Burrow

While pulling out the Japanese honeysuckle, clearing the paths, and creating a new brush pile, I spotted this hole--one of at least two entrances/exits to (what I assume is) a groundhog's burrow.

Pulling Them Out by the Roots

It was 80 degrees on this April day. After getting home from work, I changed into shorts and got out in the yard. As usually happens, I walk the property and jump from one task to another--whatever strikes me at the moment.

One thing was to continue what I started a couple of weeks ago: instead of just sawing the Japanese honeysuckles off at the ground with hopes of taking a pick to the roots at some later point, I've found that I can often pull them out by hand! The soil is loose, but possibly even more so after freezing and thawing so much lately. I've pulled many medium-sized bushes out this way--it makes me feel good and saves me from going back for the pick!

Often I leave them in place with their roots exposed--I figure they provide places for birds to perch. Others are added to my newest brush pile.

If a Tree Falls in the Woods...

Last year several dead sumac trees fell over in what I view as our woodland. As I posted about in "Planting Dead Trees" I tried to put them back up to add vertical structure to keep the area looking like a potential woodland and to provide the familiar perches that birds have been using. Most of them fell over anyway.

More fell over and blocked my paths. I decided today to finally pile them up in what will be a large brush pile which will be of use to wildlife. This will allow me to utilize the paths again and to, hopefully, smother invasive weeds and eventually break down into woodsy soil which will benefit future plantings of wildflowers and trees.



...But, I couldn't help but "plant" one of the dead ones that fell over. The soil was loose and the trunk went down fairly far--which made me realize that it is likely the groundhog burrow that is near there. I'm hoping it doesn't block the groundhog...or if it does it isn't too much trouble to dig around it! :)



I had to add some of the Japanese honeysuckles to the brush pile. I'll pile on other brush too to help smother weeds and provide more hiding places for wildlife.



The path--actually the path back into the woods toward the house--looks much more inviting now.

Another Visitor

Not only has it been a while since I saw a chipmunk...this is the first groundhog I've seen this year.

Adding to the Woodland

As often happens, while walking the yard I start to do some little thing that leads me to something else. Today I was raking leaves in landscaping. Several woodland wildflowers are starting to sprout under the leaves.

Near the trunk of the dogwood we put in three years ago, there was a sycamore seedling that I spotted last year, I pulled it out and transplanted it into the future woodland. I've yet to post about it, but during the warmer weekends before the late snow fall, I was working in the "would be woods". Late winter and early spring are a great time for spotting rocks; I took quite a few rocks out to be moved to the future streambed.

I went back to the landscaping bed for some wild geranium and golden ragwort to add at the base of the seedling...I like to put wildflowers near my new plantings to help mark them and add to the future woodland's understory. Here is a picture of the seedling sycamore in its new home.

Acorns to Oaks

Today I picked up some acorns that were starting to sprout. I planted them around the woodland and hedgerow.

Chipmunk

Although I've yet to post about what I've been doing on the warmer weekends we had, if I try to wait until I get around to that, I'll never post anything else!

This morning I saw a chipmunk coming for the black oil sunflower seeds that I'm still putting out for the birds. Squirrels have come on occasion over the winter, but this is the first chipmunk I've seen this year. :)

I didn't have enough time to focus before he spotted me through the window and ran off.