What a beautiful morning! The TV was showing a temp of 66 this morning early and there was not a breeze. I finished the pathway to the east end of our property. Randy had been taking Max down the roadway to the back side of the place and back. But with people looking at the back property to perhaps buy it, Randy and Max need to stay on our place. I had finished most of it last week and Randy had broken through to a huge clearing. But it was so difficult to find it again, I went back and cleared more from the briar at ground level to briar growing overhead with oak branches mixed in between. It took about two hours but I marked it with yarn and made the pathway nice and wide, easier to follow. There are lots of clearings but to get from one to the next takes a lot of work.

We would love to be able to fence a large area and put Spanish Goats out to clear it completely. There are lots of places around here that have had a goat herd doing all that work for them.

07-02-03

Yesterday I noticed how great the trumpet vine was doing and wondered if blooms would be soon. I check regularly and grab any grasshoppers. There had been very little damage so I had hoped this would be a good year. This morning I found the vines completely stripped. From top to bottom, that probably 6 feet in length, with few leaves left, only the stems and leaf ribs. So sad. I went into the fenced garden yesterday and two dozen hoppers flew away. I can still hope for a few cucumbers and tomatoes. Maybe on the melons. Maybe on the okra. They are up decent size this year before the invasion. Wanda had sent me marigold seeds and one day there were two dozen and the next day, one and it was gone the next day.