Outdoor Update

The past two days, Fiorella and Husband have been spending time out in the invigorating spring air chainsawing fallen tree limbs into fireplace lengths.  Fio's goal is to be totally self-sufficient for firewood next winter. Okay, she'll admit that Husband bought about half the wood they now have stored in those metal hoops out front, but she wants all augmentation to be from their own forest.
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Bayberriess, Fio loves you.  After YEARS of trying to screen the air conditioner system with supposedly hardy, deer-resistant bushes, Fio and Husband finally planted bayberries.  Three years in, and they're taller than the compressor units.  Another year and Fio will start trimming them so they'll fill in more.
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Fio finally gave in and hired a once-a-month yard man.  The only problem is that Fernando's English is limited, but your ever-resourceful  correspondent has found a solution.  She writes out what she wants to say, uses Google to translate it into Espanol, then reads it off to Fernando in the best Spanish accent she can muster  Que?
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Sonia is a serious-minded adult dog now.  No more running into the bushes when she goes outside with Fio and Husband.  She either sleeps on the porch or--well--dogs our footsteps.
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The sun is shining, the trees are whipping in the breeze, and everything is glistening with last night's rain.  Who could ask for better?

Cleaning Up

That big pile of cedar in the north yard is gone. And the flower beds around the house are cleaned up. And the brush Fiorella and Husband had chainsawed in the woodsy area to the west of the driveway has been cleared.

Fio finally gutted up and checked out three guys who advertised in the local newspaper. One was very eager and kept lowering his price. The second one didn't show. The third one was running a crew and charged fifty bucks an hour, flat rate. Fio opened Door Number One, and he did a great job. In fact, we'll probably hire him for more work around the acreage.

It's progress, and your Fio likes to move ahead.