Practicing social distance down in the woods. Everything is starting to grow. I planted some wildflowers, but I busted my buster. Well, I only sheared off the bolt. Easy to fix, but I did not have a bolt, so that part of my work was done for the day I didn’t have too much other urgent work, so I had time to look around.
The bald cypress have started to leaf out. My first picture shows some of them and the lacy pastels of April. The cypress were planted in 2012. They were suppressed by the loblolly, both by getting less light AND less water. We harvested the loblolly two years ago, and the cypress have responded. I expect a lot of growth this year. Next picture is my ATV loaded with rocks. I needed to armor a stream bank. Our neighbor is Vulcan Quarry, and they dug the quarry there for good reason. I have lots of rocks laying around on Freeman, but they are scattered. They would be too heavy to carry, but the ATV can do it. I had to make a few trips, but I got enough to get the job done.
Last three pictures are my 2012 longleaf pine. They are getting ready to grow. Some have already candled. The fire burned hotter in some places than it did in others and scorched some trees more, but I think that all the trees, or at least almost all have survived. Some have all the needles burned off, but they are sending out candles.