Avocado Ice Cream and Poppy's Pork Chop

The avocados that have been ripening on the counter were finally ready today. Time to make Alton Brown's Avocado Ice Cream (recipe link). It's a snap to assemble the ingredients since they all go into the blender, except for the heavy cream which has to be stirred in last. After blending the milk, sugar, lemon juice and avocado I put the Nickelodeon slime ice cream mix into the fridge to chill for a few hours.

While the green monster goo ice cream mix chilled, Derek and I spent some time out in the windbreak enjoying the warm weather. We burned some downed limbs, toasted marshmallows over coals, and talked...really talked. It was such a treat for me. As we talked about life, girls, and the future we were joined by an adorable and gutsy little screech owl who responded to our whistles. I'm sure he's the same owl I've been seeing in our duck nest box during the day. He was directly overhead and Derek swears he could see his little owl feet!

When the marshmallows were gone we headed back home. It's such a blessing to have a place in the trees where we can have a camp fire so close to home. I don't ever take that for granted.

I poured the chilled ice cream mix into the ice cream maker and let it churn for about half an hour. It's a lovely shade of pale green. Perhaps I'll paint the bathroom this color some day.

If you're a big fan of avocados (which I am) you'll love the flavor of this lightly sweet, fruity ice cream. The texture is the ultimate in smooth and creamy and definitely hits the "sweet & creamy" nerve. It's also a very healthy ice cream, if an ice cream can be considered healthy. Some of the nutrients in avocados simply can't be found in any other food. And the fact that the fats in avocados are "good" fats is a great excuse to eat this satisfying treat.

So what's Poppy's pork chop got to do with any of this? Nothing, really. But when Derek fed the kitchen scraps to the chickens tonight, our big Australorp hen, Poppy, got a hunk of pork chop. And she wasn't sharin' with nobody.

Harvest Moon & Bonfire

It's that time of year again. Time to burn the brush pile in the windbreak. This year's pile was the remaining branches and twigs from the huge black willow that was blown down by a strong storm in June. The fire was huge and was so hot that I had to back up about 20 feet! I was planning to sit out by the fire and enjoy a cup of coffee but it burned out too quickly so I headed back home.

My cousin was harvesting his bean field on the other side of the road. I enjoy the sight of combines in the field this time of year.

When I got back to the house I turned to look up at the moon and saw this picture. I love those huge Austrian Pines in the front yard. They look so sturdy, so beautiful.

Tomorrow is the Oak Harbor Apple Festival in town. We go every year to enjoy the food and the parade. A friend of my mom's lives along the parade route and she invites everyone in to enjoy the huge spread she cooks up each year. Then we all sit in her lawn and watch the parade at noon.

Moonlit Pond

This is my one night off this week, and as per usual, I'm using it to relax and prepare my body for a 48 hour marathon at work. I do this every other week and the older I get, the harder it is to recover from it. Needless to say, Jim and I are pushing hard for an independent life through his new business and my desire to homestead.

As I look out the window I am enjoying this moonlit scene. The sparkling water is our pond. You can just make out the spruce and pine trees that make up our windbreak if you look at the center. And if you listen closely you can hear the sound of the wind blowing through the pine trees. My grandma enjoyed this sound too and it's one of the reasons I've chosen to name the Twelve Acres "Whispering Pines Farm". This is one of those nights when I'll wait till 2 a.m. when everyone else is deep asleep and wrap up in a quilt, go outside, and listen to the night while breathing in that sweet country air. Pure heaven!

We have a pair of Barn Swallows nesting in the security light above the east end of the house. They are welcome to raise a family of voracious, insect-eating youngsters. In fact, they can raise two broods as far as I'm concerned! It's a welcome sound to hear their alarm call when anything gets too close to the nest. It's funny to watch them dive-bomb the cats too! They chose a good location for their nest; it is the lowest foot traffic area on the property.

The chicks are fast asleep in their little coop. Derek and I spent time checking leg bands tonight, replacing any outgrown cable ties with permanent, 3/4" leg bands. The Australorp pullets are large enough to keep their leg bands on and Sweet Pea (Barred Rock) is just barely large enough. Little Betty will have to wait a bit longer--she's my smallest bird and the band slips right off her foot still. The next time I get chicks, I'm going to order some smaller leg bands to fit the awkward teenager phase so I don't have to use cable ties again. Roo, the Barred Rock rooster, is sporting his bright red leg band on his very large left shank. I hope his shanks don't get much larger or I'll have to either buy a goose sized band for him or let him go without one altogether. It'll be easy to tell him apart from the other chickens, so if I have to, I'll opt for plan B. He's a really large bird and I'd guess his weight at over a pound at 6 weeks old. Now that's a rooster! He's a sweet boy too, and doesn't harass the pullets like the Australorp roosters. I have to give Derek credit for working with Roo and taming him down. Roo owes his life to Derek. He was slated for butchering up until two weeks ago! But now, he's a sweet boy with a good temperament, so he gets to stay with Betty and Sweet Pea. Lucky Roo!

Tree Planting, Phase III

I planted the rest of this year's trees today. I ordered 50 evergreens (30 Norway Spruces, 10 Colorado Blues, 10 American Arborvitae) and 1 Arnold's Red Honeysuckle from the soil and water conservation district. I got one extra Colorado Blue Spruce, which was a nice freebie. Who doesn't like Colorado Blues? One of my garden mail orders showed up while I was out planting, so I also planted two Manchurian Apricots and one dappled willow. The apricot trees went out in the windbreak in a sunny location and the dappled willow went next to the dock by the pond. It was one of those trees I saw in a catalog and wanted to try. Hopefully it won't try to take over like some willows do.

To get an idea of the area I'm trying to plant, take a look at this previous blog entry. The empty area in the top right corner of the satellite photo is what I'm trying to fill with trees. I got about half of the area filled now, the rest will have to wait until next spring.

Here is the empty area from the front of the house. That brick house across the street belonged to my grandparents. Now my cousin, Sandy, and her family own it. Sandy is happy that I'm replanting the windbreak too. It will give them the privacy they had before the tornado tore the trees out in 1996. The huge gap between the three pines on the left and the two pines on the right is what I am planting.

Tree Planting, Phase II

For a gardener like me, having 12 acres of land is pure paradise. It means I can grow as many different trees and plants as my little heart desires. Of course, I take the plants' needs into consideration, but really my options are unlimited. I can order plants without thinking, "But I just don't have the space for that!"

When I set about planning what I wanted to plant my first year back home, I decided to try new species of trees and perennials. I took my time and did my research. I spent the winter months shopping online and drawing sketches of where everything would go. I made meticulous notes for myself on several sheets of notebook paper, such as: "River Birch (1) - shade for master bedroom".

Today, my third tree order from the Arbor Day Foundation arrived. A triangular box with eleven trees and shrubs required my immediate attention. And the weather was lousy. Undaunted, I once again donned my tree planting gear and headed outside. Thankfully, I didn't have 53 trees to plant like I did for the 1st phase!

I have planted two River Birches, one by the master bedroom and one in the windbreak. I chose them for their quick growth, shade, fall color, adaptability and their unusual, peeling bark. I am anxious to see how all the trees I've planted grow this year. Planting trees is an exercise in patience, a commodity I'm usually short of.

Other trees and shrubs that were planted on the Twelve Acres today include:

• 1 Red Buckeye
• 1 Sweetshrub
• 1 Common Witchhazel
• 1 Lacebark Elm
• 1 Tuliptree
• 1 Red Oak
• 1 Silver Linden
• 1 Red Maple
• 2 Forsythias
  

I'm just a tree plantin' fool this year! I've got 50 evergreens from our county's soil and water conservation district arriving on Wednesday. Grab a shovel and come on over!

Tree Planting, Stage I

This winter, I placed two orders with the Arbor Day Foundation. They showed up today while I was sleeping. 53 baby trees. Holy schmoly. I quickly got dressed after gulping a cup of coffee and grabbed my planting diagrams on the way out the door. Thank the good Lord above I have the foresight to draw those diagrams or today would have been a complete nightmare!

It was a perfect day for planting, except for the wind. The temperature was in the 50's. The ground is very soft from all the rain/snow we've had and it was easy to get the seedlings planted. I made very good use of all that wonderful pine mulch we made in February, too. Every single tree is mulched with a good layer of finely textured pine mulch. The first photo shows the trees separated according to their planting destinations. I used the measuring wheel to get the trees the right distance apart, according to my diagrams. When planning your landscape, always measure the area and draw a diagram of where things will get planted!

I got half of the order planted today and the other half will have to wait until tomorrow. I simply ran out of daylight today or I'd probably still be out there. I am pleased with the way my plans all came together. They sent me two extra Hazelnuts which was a nice surprise. I am planting a mixture of hardwood deciduous trees with several species of conifers. I ordered some species I've never tried before because I am bored with the same old Norway Spruce/Austrian Pine/Colorado Blue Spruce/White Pine combination most people stick to around here. I also designed a two-stage windbreak for the back yard which will help slow the southern winds in winter, my goal being to reduce heating costs. Of course, it will take time for the trees to grow and fill in in order for that to happen, but I've got plenty of time out here on the Twelve Acres.

I specifically chose some of the trees based on their ability to provide food for birds. The Serviceberries, Hazelnuts, Oaks and conifers all provide food for many bird species, and the Hazelnuts will also provide a tasty crop of nuts for us. All of the trees will provide shelter and nest sites for the birds as well.

If you are a tree lover but aren't a member of the Arbor Day Foundation, I suggest you consider joining. The membership fee is $10 for a 6 month membership and $15 for a year membership. The incentive to join is the 10 free trees you get for joining. I planted my 10 free trees last fall along with a small initial order I placed. They are still dormant so I don't know if I lost any this winter yet.

Tomorrow I will plant the trees I ordered for the windbreak and the trees that will fill in the gaps in the fence row. I think we're due for even more rain tomorrow so I might have to plant in the rain. I've planted trees in all kinds of weather though, including during a heavy snow storm! Tree planting, Stage II comes in two weeks when the 50 evergreens I ordered from our county's Soil and Water Conservation District arrive. Phew!

This last photo shows a typical order from the Arbor Day Foundation. They always do an excellent job of packaging the trees for shipment.

Recent Bird Activity

I worked this week but I've been able to record some of the avian activity I have seen around the house. The photo was taken during the most recent snowstorm.

• The Red-Winged Blackbirds have returned en masse. I have learned that the females look like large stripey sparrows. Not at all what I thought! Faaaaascinating! [Spock voice]



• There are more Bald Eagles in our area than you can shake a stick at. Last weekend we were lucky enough to get to watch a pair of them land in my cousin's field, face into the wind and soak up the warm sun. One would stretch its wings in the wind once in a while but didn't fly off. They stood on the ground for the longest time.



• I saw yet another Bald Eagle sitting in a tree along the road while on my way to work. Nice, big bird!



• A juvenile Bald Eagle flew over the house on his way toward Magee Marsh. Big bird, flying with a purpose.



• Bonnie and Clyde, our resident Red-Tailed Hawks are very active now. We get to see them regularly, soaring over the thermals created by the dark green windbreak. This means we can see them in their late afternoon routine as they make big circles in the sky.



• A group of four unknown swans flew over last night. They seemed to take an interest in the pond but were quickly followed by Bonnie and Clyde. The swans made a lazy U-turn and left. I could see a pale yellow neck band on one of them. Big, fast flyers!

Raptor migration is under way now and I am going to have to call the BSBO to set up some volunteer time so I can help count raptors. It's a sunny but cold day today. Maybe I can get out there today. One of the great things about living on the twelve acres is that I don't have to go anywhere to bird watch. I can just walk around in the yard or in the windbreak, or just step out on the back deck and look up! I'm amazed at the number of large birds that are flying over this time of the year.

Snowy Scenery

We had a light snow last night and Derek and I went out to take some pictures of the beautiful trees. Why they cancelled school today is beyond my comprehension.

"When I was a kid there had to be three feet of snow on the ground before they'd cancel school."

We tried to get some nuthatch photos but even the Red-Breasted nuthatches wouldn't let us get very close. The boreal birds are out in numbers today, fattening for their trip up north. Even the White-Crowned sparrows were feeding right at the feeders instead of waiting for seeds to hit the ground. Their boldness hints at an underlying urgency to eat in preparation for a long flight. The cold north wind kept us from wanting to stand by the hopper feeder and be patient, so we moved on to the windbreak. I wanted to get the picture for my new header above. While I was on the hill I got some photos of the house and pond.

That alien-looking thing is the fiberglass Wood Duck nest. I am watching it to see if papa Screech Owl claims it as his own. The box we built for the owls is about 100 feet away from it in the windbreak. It's going to be really interesting to see which birds claim which boxes.

We've been having such odd weather this winter. It seems to follow a cycle of freeze, snow, thaw. The thaw periods are nice except for the awful muddy Ohio clay that makes up the soil in our glacier-created area.

Before the snow hit last night I was able to get outside for an hour or so and spread some of the wonderful pine mulch we made with the huge chipper last weekend. I've now got my landscaping beds the larger size I've been wanting them to be. All that's left to do is cut those two tall, skinny pines out of the windbreak and turn their trunks into edging around the house. I pried the awful treated lumber from the frozen ground yesterday to make room for the all-natural and environmentally-friendly pine logs.

I don't consider myself a tree hugger but I do respect the trees for what they are. Without them we would face the harshest winter winds and the hottest summer sun. As with all things in nature, trees perform several vital tasks and when we cultivate trees for our own needs they do a remarkable job for us!

Here's a shot of the smallest Blue Spruce on the twelve acres. It is the same age as the "three brothers" (see first photo) and illustrates what happens to a tree when it is hit by a lawn mower over and over again. I would estimate its height at 15 feet. The tree's growth was severely stunted and it's lucky to have survived.

They Call Me Chip

With spring fast approaching and my landscaping project on hold for the winter, I was beginning to feel pressured to get things rolling. My dilemma was how to remove the tornado-damaged trees in the windbreak and make the best use of the wood. The trees I wanted to remove were bent over Arborvitaes and White Pines that had their growing tips snapped off by the tornado that blew through the windbreak in 1996. The Arborvitaes were bent over from the force of the wind but didn't break. However the damage was permanent and the trees would be considered hazards if they were near a structure.

Since I am replanting the windbreak in stages, I felt it was best to remove the damaged trees and chip as much of them as possible to use as mulch to protect their replacements. I also wanted to save the very nice, straight trunks of the White Pines to use as lumber for future projects. I think it will be wonderful to have the pine wood from the trees my grandpa planted. Wouldn't it be nice to have spruce floors from my own trees? We are going to look for someone who can mill the trunks for us into usable planks.

The only problem with my grand plan? No chipper! I called the local industrial equipment rental company and inquired about a wood chipper. The sales guy said he did have one and it could handle 6 inch logs! Perfect! We drove out to get it and $150 later we were ready to get started. The nice part about renting it on a Saturday was that we got to keep it Sunday for free. We made good use of it and I now have 4 large piles of pine mulch waiting to be used to landscape around the house and protect all the baby trees that will get planted in April.

I wish I could make this post scratch-and-sniff so you could appreciate the wonderful pine scented mulch piles that are sitting in the yard. The particle size is small and uniform, not like that hacked up junk you get when you buy a bag of mulch from your garden center. This is primo-quality stuff and the best part is we did the work ourselves. I can honestly say that I got my money's worth out of renting that chipper.

The photo shows Jim pushing the last branch into it. I don't know how large a standard Dodge Ram's bed is, but we got four truck beds full! The only difficult part of the project was getting the Ram unstuck...twice. We learned our lesson and kept it on the road after that. In the photo, you can see the cooling tower of Davis Besse Nuclear Power Plant. Now that you all know where I live you are welcome to come out and visit the Twelve Acres!

I'll have to get some photos of the wonderful logs we now have. Thank you grandpa, the trees are going to be put to good use! We only cut down 3 White Pines; the snags we simply limbed and left standing for the birds to use as nesting grounds and food sources. I'm quite certain the many woodpeckers, flickers and owls will appreciate the snags. We removed 6 bent over Arborvitaes which made a wonderful cedar-scented mulch. We found 2 pines that are very tall but quite dead. We are going to use these smaller diameter trees as the border edging around the house. It feels good knowing nothing went to waste and every part of the trees will benefit both man and beast.

Snowy Scenery

We had a few inches of snow that started late last night, which was bad since I drove my Z3 to work instead of the Durango. BMWs are the ultimate driving machine unless you're driving in snow and your Beemer happens to be a little roadster! I could only drive 10 mph on the road that leads to our house. Lesson learned--next time check the weather Amy!

This bird house was made by Jim and me this fall. The wood came from a recycled pallet I found at work. It was a nice, heavy oak. The rusty nails were sawed off from behind so no little birds can get hurt by them. I do like the rustic look they lend to the bird house, along with the rusty corrugated metal roof. I found the metal on an old shed that had fallen down in the neighbor's woods. We used it to make three wren houses this winter for Christmas gifts too. It didn't take long for a tenant to show up. A few days after we mounted it last fall we could see grasses and a feather inside! Maybe they're using it as a roost until spring arrives.

The bird house is placed on a landscaped mound we created last year. It was something I'd envisioned in my head since I can remember. It fits nicely into the curve of the driveway and there are three White Birches planted on it. I'll finish it with perennials in my chosen color scheme of purple and creamy yellow.

It was cold and blustery today but I wanted to venture into the north end of the windbreak to snap some photos. I like the way the pines and spruces look like a Bavarian forest at this end. This open end is the result of the tornado that ripped hundreds of trees down in June, 1996. There is still a lot of damage to repair and we are working on it gradually. I acted like a big squirrel last fall and stuffed my pockets full of acorns from various oak species in our area and spaded them into the ground as I walked throughout the north end. I hope to see lots of fresh green oak seedlings pop up in spring! Some of the seeds I planted are Red Oak, Pin Oak, Shagbark Hickory, Honey Locust and Bur Oak.

The windbreak trees are right around 65 years old and most are straight as can be. Some have developed multiple leaders as the result of the tornado that ripped their main leaders off. My goal is to replace these patriarchs over time with a mix of conifers and hardwood deciduous trees to created a mixed forest feeling where we can walk and observe nature.

Amongst the patriarchs new life springs forward. This White Pine seedling grows from a niche in the bark of its parent. When it comes time to remove the mature tree I'll be sure to leave the youngster so it can grow and replace its parent.
As I walked through the trees I scared up Cooper, our big Cooper's Hawk. I know, the nickname isn't that original but it helps me keep all the raptor species straight. So far I have counted six raptor species out here. We have so many that I think I should call the Black Swamp Bird Observatory and tell them they can come out here anytime to hold bird watching events. I really should join but with my crazy work schedule I don't know if I'd be able to participate much.

I checked for signs of activity near the Screech Owl nest box we mounted in December (below). I don't see any indications that the owls have been in it. I know they use the windbreak for hunting along with the hawks, so I feel confident they will use it...that is, if we've done our homework and placed the box properly. Time will tell! In the meantime I'll keep an eye out for them.

And how is it that everyone I know has found an owl pellet but me? Hopefully I'll stumble upon one before long.

The Twelve Acres From Above

Thanks to Google Earth I can take a look at the twelve acres from a satellite's perspective. Imagine what it looks like to the raptors! I don't know how old this photo is but I can tell that it was taken after the tornado went through and removed the northern end of the windbreak on June 25, 1996 (top of photo is north). The photo was taken before the Rose of Sharon's were removed from the back yard and before we cut down the old, rotten poplar tree that used to shade the master bedroom. A baby River Birch has since replaced it.

The south end of the twelve acres is bordered by the fence row. The thinner end on the right is my wildlife garden area which will be planted this spring. The ash trees we've thinned from the fence row were used for firewood. I'm going to be planting a lot of new trees in the fence row to try to increase the variety of hardwood and softwood species.

The pond is a hideous fake blue, the result of my ex-step-dad putting blue dye in it (how incredibly stupid). It will be some time before that ugly blue returns to a natural color like the neighbor's wildlife pond on the other side of the woods (second photo).

This photo shows the entire family plot. All those little evenly space green dots are the fruit trees my grandpa, great uncle and now cousin-twice-removed have planted. There are several orchards around the family property. They produce all the apples, peaches, pears and plums that get sold in the family-run store, Moore Orchards. There are several orchards in the Great Black Swamp area because the soil here is ideal for agriculture. Fruit trees do well in this soil. It's the soil the Wisconsin glacier left behind during the last glacial period.

We are 574 feet above sea level here but about a foot below Lake Erie level. Without the complex system of drainage ditches, dikes and pumps that drain into the Toussaint River (bottom of photo) we would have knee deep water in our front yard! My cousin John keeps us dry year-round by running the family pump, seen at the bottom right corner of the photo.

I look at the open canvas that is the twelve acres and my thoughts immediately turn to the trees I'm going to plant all around it over the next few years. I wonder how these pictures will differ in a decade? There will certainly be less open gaps in our windbreak and the yard will have a two-tiered windbreak filling in in the back yard to break the strong southern winds we get out here. The pond should be slate blue again and there will be many more green dots throughout the yard.

When we first moved here I was overwhelmed by the amount of trees that need to be replaced. However, now that I have it planned and know what I'm doing it's actually a very enjoyable pastime. Hurry up spring! I'm anxious to get started!

Birth of A Patriarch?

Just five days old, this Pinus aristata (or Bristlecone Pine) seedling is the first one I've ever grown. I have 24 more seeds of its kind, three of which have also sprouted. My germination tray is low-tech and recycled--a foam egg carton.

I was thrilled to see this first seedling. I feel a sense of awe and honor as I help this ancient species continue its existence. If I'm lucky I'll get to see it reach a few feet in height before my own passing into history. I hope my son will care for the Bristlecones I manage to grow and plant here on the twelve acres. I plan to keep them close to the house so that I can keep watch over them without having to walk far.

Looking at this seedling makes me wonder just which species is caring for which. It's so easy to take trees for granted because they are such an integral part of our lives. They are always there. Everyone can probably think back to a specific moment in his childhood where a tree played a significant role in the making of a memory, be it a tree that held a tire swing in the yard or the tree that became the centerpiece of a Christmas morning. I have many memories of "my" trees. Do they have memories of me?

The trees that frame the twelve acres are witnesses to my life. I know them because they were my playground when I was growing up. The smell of the pines in the windbreak brings back floods of childhood memories. They are dear old friends and, like me, their roots are in this ancestral ground.

Photographer James Balog brings the thought home for me as he describes what it was like to photograph a 1,400 year old Live Oak:

"Though I don't usually indulge in romantic, druidic speculation about trees, when I'm in the presence of this oak, I can't help wonder who is the observer and who is the observed. While we watch trees, do they gaze back at us?"

Photo: Bristlecone Pine, Nevada

Nest Boxes

We've been building nest boxes and bird houses in our spare time using scraps of wood I find at work. We've come up with some very nice designs I must say. They're all shapes and sizes for the various songbirds and raptors we have here on our twelve acres. We hope to get to watch a pair of Screech Owls raise their young in the owl nest box to the left. We can see the box from the house so we won't have to intrude on their privacy to watch the nest.

It's mounted about 18 feet off the ground in a mature white pine tree. The broken branches around the box can be used as perches. It's recommended that an owl nest box be mounted beneath a branch.

My cousin across the road gave me two wooden duck/owl nest boxes along with this fiberglass model, which Jim mounted on a pole right at the edge of the pond. It remains to be seen what bird species will be interested in nesting in such a habitat. I've read the wood ducks raise their young in wooded areas then lead them to water after they hatch. Mallards nest on the ground in grass, so I doubt they'll want to use it. Perhaps owls will? As soon as I find out I'll be sure to write about it.

Bald Cypress

Derek and I went to Black Swamp Bird Observatory at Magee Marsh today. It's only about 5 miles from our house and I'd been wanting to go out there to see the marsh area again. It was too cold to walk the bird trail but we got to see 5 white tail deer, a gaggle of Canada geese and Derek saw a Cooper's hawk which I missed.

What struck me more than the fauna was the flora. There are some outstanding oaks throughout the marsh. And then there's the row of Bald Cypress trees growing in the stream next to the observation deck at the head of the bird trail. I noticed their uniform branching and deeply furrowed trunks. For such a tough tree they have a very fine texture.

I have been considering planting some Bald Cypress in our windbreak and now that I've seen their beautiful, red trunks and lovely pyramidal shape, I have made up my mind that I must plant some. Who could turn down such nice looking trees? The bonus is they can handle all sorts of soil conditions from dry to knee-deep water. Perfect for our windbreak!

I think the one negative aspect of Bald Cypress trees is they are deciduous. That means little to no windbreak protection in the winter, something that makes spruces and Arborvitaes preferred plantings for windbreak areas. I think deciduous conifers are oddballs, but I grew up with evergreens and I'm not used to seeing a conifer drop its needles completely. Still, I'd like to have some beautiful Bald Cypress trees like the ones I saw today. Come next spring when the soil and water conservation district offers tree seedlings for sale, I'll be sure to order some Bald Cypress babies for the windbreak.

Windbreak

When the last snow storm hit us, the blowing and drifting snow provided proof that trees planted for a windbreak really do work. You can see a large drift forming where three Arborvitae trees were lost years ago. This row of trees runs along the driveway and provides privacy as well as protection from the elements. I remember huddling close to them while waiting for the bus as a child and now my own son does the same.

Now that I am managing the property where I grew up I am having to plan the planting of new trees. It's an obsession that I enjoy very much. I learned more about trees in the past few months than I ever thought I would. This season I planted 17 trees. Next year it will be well over 100! I can hardly wait for winter to be over so I can plant all the new trees.

I look at the yard and see the twelve acres as a very large garden where I can plant to my heart's content. Finally I live where I won't run out of planting room! And I can even plant really, really big plants like trees (bonus)! I wish I could live another 100 years so I could see them all at maturity. I figure I have about 40 years left so hopefully I'll get to see them all well-grown.

Here's what I've planted this year:

• White Pine
• Colorado Blue Spruce
• Pin Oak
• Red Oak
• Black Oak
• Black Cherry
• Black Tartarian Cherry
• Yellow Buckeye
• Sugar Maple
• Eastern Redbud
• White Flowering Dogwood
• River Birch
• Red Maple
• Silver Maple
• Forsythia (2)
• Paper Birch (3)

Whew!