Sunday, August 23, 2009

More pruning....

More pruning...block 4 is done, though in this pic I'm only halfway with it It took me 3 days :-( The rain chased me out on day 2 so I couldn't finish it. I had to climb the mountain the third time...good exercise...not that I need any more extra...I'm walking the rows all year long.
Block 3 has some left to prune and we are nearly finished with Block 1 and 2. Any system to why here a bit and there a bit? you ask...yes, they are at different growing ages, different varieties and I try to influence budburst with the timing of the pruning.
It's not officially Spring yet :-) Not here at St Imre. To be official we need:
1. The Apricots to open their pink and the Wattles their yellow blossoms.
2. The Red Robin to start singing. (this he already started)
3. The Swallows to arrive. (this is expected around the 3-rd of September)
4. Us to finish pruning. (who knows when that will happen this year...)
Now we are off to go under the knife again. The Master will see... (No, he will not really SEE while operated on)...the surgeon to get his new left lens.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Will this rain ever stop?

Today I've been pruning in the rain :-(( I can't wait with the job until the rain will stop. It's not warmer yet but spring is around the corner and I'm about halfway through the pruning.
The younger plum already started to flower and the tulips are out As you can see, the weeds are flourishing too :-) No way you can do anything in this MUD!
Lucky, Paul finished putting half of upstairs under roof. In no rain:

In rain:
Looks funny boarded in with no windows and only the front done yet but we are getting there....
The Master is working on the stairs 12 steps will lead to the upper level. Some modification needed...he miscalculated something (yes, it happens to the best of us) :-)))...the young males in our family are over 1.86 m, he doesn't want them to bow their head going to the bathroom.
We went to give the herd their 'biscuits' this morning and the bulls were very reluctant to come. This was VERY unusual. They used to thunder down the hill first...count...10, 11, 12...who is mooing there? Everybody is here. Lizi IS thinner...tits empty...backside swollen...run around the fence...there it was !!!!! New baby calf :-), another little brown teddy-bear wobbling on very new, long legs, looking for mum :-))))