Back Into The Woods

The extreme warm temperatures have moderated. We had a couple of days of moisture that reduced the fire danger in the area, so it is time to get back at it before the real rains come and muck up the dirt roads that lead up into the woods.

We are back to cleaning up dead and dying trees in the forest on the hillside above our hay fields. This process will still take a couple of years to complete since we are also doing some much-needed thinning at the same time.

The process is a little slow right now because we are down one rig. Our trusty John Deere Gator is in the shop, it was having some trouble with gears and power. We give it quite a workout to haul equipment along with me and my right hand helper up through the trees on skid roads to get to the areas where we are logging or repairing fences.

With the Gator in Hillsboro getting his ‘headache’ worked on, we walk up the hill to the work spot. I consider it a good workout to keep in shape for the upcoming mushroom hunting season.

Mike keeps offering to haul me up on the bulldozer with him, but I refuse each time. I have a hard enough time just watching the steep inclines, declines and uneven areas he maneuvers through with the bulk of a beast and even at that, there are times when I can’t watch because it is unnerving to see.

Hopefully the Gator will be back soon but until then I can be heard singing, “High Ho, High Ho, It’s Off To W…” and that’s about when the wheezing starts.