Temperatures as low as the teens last weekend into the early part of this week pretty much took care of any fruit crop we might have had. We plant the fruit trees, water them, trim them and fight the insects that attack them only to have all effort wiped out in a single night or two. Oh well, one of these years conditions will be such that all the fruit trees have bumper crops and we’ll be covered up with cherries, peaches, apples, pares, apricots and plums. One thing about it, there is the possibility the freeze reduced the pollen in the air that was causing so much discomfort to those afflicted with hay fever.
Later in the week it warmed up even though the wind continued out of the north for the most part, what little wind there was, which wasn’t much. That made for several very nice days in a row, including Saturday when them girls were able to run and play with abandon. Which was good because when the Wylies arrived Friday evening and turned their three little girls who had been cooped up in the car all afternoon loose I was afraid the walls were going to buckle and the roof fall in on us.
As for me, I got the garden beds squared away and, with Chris’s help, the rest of the cattails cut down, which involved getting into the pond. We were able to wear Dad’s old galoshes to keep our dainty feet dry. Not at the same time, of course. I started out with them on but Chris wanted to try them, though his feet are smaller than mine, which are the same size as Dad’s. I was happy to let him, considering it wasn’t any fun bending over and cutting the cattails off. We finally got them cut down and sacked up, though, and I’m happy. I think my ducks will enjoy the extra space to paddle around. The cattails are by no means eradicated but I should be able to control them if I stay after them. I really don’t want to have to go through clearing them out again. Way too much work. As I’ve said, a few would be nice for aesthetics, depending on how much work it is to control them.
Monday evening when it was still too cool to work outside after work I re-racked my wine. Part of that process is tasting it and it had made a big improvement since I last racked in December. I’m encouraged. Meantime, the 2011 vintage is rounding into form. We shared a bottle with H&E when they were here and the didn’t spit it out, so again, I’m encouraged.