Monday, April 19, 2010

Plant Fiber dreams

I have been working to clear out my "back forty." Which is really a couple thousand square feet which I also refer to as "the lower meadow." This has been hard physical labor to clear out the years of weeds, vines, brambles and and garbage from the neighbors.

I've been pushing myself hard to plow through it. And I'm still trying to figure out how to actually till it when I get it to that point. In the mean time, I've been using hand saws, blades, scythe, mower and pure frustrated strength to pull, hack and chop my way through.

The other night after work, I was out there again with the mower running over some areas that is mainly dead creeping vines. I kept thinking of the flax and cotton I would plant. The area where I would plant my dye garden and the area that will get the medicinal plants. Echinacea, Valerian, etc.. I was very caught up in my plant and fiber dreams. I was suddenly wrenched from ideal thoughts by a huge BOOM!!!!

Uh-Oh. I went in to my standard process for when things like this happening. I don't even need to think about it anymore. 1. Jump back as far as possible while letting go off all equipment. (when in doubt, let it out) 2. watch for fire, sparks and smoke 3. asses if equipment is posessed and will continue on it's merry way unmanned. 4. slowly approach like you would a wounded tiger 5. poke with foot. I don't know why, but this always seems smart to do. 6. All Clear is given 7. truly see what the damage is.

In this case, the vines had completely grown over a soccer ball many years ago. The mower had just popped it.

I think it's time to call it a day. The fiber dreams will be there tomorrow.

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