Northern weather

[rogruth]

We seem to have a lot of robins hanging around here waiting for things to change up your way.

[healey36]

Yeah, we'll have a healthy couple of weeks of mud coming this spring...once the great thaw sets in the retrievers churn up damp ground as if it had been recently tilled, then bring half of it into the house with them via their webbed feet. But we love them...

Sorry about the holly berries, Sarge...they stripped our old American Holly bare before leaving. If the Mini is covered in semi-digested holly berries, I fear I'm partially responsible...

Healey

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Wed . when I was home waiting to head over to a session with the dentist - familiar tapping of a woodpecker.....but few other birds out today other than the non-migratory geese doing their strafing runs over Lee Highway.

Several holly trees around back but nothing seems to ever bother them.

[sarge]

JS; Thanks for the kind thoughts.

Healey: The haven't gotten the Mini (at rest, it lives in the huge tin toybox out back that still needs to have a roadster added to the interior decor), so no worries.

Ruf: They don't damage the hollies, just live on the berries in the early spring. It is part of the normal cycle of things here at Dungfield Manor. Apparently this is the robin's thing, and the hollies seem to enjoy the cleanup; one of the trees is supposedly the tallest holly in the county. Even if it isn't, its whacking huge and very very healthy.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Ruf: They don't damage the hollies, just live on the berries in the early spring. It is part of the normal cycle of things here at Dungfield Manor. Apparently this is the robin's thing, and the hollies seem to enjoy the cleanup; one of the trees is supposedly the tallest holly in the county. Even if it isn't, its whacking huge and very very healthy.

I'm aware of that - none the birds around here go anywhere near the hollies. I'd wager they have better pickings available to them round here.

The one has gotten a tad out of control and I need to top the blasted thing if I can get a ladder in place. I "fixed" 2 of the big ones up at my place in PA this past year - seems they are susceptible to a chain saw.

[E7]

Rufus,

I always figured there was something hinky about those polar bears!

Rich

[E7]

Same 2-5" followed by sleezle called for here. The snow falls just like it did in February, but still glad to see February gone. We broke the recorded records for the coldest February both in daytime highs and in mean temps here.

Amen to February's departure. I think this bit??? of precipitation is the final slap in the face as temps are supposed to moderate a bit mid-week. In like a lion, out like a lamb.

Your robins are all here

Are you sure? I thought I saw a few looking disgusted,
trying to board a Greyhound with a Miami placard!

Rich

[healey36]

Rufus, take care with that ladder and the holly. I fear that should you fall into the tree there'll be scarce left of you by the time you reach the ground. Damned nearly the prickliest stuff I've encountered (other than the pyracantha), and excluding Wayne's neck of the woods.

Healey

[Mitch]

Could be worse, Healy. I've found myself in the midst of a huge patch of Multiflora Rose when rabbit hunting, and that ain't no picnic! Or workin' around waitin' on the beagle to bring the game around you find yourself deep in the center of a crabapple thicket. Those things always seem to snap back and stick ya in a freezin' cold earlobe! Damn! That hurts!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Rufus, take care with that ladder and the holly. I fear that should you fall into the tree there'll be scarce left of you by the time you reach the ground. Damned nearly the prickliest stuff I've encountered (other than the pyracantha), and excluding Wayne's neck of the woods.

Got a good hickory to stand a ladder up adjacent and should be able to reach over and hook off the top.

Want to keep this one for privacy round back, but the other 2 up in PA got the chain saw treatment since they could not take the hint.

Pyracantha! Had one up in PA at the one corner. Nasty!!! Looped some chain around it and pulled it out with the tractor.

Multiflora Rose

PITA weed if there ever was one; more tractor pulling fun and then onto the burn pile.

The stuff I'm more worried about is already starting to show up in PA - bamboo. Roots are 2-3' down, spreads and grows so fast you can't keep up with it.

[rogruth]

Bamboo can be a real problem in this area.
Some plant it and before fall are wondering how to get rid of it.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Bamboo can be a real problem in this area.
Some plant it and before fall are wondering how to get rid of it.

I had a big patch in my front lawn here in VA. Ended up taking out more than 2' down to get rid of it and then for the next 2 years keeping an eye open for any sprouts.....and there were a few.

Stuff is very hard to kill. If it is not properly contained, it'll take off and over.

[The Dirt]

Maybe you guys can help me out...

Stuff started falling from the sky today, way faster than snow, and everywhere it hit, things got wet.

What the hell could it be???

[sarge]

Pete:

The robins got there, too?

[Mitch]

Same thing happened here, Pete. A rather strange phenomena. I was walkin' the 15 acre lot lookin' for a used car, and in 10 minutes I was soaked through my jacket. I have reason to believe it was one of those "climate change" things.