Sawyering Continues

Today, Phil worked on creating dimensional lumber out of the enormous planks he sawed yesterday (2x4s, for example). It's not a fast process, but he worked on the project most of the day, in the constant wind on the ridge. Although I have, at times, bemoaned our lack of view on our eastward facing slope, I don't envy the wind our westward facing neighbors withstand. I'll admire the Blue Ridge mountains as I drive, and live in relative warmth and calm downslope.

When the boys and I went to visit him, we found 16 2x4s (16 feet long), and ten more 8 feet long. Also some 4"x4" posts, and some others.

Also a good-sized pile of bits and pieces, suitable, I suppose, for burning or chipping.

Jadon walked through the inch or so of sawdust as if it were snow.

And Isaiah played with Phil's new tape measure, that has a magnetic tip. He managed to get a good ways away from the metal bucket on the tractor before it snapped off.

Above, you can see our animals right now, and the trees in the background show the drab exterior in every direction. If you look closely, you'll see that one small sheep on the right looks like it's out of the fencing. Sadly, it is. Five or six more soon followed, along with the two billy goats. With Phil away sawyering, I had to corral the animals with entangled netting. Finished, I heaved a sigh of relief, only to come out a little later to see those animals scattered further abroad, and looking curiously at the orchard. Almost sobbing, I strung up more netting. Beau, the more aggressive goat, looked to sneak through a small opening, and I stepped up to him with a T-post and thought, "If he gets closer, I'm going to bean him!" Thankfully he backed away, or Phil might have come home to find a dead goat. Small mercies always, I suppose.

And, yes, when Phil came home, he corralled the animals in about five minutes. Animal management, apparently, comes more naturally to him. Argh! (I mean, I'm glad at least one of us is gifted in this. Ahem.)

As Phil puts up new fence, above is a recent photo of the cattle panels, that still line the southern part of our driveway.

And, this is the electric line that is along the northern part of the driveway.

As you can see, unless you catch the light right, the electric line vanishes. That can be a little disconcerting!
Our orchard now, has plenty of soil exposed, and the bare branches of the apple trees disappear.