I limbed up my hemlock. I (with some help from DS, age 15) took down a pine that really needed to go and DD ( 9) helped take down two oak branches that were shading the bed. Lots more light getting in and a spot for bright shade lovers.
Weeding is complete for the moment, all the chipmunk holes filled in, a bunch of things divided and already in new homes and. I need to move or divide some of the daylilies, but that will wait for bloom season to be over.
Cheryl Great accomplishment. You have some wonderful kids!
There has not been much gardening here in Nor Cal for over a week. We were camping and came home on Fri the 13th to a valley filled with smoke. Huge fire in Paradise, which quickly made Paradise into Hell. ( we knew not about the fire as we are incommunicado when we camp)
75 homes burned, at one time 9000 people evacuated. 23,000 acres burned. Fire contained by Wednesday, and the smoke cleared. So I got out quickly and got some deadheading and weeding done in the next couple of days. Hot: in the low 100s.
Late Friday the 20 and Saturday we had a terrific lightning storm which had no rain and hundreds of fires were ignited. On Sunday I went hiking with a group and on the way home we counted 7 fire plumes to the north
27 fires in Butte County alone. Many fires are just being allowed to burn as there are no buildings nearby. Now the towns of Magalia and Concow are being evacuated, and the smoke is intense here, advised to stay indoors as much as possible. We could not see the sun at all today, Temps in the 90s And it s still only June, the fire lookouts are not usually even manned until the last week of June: this is going to be some summer!
Thunder storms ignited over 100 fires in Northern California his last week-end. I'm at least 100 miles from the nearest fire and the sky was full of smoke today. We've 85% of normal rain fall but have had little rain since March and as a result there are a lot of dry weeds, waiting for a spark. Normally, we don't have rain from May to October.
Those sound so very scary Emilie. It rained here yesterday but the lightning started a few small fires. (no doubt huge to those whose houses were hit, but small in scale to yours.)
After reading about the gianormous lines of people seeking assistance: ie FOOD, and the problems that arose, The Motto has been amended:
"Don't Get On the Bus....and Don't Get In Line!"
Charlie, still the boy scout....."Be Prepared"
BTW.......Younger son bought a bikemotor for his mountain bike and is riding to town, ten miles, every day. Pretty damn slick and economical. My meatmotors are still a little sore, but getting stronger every day....
As Billy said, over 800 fires in Nor Cal. Some of the smaller ones have burned themselves out, but the major ones are still uncontrolled. Smoke this am: visibility one mile, but by noon it was more like 100yards! No winds, which is good because the fire doesn't spread rapidly, but smoke is so thick that the air tankers can't get in to drop retardant. Fires are in very rugged terrain, in small unincorporated communities in the lower mtns/foothills. No municipal water supply for fighting fires, just individual wells. Water must be brought by fire truck tankers, or by helicopters picked up in huge "buckets" from nearby lakes, rivers. Canyons are so steep that no access is possible, it is really a miracle that the firefighters are able to control these things. Add to that the fact that lower than normal rainfall, and then very unusual winds in April May and June (wind generally in pretty well over by March)
Well, in the garden I have picked tomatoes already, June 14, earliest in 25 years, am picking apricots, figs, and zucchini, with Walla Walla onions already harvested and ready to eat. Babcock peaches are coloring up for early July. I, too have daylilies to divide, sometime. Cannas, roses, cone flowers, larkspur, Shasta daisies, and I also have goldenrod in bloom, Cheryl. I love it and so do bees and butterflies. There seems to be a population explosion of W. Tiger Swallowtails this June.
Fortunately, only 85F locally with 2 miles visibility (smoke). Nearest fire is 60 miles away. At least there isn't much in the way of nitrogen oxides, just soot particles. Nitrogen oxides are what eat the tires off of SUVs. Grew up in southern California, at least as much as anyone does, and this is a walk in the park.
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