Why I Oughta...

It has been seven weeks since I did the last "Firewood Consumption" check here on the blog with these photos on December 4th, 2019.  Today, I'm sharing this (somewhat sad) photo showing the current state of our firewood hoard.   On the top is what Cherry firewood we have remaining (about a dozen pieces) and on the bottom is what Birch firewood we have remaining (about two dozen pieces).  This is in addition to the 'hearth-side' firewood storage box that holds about a dozen combo teams.

This order was delivered in October of last year and was a face cord of Birch and a face cord of Cherry.

Comparing this to last season (2018/2019), we're about two weeks ahead of where we were last year.  Check out the February 2nd post from last season (Feb 2019) and the 'stack' looks similar to today.

I keep a tertiary rack on the side stoop outside of my office door that I've exhausted all the Cherry/Birch from, and once empty,  I moved the little bit of limbs a…

While two of the four Amaryllis bulbs are done flowering, the largest - and most expensive - bulb (bought at Wannemakers) is blooming.  It is a Cherry Nymph bulb that is billed as a 'double blooming' Amaryllis and the moniker is holding true for this beauty.

Potted on November 21st, 2019.
A week in, this bulb showed no signs of growth.
Mid-December and the tip of the first bud was just emerging from the bulb.
Right before Christmas, it was just about 4" tall and thickening up the stem.
On January 2nd, the first stem was up and trying to get ready to open.

For reference, my large bulb in 2019 was just beginning to open up at end of December.
On January 20th of 2019 - 25+ days past Christmas, the bulb was in bloom.
And it was still throwing off flowers well into March.  Yeah....March.

So, this one is blooming (for the first time) about the same time as last year's large bulb.  Will it stay blooming until March?  We'll watch and see.


This red flower is quite pretty …

Two days ago, I posted the first findings of using the caliper measurement tool on our young trees with this post showing the caliper measurements of our Frans Fontaine European Hornbeam trees in the backyard.  Today, I'm documenting in the [garden diary] the rest of our young backyard trees which all came from nursery stock. 

I did the same thing on these that I did on the Hornbeams:  measured six inches from the ground and marked each of the trunks.

First up is the pair of Greenspire Lindens that we've put up as an esaplier.  First is the one on the right (facing them). 


Then the one on the left (facing them).  This one is slightly larger.


Then the Weeping White Spruce that I planted mid-Summer 2019 and is dealing with it's first Winter below:


One of the backyard Chanticleer Flowering Pear trees - this one along the south fence line below.  This tree was planted on Earth Day 2018 and was a really tiny tree (and was cheap, too!) to start.


The small Dappled Willow that we…

Since the new year, I've posted about a couple of spots that I'm thinking about for trees in 2020.  That started with the five trees that I want to plant in the front yard (including five new trees) and a small section between the espalier Linden trees and a Cleveland Pear along the southern fence line.  In both of those pieces, I talked quite a bit about columnar trees.  At this point, you're probably like:  we get it, Jake.  You like columnar form.

Yes indeed.  But, because this is *my* blog, you're going to have to bear with me.  Over the course of the next few days and weeks, I'm going to use this space as a reference guide for some columnar trees that I've come across that are work referencing back as I add more inventory.

This post is about a pair of what I'm calling 'white trees'.  Birch and Aspen.

First up is this Dakota Pinnacle Birch Tree.

The folks at Fast Growing Trees are currently selling a 5-6' version for $99 right now.

It is lab…

A couple of days ago, I shared a photo of the new caliper measurement tool that Nat picked up for me on Amazon so I can get some better measurement of our young trees in the yard.  I have been tracking the heights of my newly added trees to the yard for the past couple of years (here's this Summer's measurements and here's last Summer measurements), but some of the trees are getting more than ten feet tall and using a conventional tape measure to accurate reflect their growth is difficult.  Between not being able to reach (and be at eye level) with the very top of the tree and the reality to some of the tree's 'growth' isn't always in height, but in branching out and what-have-you.

Like I've done with the heights (which...for many of the trees, I'll still do during the late Summer), I'm going to document caliper measurements on a regular basis.  I'm thinking that I'll do a semi-annual measurement this year (now + Summer) to see if they s…

Over the years, I've done a few [Christmas Haul] posts that show off some of the things that people have gifted me for the yard and garage and shop.  This year, my first "haul" post (despite not being labeled that in the title) was this heated bird bath post from my mother-in-law.  Today, is another gift, but from my Sister-in-Law:  this rake called "The Groundskeeper II".
I came across it on someone in the lawn care community YouTube channel (wish I could remember who it was?  But, just search [Groundskeeper II rake] on YT and you'll find plenty of review posts).
What is it? It is a rake.  Yep.  A rake.  But, it is a thatch rake.  And it is unique in design.  Here (below) is the rake laying in the ground in our yard.  You can see that I pulled up a little dead grass in the photo, too.  


The Groundskeeper II has a couple of stickers on the handle that talk up the value prop of the tool:


1.  Easy on your back. 


2.  Self-cleaning.


3.  Replaceable tines. 


Those …