Wednesday, July 02, 2025

Still hot

The heat wave continues. Tuesday night was the hottest so far. I'm waiting for the weather site I like to update its forecast, about fifteen minutes from now. Meanwhile, I have no new photos to share. (I since went out and took a few photos of the yard.) But, there's news. The landscaping contractor who trims our hedges each year came by yesterday to work up an estimate for a bunch of things we'd like done this fall and winter on the property. The list includes pruning back the two apple trees, cutting back the large tilleul (linden tree) out back, digging out the row of hazelnut trees and another dying shrub, helping to remove as much of the St. John's wort as he can, and cutting back the overgrowth along the north side fence. 

The tall linden (center) looms dangerously over the house.

It feels good to know that some (or all) of these things will get done. We've been stressing because we haven't been able to do much of it ourselves this year due to weather, the scale of the work, or the fact that we were sick a good part of January.

The photo includes one of the apples (left), the linden (middle), and a Christmas fir (rignt), all planted by the previous owner over twenty years ago. The top third of the linden will come down and the remaining branches will be pruned back or eliminated to open up, reshape, and lighten the tree. Its proximity to the house, in its current form, makes it dangerous when we have high winds.

Tuesday, July 01, 2025

Watering the vines

I think the new grape vines out back are too young and fragile for this heat wave we're having, so the growers are working to ensure they survive by giving them water. At least, that's the story I've conjured in my mind about what's going on here (maybe they'd water them anyway?). Four people, each armed with a hose that's connected to that big machine, walked behind it as it crept along, keeping the ends of the hoses aligned with the rows they were watering so there would be no waste. With that big machine, they could do four rows at the same time.

I was very far away when I took this photo. You may be able to see the people just to the left of the tractor.

Meanwhile, the heat wave continues. Today looks like it might be the hottest day before it cools down again. We shall see.