Well, it's official -- my ever so brainy neighbor is going to decimate the
trees that border our properties. He's already taken out every one that had
trunk on his side of the property line and he hired a surveyor so he could
be clear on what others he can cut down. Sigh In the last few months,
I'll wager he's cleared 30 or more trees from a 50'x75' area. What a
shame -- some of those trees have been there for 50 to 100 years. :-( I
did some checking and there is no legal recourse per se, although he should
have obtained a permit but pursuing that is just silly. Personally, I think
he'll see the err of his ways this spring as the rains get heavy -- he just
created a rather sizable drainage issue over there.

On the brighter side of things, most of the water runoff should go to HIS
property now instead of MINE and this will open my plot to quite a bit of
sunshine in the back (our plots are only on the 50'x200' range, so we're not
talking terribly large mind you). Since he's been so kind as to add some
dappled sunlight back there, I'll be plotting a return of the great
forest -- yup, I'm looking for trees to plant along the edge of my property.


Since we've entered into colder weather, he appears to have eased off on his
chopping frenzy. We'll be watching over the next few months to see what
else he does back there then finalize a planting plan to rebuild. I imagine
I'll look primarily towards trees with reasonably fast growth rates, decent
spreads, and probably something that has extended wildlife value (such as
berries, fruits, or nuts). There's a limited number of trees that fit that
bill and will grow here in Zone 6A (plus the soil is fairly clayish in spite
of efforts to amend it) but we'll manage.

The bird feeding has been a hit -- probably running a couple hundred or more
birds through a day here. We're seeing mostly the usual suspects --
sparrows, doves, cardinals, finches, and chickadees -- but a few others flit
in and out, as do the tree rats of course. Big ole tree rat was on the
largest of the feeders this morning -- knocked himself silly trying to bolt
when we opened the door to let the dogs out for the day.

The dogs have destroyed the lawn in the front but at the same time they've
also managed to fertilize the yard quite substantially. I'll be heading
out tomorrow to take advantage of the warm weather (supposed to be 55!) and
wash most of it into the soil. Although we've had some fairly cold weather
(down into the 20s) it hasn't been sustained enough for the ground to freeze
very deep and this little warming snap is just what we needed to give the
ground some saturation ability.

That's about it for the winter update here -- we do not do much gardening
when the season goes cold on us, preferring to hibernate a bit ourselves.
Now we'll take time to focus on the indoors and begin looking towards
spring planning.

James

James,

Did your neighbor ever articulate *why* he wants to take down all the trees?

Dave

"JNJ" wrote in message
...
Well, it's official -- my ever so brainy neighbor is going to decimate the
trees that border our properties. He's already taken out every one that
had
trunk on his side of the property line and he hired a surveyor so he could
be clear on what others he can cut down. Sigh In the last few months,
I'll wager he's cleared 30 or more trees from a 50'x75' area. What a
shame -- some of those trees have been there for 50 to 100 years. :-( I
did some checking and there is no legal recourse per se, although he
should
have obtained a permit but pursuing that is just silly. Personally, I
think
he'll see the err of his ways this spring as the rains get heavy -- he
just
created a rather sizable drainage issue over there.

On the brighter side of things, most of the water runoff should go to HIS
property now instead of MINE and this will open my plot to quite a bit of
sunshine in the back (our plots are only on the 50'x200' range, so we're
not
talking terribly large mind you). Since he's been so kind as to add some
dappled sunlight back there, I'll be plotting a return of the great
forest -- yup, I'm looking for trees to plant along the edge of my
property.


Since we've entered into colder weather, he appears to have eased off on
his
chopping frenzy. We'll be watching over the next few months to see what
else he does back there then finalize a planting plan to rebuild. I
imagine
I'll look primarily towards trees with reasonably fast growth rates,
decent
spreads, and probably something that has extended wildlife value (such as
berries, fruits, or nuts). There's a limited number of trees that fit
that
bill and will grow here in Zone 6A (plus the soil is fairly clayish in
spite
of efforts to amend it) but we'll manage.

The bird feeding has been a hit -- probably running a couple hundred or
more
birds through a day here. We're seeing mostly the usual suspects --
sparrows, doves, cardinals, finches, and chickadees -- but a few others
flit
in and out, as do the tree rats of course. Big ole tree rat was on the
largest of the feeders this morning -- knocked himself silly trying to
bolt
when we opened the door to let the dogs out for the day.

The dogs have destroyed the lawn in the front but at the same time they've
also managed to fertilize the yard quite substantially. I'll be
heading
out tomorrow to take advantage of the warm weather (supposed to be 55!)
and
wash most of it into the soil. Although we've had some fairly cold
weather
(down into the 20s) it hasn't been sustained enough for the ground to
freeze
very deep and this little warming snap is just what we needed to give the
ground some saturation ability.

That's about it for the winter update here -- we do not do much gardening
when the season goes cold on us, preferring to hibernate a bit ourselves.
Now we'll take time to focus on the indoors and begin looking towards
spring planning.

James

I'm chopping down several trees too. Otherwise there will be no 2004
vegetable garden. I even asked my neighbor and got his permission to
cut down three of HIS trees to allow more late afternoon sun onto the
garden! Good neighbors communicate!

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 02:23:20 -0500, "JNJ" wrote:

Well, it's official -- my ever so brainy neighbor is going to decimate the
trees that border our properties. He's already taken out every one that had
trunk on his side of the property line and he hired a surveyor so he could
be clear on what others he can cut down. Sigh In the last few months,
I'll wager he's cleared 30 or more trees from a 50'x75' area. What a
shame -- some of those trees have been there for 50 to 100 years. :-( I
did some checking and there is no legal recourse per se, although he should
have obtained a permit but pursuing that is just silly. Personally, I think
he'll see the err of his ways this spring as the rains get heavy -- he just
created a rather sizable drainage issue over there.

On the brighter side of things, most of the water runoff should go to HIS
property now instead of MINE and this will open my plot to quite a bit of
sunshine in the back (our plots are only on the 50'x200' range, so we're not
talking terribly large mind you). Since he's been so kind as to add some
dappled sunlight back there, I'll be plotting a return of the great
forest -- yup, I'm looking for trees to plant along the edge of my property.


Since we've entered into colder weather, he appears to have eased off on his
chopping frenzy. We'll be watching over the next few months to see what
else he does back there then finalize a planting plan to rebuild. I imagine
I'll look primarily towards trees with reasonably fast growth rates, decent
spreads, and probably something that has extended wildlife value (such as
berries, fruits, or nuts). There's a limited number of trees that fit that
bill and will grow here in Zone 6A (plus the soil is fairly clayish in spite
of efforts to amend it) but we'll manage.

The bird feeding has been a hit -- probably running a couple hundred or more
birds through a day here. We're seeing mostly the usual suspects --
sparrows, doves, cardinals, finches, and chickadees -- but a few others flit
in and out, as do the tree rats of course. Big ole tree rat was on the
largest of the feeders this morning -- knocked himself silly trying to bolt
when we opened the door to let the dogs out for the day.

The dogs have destroyed the lawn in the front but at the same time they've
also managed to fertilize the yard quite substantially. I'll be heading
out tomorrow to take advantage of the warm weather (supposed to be 55!) and
wash most of it into the soil. Although we've had some fairly cold weather
(down into the 20s) it hasn't been sustained enough for the ground to freeze
very deep and this little warming snap is just what we needed to give the
ground some saturation ability.

That's about it for the winter update here -- we do not do much gardening
when the season goes cold on us, preferring to hibernate a bit ourselves.
Now we'll take time to focus on the indoors and begin looking towards
spring planning.

James

"JNJ" wrote in message
...
Well, it's official -- my ever so brainy neighbor is going to decimate the
trees that border our properties. He's already taken out every one that
had
trunk on his side of the property line and he hired a surveyor so he could
be clear on what others he can cut down. Sigh In the last few months,
I'll wager he's cleared 30 or more trees from a 50'x75' area.

that makes it 3750 square foot........which considering the age of those
trees, IS a little close for such narrow quarters. But the loss of good
trees can never be replaced quickly. It will take as long as those that have
fallen to replace what's lost now. Have heart, Mom's Nature has a way of
compensating. What he's cutting down free's up his property for her
mischevious children........weeds. Thistles, stickies, all manner of things
that she sends her meddlesome and hyper fairies into to reseed the barren
spots. Think of an area you've seen bulldozed. Scraped completely of trees,
shrubs, everything. And them letting the area sit for whatever reason.
Aren't you amazed at how quickly the weeds and weed trees move in? I
watched that play in action one year down the road from me. The owner of the
land in mention hired someone with a HUGE bulldozer to literally dig out the
hillside. Great, old Tulip poplar trees at least 150 years of age were
knocked over, and pin oaks of younger age (the oldest trees around here were
cut decades ago and what's grown up now are just young by tree standards),
cedars and the like.

The land was raw. Great gaping red clay holes that made any gardener's heart
ache. They got to a point where the boulder they weren't expecting emerged
and everything ground to a quick halt. (the boulder was the size of a three
story house, it had sat quietly under the hillside holding everything up).
That was five years ago, and I have to tell you James, in those five years
of quiet after so much destruction, Mom's Earth moved quickly. Thistles,
blackberries, goldenrod, honeysuckle, cedars, maples, pin oaks, black
walnuts, baby tulip poplars, mimosa, dock, Johnson grass (oh lord!) the
foliage and trees that sprang up were truely amazing. And I can't even touch
the rest of what I saw that I don't always have the ability to identify. I
don't know all my weeds. Some have lance like leaves and a root that defies
tearing out of the soil even after two weeks rain (I have these myself, so I
know what I am talking about).

In just one season and into spring, the bleeding and gaping wound started
greening up. Before long I began to pass and not notice it's rawness because
it wasn't. But rains did make ponds and rivlets that were truely amazing.
Even caused some aggrivation when it covered the road with six inches of
runoff during our very wet spring much to the dismay of the city....g
Mother Nature has a mean pay back streak.

In the five years the hole and damage sat undisturbed, she reclaimed her
poor land, even though it didn't resemble what it once had looked like. You
can't rebuild a magnificent hill that millions of years has formed. You can
try but Mom's Nature has that art down pat. It's slow and steady that
creates the most beauty sometimes.

Before the owner came back this year to finish the damage he had started,
the gouge had tree saplings that were as tall as 15 foot. Grasses were head
high, weeds and such were at least waist high or higher. Joe Pye had moved
in on the third year and he's never less than 10 foot.......Wildflowers
popped up on cue, and it was fun to see the unidentified purple hazy flower
(I just can't identify this flower, adn I've even tried to sow seeds of it
for my own as I adore it's whole look), black eyed Susans, chickory, white
daisies, blackberry blossoms and poke weed. Poison ivy gave the land color
in the fall, Sumac too.

I think Mom's Nature had the last laugh though, because what he'd left
unfinished for 5 years, took him more work to undo when he returned this
fall to finish clearing out the area to sell or lease. (they dynamited the
boulder)

What a
shame -- some of those trees have been there for 50 to 100 years. :-( I
did some checking and there is no legal recourse per se, although he
should
have obtained a permit but pursuing that is just silly. Personally, I
think
he'll see the err of his ways this spring as the rains get heavy -- he
just
created a rather sizable drainage issue over there.

And if I were you, I'd build myself a berm on your side now while you have
the time to direct the flow away from your property...........

On the brighter side of things, most of the water runoff should go to HIS
property now instead of MINE and this will open my plot to quite a bit of
sunshine in the back (our plots are only on the 50'x200' range, so we're
not
talking terribly large mind you).

Look at it like this James..........@@ (just kidding) seriously, that's a
quarter of an acre. My first house in Nashville was 50' x 205' and were I
to be back there now, I'd have it filled up by now, but it would take time
That's 12,500 square foot!! So what you have is 10,000 square foot! (well
not that much as you have to consider the piece the house takes out) But you
have to look at it like that to get a better appreciation of perspective
there...........g If you saw where I have planted all my raised beds at
considering I almost have an acre, you'd laugh. It sounds like I have this
HUGE garden, when in effect I have several raised beds that are packed tight
near the house with paths between them and the majority of the land still
unused because I need to clear out my own woods of undergrowth and thin some
trees.

The pine beetle is doing his part by killing my magnificent Jack Pines, and
despite that they're prone to snap and do massive damage when they do, I
still love their height and that they are such tall over story trees.
Sometimes I think I should just top them all and get it over
with.......................but the thought makes me sad as I know I will
never see that height of tree in my woods again in my lifetime. But this is
about you.........


Since he's been so kind as to add some
dappled sunlight back there, I'll be plotting a return of the great
forest -- yup, I'm looking for trees to plant along the edge of my
property.


Go about your selection slowly and get good trees would you? True, he's
destroyed a nice woods with such a massive removal, (would but you could
have the soil that has lain underneath those great trees! It would be the
most fine humus that only time and patience has created!).

If you want quick, and something that would grow in your climate, try a
mimosa. Nice foliage, good structure, incredible flowers that drives
hummingbirds and bees nutzoid.......g

Since we've entered into colder weather, he appears to have eased off on
his
chopping frenzy. We'll be watching over the next few months to see what
else he does back there then finalize a planting plan to rebuild. I
imagine
I'll look primarily towards trees with reasonably fast growth rates,
decent
spreads, and probably something that has extended wildlife value (such as
berries, fruits, or nuts).

Just remember if you plant nut trees that the roots have substances that
aren't compatable to other things. Black Walnut trees are devilish with
other things.......I can't grow tomato's CLOSE to those black walnut trees I
have on the upper terrace of my land..........Look towards your agricultural
extension agent to provide you with ideas

There's a limited number of trees that fit that
bill and will grow here in Zone 6A (plus the soil is fairly clayish in
spite
of efforts to amend it) but we'll manage.

I think you'll be surprised at the variety you have. Give it some research
and build a berm while you can!

The bird feeding has been a hit -- probably running a couple hundred or
more
birds through a day here. We're seeing mostly the usual suspects --
sparrows, doves, cardinals, finches, and chickadees -- but a few others
flit
in and out, as do the tree rats of course. Big ole tree rat was on the
largest of the feeders this morning -- knocked himself silly trying to
bolt
when we opened the door to let the dogs out for the day.

The dogs have destroyed the lawn in the front but at the same time they've
also managed to fertilize the yard quite substantially. I'll be
heading
out tomorrow to take advantage of the warm weather (supposed to be 55!)
and
wash most of it into the soil. Although we've had some fairly cold
weather
(down into the 20s) it hasn't been sustained enough for the ground to
freeze
very deep and this little warming snap is just what we needed to give the
ground some saturation ability.

I'm about to do the same. My puppy, Sugar has decided since the side yard
near the chain link fence is the perfect place to leave her massive mounds
since Miz Mary's brother in law has electric fenced the pasture where she
and Rose were doing their business..........I need to start showing her
other alternatives. But today is perfect for turning the hose onto those
love lumps ..........(maybe even chunk out some more of that forsythia I
haven't dislodged yet

That's about it for the winter update here -- we do not do much gardening
when the season goes cold on us, preferring to hibernate a bit ourselves.
Now we'll take time to focus on the indoors and begin looking towards
spring planning.

James

There's more than plenty of stuff around here to do, and I'll holler back
once I've done some of it. Right now I have to run some enchilada casserole
over to a couple of bottomless co-workers. I never know how to make less
than a restaurant steam pan full of it when I make it...............
madgardener up on the sunny ridge, back in FAiry Holler, overlooking English
Mountain in EAstern Tennessee zone 7, Sunset zone 36

Did your neighbor ever articulate *why* he wants to take down all the
trees?

He wants to gain more use of his property. It's not very sensible in the
big scheme of things -- he's an older man, soon to be divorced, no kids and
he has ample space cleared for anything he would do otherwise. There's not
really enough room to build back there (anything bigger than a shed) so I
don't know what else he could be thinking. Clearing the remaining section
of his plot will only add to drainage problems and create a small, open
swamp (we're all cut out of hills down here) not to mention kill our
windbreak and shading back there. It's a real bummer -- I'm really hoping
he'll at least leave the ones still up on the property line and a few of the
larger ones that are more central to his plot. Believe it or not, there was
quite a bit of wildlife living back there too. It's just an all around
shame.

James

I'm chopping down several trees too. Otherwise there will be no 2004
vegetable garden. I even asked my neighbor and got his permission to
cut down three of HIS trees to allow more late afternoon sun onto the
garden! Good neighbors communicate!

This guy's a little nutty. When I was little (about 8 or so) he accused me
of egging his house then threatened to beat me -- and he was serious, he
actually flew off with profanity and everything. My mother was out there
and told him to back off then he started threatening her. He's mellowed
with the years (he's in his late 50s now) but he's still flakey at best.

There's nothing I can really do about it, we live in the city and it's an
ass-backwards city at that, so I'm just hoping for the best. I keep the
channels of communication as open as possible. We'll see how it goes.
Worst case scenario -- I'll plant a bunch of river trees along the property
line to soak up some of the runoff and put in a dry creek for the rest.

James

Did your neighbor ever articulate *why* he wants to take down all the
trees?

He wants to gain more use of his property. It's not very sensible in the
big scheme of things -- he's an older man, soon to be divorced, no kids and
he has ample space cleared for anything he would do otherwise. There's not
really enough room to build back there (anything bigger than a shed) so I
don't know what else he could be thinking. Clearing the remaining section
of his plot will only add to drainage problems and create a small, open
swamp (we're all cut out of hills down here) not to mention kill our
windbreak and shading back there. It's a real bummer -- I'm really hoping
he'll at least leave the ones still up on the property line and a few of the
larger ones that are more central to his plot. Believe it or not, there was
quite a bit of wildlife living back there too. It's just an all around
shame.

James

I'm chopping down several trees too. Otherwise there will be no 2004
vegetable garden. I even asked my neighbor and got his permission to
cut down three of HIS trees to allow more late afternoon sun onto the
garden! Good neighbors communicate!

This guy's a little nutty. When I was little (about 8 or so) he accused me
of egging his house then threatened to beat me -- and he was serious, he
actually flew off with profanity and everything. My mother was out there
and told him to back off then he started threatening her. He's mellowed
with the years (he's in his late 50s now) but he's still flakey at best.

There's nothing I can really do about it, we live in the city and it's an
ass-backwards city at that, so I'm just hoping for the best. I keep the
channels of communication as open as possible. We'll see how it goes.
Worst case scenario -- I'll plant a bunch of river trees along the property
line to soak up some of the runoff and put in a dry creek for the rest.

James

I think Mom's Nature had the last laugh though, because what he'd left
unfinished for 5 years, took him more work to undo when he returned this
fall to finish clearing out the area to sell or lease. (they dynamited
the
boulder)

Thankfully, he'll never get a bulldozer back there -- our properties are
50x200 and 75x200 (mine/his respectively). There's just not enough room on
either side of either house to get any large equipment back there -- he'd
have to drop it in by chopper and we live in a neighborhood where anyone who
could afford that sort of thing wouldn't live.

I think he's just clearing it for lawn space of all things. I've no idea
what he's thinking in the long run -- he has no kids, is in his late 50's
and soon to be divorced, and he's not selling it any time soon by his own
admission (he's held on to it for years even though he hasn't lived in it
for nearly a decade). As far as yards go around here, it has plenty of
space. I just don't get it -- he's not a gardener so that's not it either.
Who knows. :-(

And if I were you, I'd build myself a berm on your side now while you have
the time to direct the flow away from your property...........

I don't know that we can do that here and I'm SURE that would trigger a
lawsuit if I did do it!

Look at it like this James..........@@ (just kidding) seriously, that's
a
quarter of an acre. My first house in Nashville was 50' x 205' and were I
to be back there now, I'd have it filled up by now, but it would take time
That's 12,500 square foot!! So what you have is 10,000 square foot!
(well
not that much as you have to consider the piece the house takes out) But
you
have to look at it like that to get a better appreciation of perspective
there...........g If you saw where I have planted all my raised beds at
considering I almost have an acre, you'd laugh. It sounds like I have this
HUGE garden, when in effect I have several raised beds that are packed
tight
near the house with paths between them and the majority of the land still
unused because I need to clear out my own woods of undergrowth and thin
some
trees.

Our plot has about 40 or so feet at the front and about 125 feet of length
in the back -- the house sits in between of course. I've planted a
crabapple and redbud in the front yard, and in the back I've planted a
weeping willow, redbud, sunburst locust, sycamore, and some sort of pear
(non-fruiting evidently -- not so much as a flower in 7 years). We have a
couple of maples in the front as well as a big ole black walnut that I
planted as a child when we got our trees on Arbor Day from school (I'm
dating myself now I suppose!). The back is littered with a few mulberry
trees, some walnuts ("volunteers" courtesy of the squirrels that have been
harvesting the front!), a couple of cedars (one intertwined with a
mulberry -- that's bad) and assorted other trees that I've never identified
(I've a name for them, but I'll refrain Grin). The rest of the space is
cleared and/or landscaped (lilacs in the front for example, new planting
beds, etc.). Even with all that, there's still PLENTY of space for me to
plant up. :-P It's a real shame to lose all that old growth back there
but, being the optimist, I'm looking at it as an opportunity to plant what
*I* want back there. When I'm done, the loss of his space will be
minimized.

Go about your selection slowly and get good trees would you? True, he's
destroyed a nice woods with such a massive removal, (would but you could
have the soil that has lain underneath those great trees! It would be the
most fine humus that only time and patience has created!).

If you want quick, and something that would grow in your climate, try a
mimosa. Nice foliage, good structure, incredible flowers that drives
hummingbirds and bees nutzoid.......g

A mimosa is definitely one on the list, as well as a couple of more
mulberries, some fruit, and shrubbery. With the rather drastic changes he's
made and is likely to continue making, we really need to wait until spring
to see what we're up against -- it's a tough call on sunlight and water
until I've seen a little more. I'm hoping that way it's opened up will add
significant light to the far back so I can plant a wildflower area -- I have
a bunch of poppy seeds I bought late in the season that would be perfect
back there.

Just remember if you plant nut trees that the roots have substances that
aren't compatable to other things. Black Walnut trees are devilish with
other things.......I can't grow tomato's CLOSE to those black walnut trees
I
have on the upper terrace of my land..........Look towards your
agricultural
extension agent to provide you with ideas

Yup. We have some walnuts here already and we've been looking at trees for
some time now to fill other areas that need some shade and such. Since
taking the trees out from in front of the driveway, I REALLY want to get
another in front of the cars -- the sun out there is deadly to them.

I'm about to do the same. My puppy, Sugar has decided since the side yard
near the chain link fence is the perfect place to leave her massive mounds
since Miz Mary's brother in law has electric fenced the pasture where she
and Rose were doing their business..........I need to start showing her
other alternatives. But today is perfect for turning the hose onto those
love lumps ..........(maybe even chunk out some more of that forsythia I
haven't dislodged yet

Our front yard is a mess -- I haven't gotten out to clean up in a solid
month, what with the cold and wet weather, and they've trampled the yard
pretty badly. I'm heading out there now to work on it. On the plus side,
my worms will be happy with what I'm about to wash into the soil as will the
plants. :P

There's more than plenty of stuff around here to do, and I'll holler back
once I've done some of it. Right now I have to run some enchilada
casserole
over to a couple of bottomless co-workers. I never know how to make less
than a restaurant steam pan full of it when I make it...............

Run some up here to SW Ohio, will ya? :P

madgardener up on the sunny ridge, back in FAiry Holler, overlooking
English
Mountain in EAstern Tennessee zone 7, Sunset zone 36

I swear I'm gonna look at buying some land down there, build me a little
house and hide away from the world.

James

"JNJ" wrote in message
...
Thankfully, he'll never get a bulldozer back there -- our properties are
50x200 and 75x200 (mine/his respectively). There's just not enough room
on
either side of either house to get any large equipment back there -- he'd
have to drop it in by chopper and we live in a neighborhood where anyone
who
could afford that sort of thing wouldn't live.

well good thing for small favors then...............

I think he's just clearing it for lawn space of all things. I've no idea
what he's thinking in the long run -- he has no kids, is in his late 50's
and soon to be divorced, and he's not selling it any time soon by his own
admission (he's held on to it for years even though he hasn't lived in it
for nearly a decade). As far as yards go around here, it has plenty of
space. I just don't get it -- he's not a gardener so that's not it
either.
Who knows. :-(

maybe he's going to take up lawn bowling...................lol


And if I were you, I'd build myself a berm on your side now while you
have
the time to direct the flow away from your property...........

I don't know that we can do that here and I'm SURE that would trigger a
lawsuit if I did do it!

honey, a berm is a rise of soil like a little hill. It's not against the law
to do that. Imagine an upward sloping hill with something backing it. It
wouldn't be any different than if you decided to take full advantage of
gardening by gardening UPWARDS as well as outwards and piled up the soil.
Same thing. And a berm also has the wonderful attributes of being not only a
deterrment of water coming downwards, but of buffering sound.............


Our plot has about 40 or so feet at the front and about 125 feet of length
in the back -- the house sits in between of course. I've planted a
crabapple and redbud in the front yard, and in the back I've planted a
weeping willow, redbud, sunburst locust, sycamore, and some sort of pear
(non-fruiting evidently -- not so much as a flower in 7 years). We have a
couple of maples in the front as well as a big ole black walnut that I
planted as a child when we got our trees on Arbor Day from school (I'm
dating myself now I suppose!). The back is littered with a few mulberry
trees, some walnuts ("volunteers" courtesy of the squirrels that have been
harvesting the front!), a couple of cedars (one intertwined with a
mulberry -- that's bad) and assorted other trees that I've never
identified
(I've a name for them, but I'll refrain Grin). The rest of the space is
cleared and/or landscaped (lilacs in the front for example, new planting
beds, etc.). Even with all that, there's still PLENTY of space for me to
plant up. :-P

Good lord you have a small piece of woods yerself!! You need to come down
to Eastern Tennessee and buy some of the still cheap land on the south side
of English Mountain (on the North Carolina side) where it's ALL woods and
chunk you out a clearing with a loooooooooooong driveway and mailbox to
indicate yer there, (or take out a post office box at yer local postal
office.......) then get yerself a double wide modular home (if you own the
property you're sitting it up on, it's cheaper) and Bob's yer uncle.

It's a real shame to lose all that old growth back there
but, being the optimist, I'm looking at it as an opportunity to plant what
*I* want back there. When I'm done, the loss of his space will be
minimized.

It already sounds like you have quite a little mini-woods going on for you
there...........

A mimosa is definitely one on the list, as well as a couple of more
mulberries, some fruit, and shrubbery.

I will see if any baby mimosa's pop up this spring and gently lift them and
transplant them into a small pot and if they take, ship them to you later
on.

With the rather drastic changes he's
made and is likely to continue making, we really need to wait until spring
to see what we're up against -- it's a tough call on sunlight and water
until I've seen a little more. I'm hoping that way it's opened up will
add
significant light to the far back so I can plant a wildflower area -- I
have
a bunch of poppy seeds I bought late in the season that would be perfect
back there.

Quick, while you have the cold in your favor you need to sow those poppy
seeds on the ground so they'll chill and sprout for you and bloom. If you
wait until spring, they won't have the stratification or chill time to
germinate in time to give you a good blossoming.

Yup. We have some walnuts here already and we've been looking at trees
for
some time now to fill other areas that need some shade and such. Since
taking the trees out from in front of the driveway, I REALLY want to get
another in front of the cars -- the sun out there is deadly to them.

Once I locate a willing person to come and remove those walnuts, I'll be one
happy person. I have at least a bushel of walnuts I need picking up at the
back ledge of my house now that have blackened. If I was smart, I'd just
put them in the driveway and run over them, but I don't want all the tanic
acid washing into my flowerbeds near the driveway I share with the
bendejo....


Our front yard is a mess -- I haven't gotten out to clean up in a solid
month, what with the cold and wet weather, and they've trampled the yard
pretty badly. I'm heading out there now to work on it. On the plus side,
my worms will be happy with what I'm about to wash into the soil as will
the
plants. :P

Well I never got to the washing of doggie lumps, but on the plus side, I was
able to pour another bag over the wires I laid down in the perennial box
Sugar destroyed to cover the root ball of the Mystic Merlin malvacea I
summered over in the pot sitting on a pine trunk stump. I still need to
pour the remaining two bags into the other bed she destroyed. Maybe if it's
not pouring too bad I will do that tomorrow. Rain is predicted. It was so
beautiful today. I didn't even have to wear my jacket! I was also able to
chunk out a little more forsythia root, but it appears that I will need
something more insidious than a pick ax to get it out of the soil. More like
a tractor or a chain with my truck pulling it...............
Right now I have to run some enchilada
casserole over to a couple of bottomless co-workers. I never know how to
make less
than a restaurant steam pan full of it when I make it...............

Run some up here to SW Ohio, will ya? :P

I have plenty, that's for sure.................I cook each cornmeal tortilla
in hot oil for seconds to get them limp, use Spanish rice-roni mix, fresh
sweet onions, green chili's, tomatillo salsa verde, ground round or sirloin
depending on the reduced bin at the local store (or ground pork which is
even better), diced tomato's with chili's, make my own enchilada sauce with
tomato paste and chili powder, garlic and cilantro, and use Monteray Jack
with jalapeno's and sharp cheddar cheeses with the sauces on top of the
cheeses so the melted cheese doesn't slip off. When I make the spanish
rice, I sautee it in butter, but use enough butter so that I can cook the
onions down first, then the rice-roni until it's golden brown. The most
tedious part is the tortilla's as they have to be placed quickly into the
hot oil and lifted immediately with a thin spatula and drained draped over
the spat and put on a saucer until I have 38 of them stacked up. Once I get
them done, it's the rice and later the meat and such. I usually have to let
the mixture cool once I've folded the meat into the rice and semolina
mixture.

Last night I had my kitchen hands because I was making enchilada's while the
rice and meat mixture was still steaming hot, rolling them to make a rice
and meat tube and laying them on their seams. (I also pour some enchilada
sauce in the bottom of the pan to provide moisture and keep the tortillas
from sticking). Bake at 350o until bubbly and the smell drives Squire
nutzoid and he comes up from the dragon cave..........

I had so much left over I decided that Tracy and Randy deserved a little
knosch from me gBSEG I just wish I had had more cheese. Sometimes I blend
cheeses in with the rice and meat and stuff as well as putting it on top. I
adore cheese. g And being the critical chef I am, my enchilada sauce was
a little thick last night.............When this stuff bakes (I pack the
enchilada's tightly in the pan, even putting some in the sides running the
opposite side and use any leftover filling as topping on those) and cools
off, you cut it like meatloaf almost. In fact, both of them thought it WAS
meatloaf until I told them it was like a huge hunk of enchilada
casserole.........You get all the food groups in one slice G(yeppers, even
fruit, as tomato's are fruit, not vegetables!)


I swear I'm gonna look at buying some land down there, build me a little
house and hide away from the world.

well co'mon then while the land in some places is still affordable. So many
people are relocating here that land prices are going up, but there's still
affordable places and it'll take hundreds upon thousands of people to ever
fill up these hills and hollers and ridges........................

madgardener

James

maybe he's going to take up lawn bowling...................lol

:-P

honey, a berm is a rise of soil like a little hill. It's not against the
law
to do that. Imagine an upward sloping hill with something backing it. It
wouldn't be any different than if you decided to take full advantage of
gardening by gardening UPWARDS as well as outwards and piled up the soil.
Same thing. And a berm also has the wonderful attributes of being not only
a
deterrment of water coming downwards, but of buffering
sound.............

LOL -- I know what a berm is, MG! I also know that if I were to make so
obvious a move as that he'd realize I was redirecting the runoff back over
to his property and start raising hell.

Good lord you have a small piece of woods yerself!! You need to come down
to Eastern Tennessee and buy some of the still cheap land on the south
side
of English Mountain (on the North Carolina side) where it's ALL woods and
chunk you out a clearing with a loooooooooooong driveway and mailbox to
indicate yer there, (or take out a post office box at yer local postal
office.......) then get yerself a double wide modular home (if you own the
property you're sitting it up on, it's cheaper) and Bob's yer uncle.

Heh -- find me an agent.

It already sounds like you have quite a little mini-woods going on for you
there...........

Yeah, but it's not enough yet to replace what he's taking out (what he's
taken out already for that matter)

I will see if any baby mimosa's pop up this spring and gently lift them
and
transplant them into a small pot and if they take, ship them to you later
on.

Thnx.

Quick, while you have the cold in your favor you need to sow those poppy
seeds on the ground so they'll chill and sprout for you and bloom. If you
wait until spring, they won't have the stratification or chill time to
germinate in time to give you a good blossoming.

I was waiting for a good snow to come along rather than getting them down
now. I didn't think they required very much cold stratification...?

Once I locate a willing person to come and remove those walnuts, I'll be
one
happy person. I have at least a bushel of walnuts I need picking up at the
back ledge of my house now that have blackened. If I was smart, I'd just
put them in the driveway and run over them, but I don't want all the tanic
acid washing into my flowerbeds near the driveway I share with the
bendejo....

Never a problem here -- the tree rats take care of all those for us. We
have 3 or 4 fruiting trees now and the squirrels STILL manage to clean
house.

Well I never got to the washing of doggie lumps, but on the plus side, I
was
able to pour another bag over the wires I laid down in the perennial box
Sugar destroyed to cover the root ball of the Mystic Merlin malvacea I
summered over in the pot sitting on a pine trunk stump. I still need to
pour the remaining two bags into the other bed she destroyed. Maybe if
it's
not pouring too bad I will do that tomorrow. Rain is predicted. It was so
beautiful today. I didn't even have to wear my jacket! I was also able to
chunk out a little more forsythia root, but it appears that I will need
something more insidious than a pick ax to get it out of the soil. More
like
a tractor or a chain with my truck pulling it...............

Well, I spent about THREE (3) hours cleaning up the front yard today. To
say the least, I washed a LOT of new fertilizer into the ground. One thing
that surprised me was the amount of new growth in the garden. Our Touch of
Class rose not only has leaves but it has a new sucker with buds and leaves
on it. The Lilacs have budded out, two other roses that were cut back to
the ground have sprouted new stems and leaves, and one Lilac (a rescue) has
several new stems coming up from the ground. I did not expect to see so
much new growth so late in the year -- usually, nothing grows out there
after about October. Testament to the mild temperatures we've been
having -- cold, but not cold enough apparently!

well co'mon then while the land in some places is still affordable. So
many
people are relocating here that land prices are going up, but there's
still
affordable places and it'll take hundreds upon thousands of people to ever
fill up these hills and hollers and ridges........................

Where?

James

You little ****ing weasel. How dare you go public with my tree cutting rampage
on the internet. I know and you know, you egged my house when you were 8. Your
mom was just ****ed at me because I broke off our affair (why do you think I got
divorced?). BTW, smartass, I plan our hauling in a ton of fill and will build
a berm that will slope towards your property so don't plan on anything but a
watergarden or rice paddy on your side :-). Happy Holidays


Your Nutty Next Door Neighbor


"JNJ" wrote:

I'm chopping down several trees too. Otherwise there will be no 2004
vegetable garden. I even asked my neighbor and got his permission to
cut down three of HIS trees to allow more late afternoon sun onto the
garden! Good neighbors communicate!

This guy's a little nutty. When I was little (about 8 or so) he accused me
of egging his house then threatened to beat me -- and he was serious, he
actually flew off with profanity and everything. My mother was out there
and told him to back off then he started threatening her. He's mellowed
with the years (he's in his late 50s now) but he's still flakey at best.

There's nothing I can really do about it, we live in the city and it's an
ass-backwards city at that, so I'm just hoping for the best. I keep the
channels of communication as open as possible. We'll see how it goes.
Worst case scenario -- I'll plant a bunch of river trees along the property
line to soak up some of the runoff and put in a dry creek for the rest.

James

You little ****ing weasel. How dare you go public with my tree cutting
rampage
on the internet. I know and you know, you egged my house when you were 8.
Your
mom was just ****ed at me because I broke off our affair (why do you think
I got
divorced?). BTW, smartass, I plan our hauling in a ton of fill and will
build
a berm that will slope towards your property so don't plan on anything but
a
watergarden or rice paddy on your side :-). Happy Holidays

Your Nutty Next Door Neighbor

LOL -- Yeah, yeah, I got yer holidays.

You know, a rice paddy's not a bad idea. As long as the rice matures
relatively quickly I could probably do it -- that whole area back there is
pretty swampy from about March until May! Then again, I could also do
cranberries. Hmmmmmm.... :P

James

The message
from "madgardener" madgard@fairies live herevic.com contains these words:


I have plenty, that's for sure.................I cook each cornmeal tortilla
in hot oil for seconds to get them limp, use Spanish rice-roni mix,

Hey, stop messing with my get-thinner new year resolution :-)

What's rice-roni btw? I've never seen that here.

Janet

What's rice-roni btw? I've never seen that here.

Why, it's the San Francisco treat of course!

(Anybody got a trolley car handy?)

http://www.ricearoni.com/

James