Dragonfly Ranch

I’ve been removing suckers from the apple trees over the last few days. These shoots from the root stock have to be removed so the tree will put its energy into the bearing branches.

Next up: pruning!

After sucker removal:

And before:

… appeared beside the patio outside the kitchen door!

Our good neighbor Chris volunteered to mow our property this week with his riding mower in exchange for beer and gas money. It took him most of two days. The long dry grass was a fire hazard, so all the neighbors are as happy as we are that it’s finally mown.

This is the north half of the property, viewed from the west, with the county road running along the left (north) side. On the left and straight ahead you can just make out two sections of our fence. The buildings straight ahead belong to neighbors, but the building on the right is ours. We call it the firehouse, because the previous owner, a fireman, put up a firefighters emblem next to the door. It has electricity, water, and a loft with two bunks, but no ladder or fire pole. It’s really a playhouse, but Arlin hopes to use it as an office.

The big trees are native oaks. They’re bare now. The clumps of green you see in them are mistletoe, a parasite that we’ll have to get removed sooner or later.

Since this is California, there’s almost always something in bloom. Even though it’s midwinter and we’re in a drought, we have violets, jonquils, and apple blossoms.

I put up a hummingbird feeder last week, and it took only an hour or two for the hummingbirds to swarm in. We often have 6 or 8 crowding around the feeder. I’ve had to fill it every couple of days. And twice now we’ve had a hummingbird in the kitchen — wanting special service, I suppose.

…..at Nevin Plaza. Yes, “duck” taped window.