402 - bugs hatching :-( May 31

 Day 402 was somewhat overcast but HOT day. Britt and I were off to school and work and Shaina later. Only a few weeks of high school left for Miss Shaina. I left work at 12:30 and ran errands arriving home at 1:15.

Sharon was here to meet me to grab things I had picked up for her.

I changed and Diego and I headed to install wood poles at the first curve to prevent people from driving on the grass then weeded and checked the tree nursery. On the way back I saw the dreaded nests of bugs (officially know as chokecherry tent maker) were hatching and moving out, UGGGHHH. Once Sheldon gets home we will go cut and burn.

look at the buggers!!

Asher and Amanda stopped out to have me put pictures on her hard drive and have a quick visit. Asher loves the dogs and always has to say hi a few 100 times.

Britt arrived home off the bus at the usual 4 pm. Her and I put out our lawn mower horses for a bit. Then I started to water and check trees till Sheldon got home. He and I went out on the worminator patrol torching the nests of gross caterpillars. We also trimmed and weeded the 1st year trees. Britt watered the deck plants then vegged maybe? At 6 we came back to the house where I started our steak supper and he puddled around outside picking more weeds along the road.

 biggest dandelion Sheldon says he has seen.. lucky us!

Shaina had arrived home at 5 after working on a project and began homework projects. After supper Britt went and caught 3 horses and she, Sheldon and I went for a nice ride. Again it was a fantastic night. Shaina put out her horse to graze but it seems she lost her mind bowled her over and ran the 80 acres trying to find us. Eventually we saw her and back to the house she came. I gave 4 horses their vaccines and let them graze until 10.

401 - GST and tree work May 30

Day 401 was a gorgeous day. The girls bustled off to school and me to work.

snapped this on way to work

At 12:30 I left work and ran a few errands,one checking concrete choices on my way home. I arrived at just 1 and got busy doing the dreaded GST. By 4:30 I was finally finished!!

many of our trees had deserted old nests but they look so cute. Stewart Farms is an eco-friendly tree farm and they wont sell and move trees with active nests. hmmm nice

Shaina drove home and Britt via the bus. Around 4:30 Brandon arrived & Sheldon and after some chatter. the girls and Brandon went out to ride and condition horses while Sheldon and I went out to do yard work.
Supper was ever delicious tacos and once finished at 7, Shaina and Brandon went to town for his lacrosse game. The evening was absolutely gorgeous, no wind or bugs, just wonderful sunshine. Britt brought the horses out to graze and took dogs for a walk while Sheldon and I finished the last of the trees straightening and watering then he worked at removing the north topsoil hill.

 view from the north top soil mountain before it is all gone

Britt enjoying the sunshine reading new magazine watching her dogs and horses

to the left the lawn mowers

 lodge pole pine.. our most expensive tree, next being the ivory silk lilacs one shown behind

 Sheldon working on removing the mountain

I came in at 9 to update the blog. Sheldon worked on the dirt and his skid steer for a bit coming in at 10:30. Shaina made it home by 11:30. all is well at the ranch.

400 - last of the trees arrive May 29

Day 400 was the day the last of the 41 trees arrive. The weather thru the day was sunny to start, then intermittent sun in the afternoon with wind.  I dropped Britt at school and was off to work. Once there Sheldon called to say the tree guy was picking up the last of the trees and would have them there today. I left work at noon and headed home to find him unloading trees after digging most of the newly placed holes.

 At 12:30 Kevin arrived to install deck speakers, it took him less than an hour and we had deck music.

 the princess Kay plums, honey crisp apple and the top grafted dwarf Korean lilac

 the trees on SW side

We had been waiting for first call to arrive and no luck so Sheldon ran home from work to help estimate, On his way they called saying they were coming so the fellow marked. The stakes are where the trees were to go

 do you see a problem? :-) good thing the guy arrived so we moved the trees all to the west 1 meter

 Gord dug holes for the small pots for us too to save backache, thanks Gord!

 then the tress were carried over

 and they discussed fertilizer

here is the newly placed fire pit area tree and fire pit hole (which he thought was marked for a tree so dug a hole :-) ) Sheldon headed back to work while I paid the bill and Gord loaded up. he was off around 2:30. I then went out and trimmed broken branches and took back the plums 20%. Next was hand watering the garden which is a daily event but even more is up, it is very exciting!

The girls got home form school and got ready for 4-H achievement night. At about 5:15 we loaded horses and were off. It was a very fun night with games and a pot luck supper and prizes. We arrived home around 8:30. Sheldon had watered trees and was just starting to straighten and fill. The girls hit the house, one to study for 2 exams tomorrow and one to jump in the shower and stare at her phone. I grabbed my garden gloves and Sheldon and I worked on trees into the dark until the rain forced us in at 10:40 to the garage for a beverage. Another fairly successful night.

 soaked but i took my Flames toque off before he took it :-)

399 - Asher & more trees May 28

Day 399 found Shaina and Britt bettling off to school while I got the Gienow guy adjusting the doors. I also got the mountains of laundry started. (can you believe I can wash 17 pairs of jeans and 3 jean shorts in one load, this new machine rocks) Soon after he left Amanda arrived with young master Asher around 9:30. He will be my helper for the morning while Kaylin went to the city to fight a speeding ticket.

Just after Amanda left, Gord and his daughter arrived with 12 more trees. This was great amusement for Asher who spent lots of time watching the tractor, girl and Diego.

 apple trees in wait of holes

 Asher checks my strawberries

 and the quad

 and the skid steer

Kaylin arrived victorious (they threw it out of court due to an error) just after 11:30 and loaded Asher up taking him back to town. The tree truck followed soon behind.

It was then time to try and update the blog ..whew! I did take a few photos over the weekend.

 After school Shaina drove home and I snapped a few photos with what she likes to call "the Shaina tree" . Then her and Britt rode horses while Sheldon and I worked on trees once he was home from work.

I had supper ready so Shaina could head to Yoga and her Monday night sleepover at Kaylin's.  After supper it was more tree work until our landscape lady arrived at 7 for payment and to drop off final plan. She checked progress and helped us re measure tree spacing at the fire pit area much to Sheldon's chagrin. She headed home at 9,Sheldon went out to move dirt to stake the new trees correctly in that area.