More on the yard

The remaining wilderness around the yard is almost tamed. 

In this aerial view showing the yard and property, the red dots represent spruce trees.  The main shade tree out back is honey locust.



Photo below shows the enchanting mid-day sunlight on the honey locust and Norway spruces.  Honey locust is the large tree in foreground. Pine trees behind it are spruce. See how the spruces are broom-shaped at the bottom? The broom shapes are actually thickets of dead branches still on the trees.

In the previous blog post, a pole-mounted chain saw was used. In this post, a small regular chain saw was used, to get at the lower branches.  A lot easier when you carry these tools around for hours. In this post you will mostly see the result of cutting back the spruce thickets.

The bright dots on the tree trunks, are where the dead branches were cut off.

In photo below, you can now see all the tree bottoms. There is much wood to pick up, and a new opportunity to make a shaded garden around the trees. 

Can you see how much work there is to do, separating and cleaning up the branches?  The yellow dash line shows the border, which I will probably keep.

Processing of the branches involves separating twigs from the thicker branches. I grind twigs with the mower, while larger branches go to the wood pile.  In photo below, I spread white powdered lime (magnesium carbonate) over the branches in hopes the decay doesn't burn the grass with acidic residue as the shredded twigs biodegrade.



Here are two Norway spruces behind the garden shed.  The plan for the front yard, is to plant one or two spruces, or possibly pitch pine, in the front yard.




Here is a pitch pine (photo from internet), of which the branches are more sparse than spruces. Such trees would give a more open feel.

The front yard and plantings will be work for the coming months!

Branch Cutting

"that happened to me after I used a gas weed-whacker!" said the hardware store cashier after I had trouble signing the electronic slip.  I had rented an extension-pole chain saw to cut some high branches. I cut many branches for a few hours and learned that wielding a 12-foot saw is a good way to make your forearms and upper arms pretty sore.  I told the hardware store cashier, that's why it took a few seconds longer to do my signature.

Turns out the cashier had a similar experience with a weed whacker.

Some branches of the honey locust (tree with the tire swing) were dangling and touching both the wood shed and the garage.  They were high up so I rented a chainsaw on a 12-ft extension pole ($75 from Gano's, Colchester) to cut what I could.  And I cut back some jungle-like overgrowth around the spruce trunks, and some other high branches in hopes of getting more sun to lilacs and blueberries.


The Norway spruces have a ton of deadwood toward the bottom. I didn't have time or muscle for all that jungle in the far left corner, but I can come back with a regular rented chain saw.

Standing in back of the truck, gets me a few feet higher.  I needed all the height I could get.



Out front, I cut back some of the beech or dogwood that was brushing against the hosue.

Below, is a view from early last fall. Too nice a view to put circles and arrows on.





Below, a picture from late February.  The Earth rotation allows a sunset view to the horizon for a few days.  You can see how a few branches are dangling close to the wood shed.

I took this at last light, probably last fall, enchanted by the sky colors.

Looking East

"Before enlightenment: Chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment: Chop wood, carry water"

- decipher it  here

the Awakened One here actually looks northwest:

Supernatural vision is represented by the urna, that bump between the eyes.

Long ears for princely wealth.

Hair curls for nobility.

The ushishna, bump above his head, for post-enlightenment wisdom.

The glazed ceramic statue cost $250 from LampsPlus.com and sits on the concrete well cover.

The Buddha made himself at home right away. Intentionally because he is here in part to channel the fertility and Eastern spiritualism centered around the rivers Ganges and Mekong.  The connection is that the Connecticut River shares with the Ganges and Mekong, south* and eastward flow and lush fertile valleys.

The Moodus geography adds to the mysticism. It is where a few remnants of the original Pangaea continent got smashed together, causing some unusual bumpiness in the hills, the earthquake noises, and becoming a place of Indiginous gatherings.

*The river Jordan of course also flows south.  When creating 

new religions, include a south-flowing river in the narrative for lasting value.

And why would we not have a primal attraction to lush fertile valleys?

Below are the iconic lotus-bud towers of the main temple at Ankgor Wat. It is not far from the Mekong River. The towers represent the five peaks of mythical Mt. Moru, home to the gods. 

Angkor Wat, Cambodia, built 12th Century

Stuart asks the meaning of consciousness.















Snow was rare here, this winter of 2000.  On this occasion, the morning sky seems more than just a background.