Too much work...
She likes this wheelbarrow, her friend for many a day.
This is how we assist our children in their goals, creating jobs from mom and dad for their own monetary goals. Hers was having to purchase all new horse riding show clothing.
How dare she grow so much. :)
Aside from growing out of all her clothing pieces, she was even surprised to find her "snug" size 5 summer riding boots required a much larger size - a 7.5 much larger boot! She's the same size as some of her older sisters in footwear now.
Clearing out more trail clutter.
All are looking so much better now, despite the last of the tree cutting piles, and other assorted forest yanking downed trees we've been removing.
A scene from the end of one day. Yes, even the wheelbarrow allows for a resting spot.
My favorite spot at the end of the day when all stops and we just sit and smile over our accomplishments, you know, the ones only we can see because there is yet so much more to complete.
