It's all in the timing.

We were worn out from yesterday and decided to burn a lot of old branches and stuff that is around the cabin.  We have a number of Hemlock trees and they have all died off the past couple years.  The ones closest to the cabin were over 90ft tall and in danger of falling down, so we had them cut last summer.  Many of the branches were piled up and left to rot or burn and today was burn day.

Cassie & her 3 kid crew were going to join us to help drag the branches over to the fire pit area and keep the fire going.  Gerry and I started on the task while we were waiting for them and reduced a number to ashes.  Cassie had to take Lexa to a dentist appointment and then headed up this way.  It was bright and sunny when we started, but by the time they were due to arrive it was getting cloudy and dark.  They managed to work about 10 minutes and the heavens opened up with a heavy downpour for 30-40 minutes and doused the fire.  Like the subject line says, it's all in the timing.

They had stopped off at the Fickle Pickle to pick up some sandwiches for lunch and we enjoyed the great sandwiches.  Thinking the rain would stop and we could get back outside working they hung around for a while.  No such luck, by the time the rain eased up every thing was soaked. 

We have modern tools like chain saws, clippers, etc and have really been working at clearing up the branches.  I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for those early pioneers to clear the forests in the U.S. back in the 17 & 1800s with the primitive tools they had.  You were either of sturdy stock or the work didn't get finished.  No government assistance other than land grants if you served in the military.  What a tough life it was then.

We finally got a chance to sit on the screened in porch and enjoy seeing the deer in the meadow across from us.  There aren't as many this year as in the past for some reason.  I don't know if it is a sign of the times and people are hunting for food year around rather than just in hunting season.  We did run across a large brood of turkeys the other day. There were a couple adults and 13-15 chicks in the group.  We caught them as they were crossing the road and the last couple flew right in front of us.  They were too quick to get photos of, but we enjoyed seeing them just the same.

It has cooled off considerably up here on the mountain the last couple days.  Gerry thinks we will need a blanket tonight and I may have to close the bedroom window.  I love it when we can sleep with the windows open and have a cool breeze.

We watched two movies tonight that we had on VHS tapes.  They were "Son in Law" & "Trapped in Paradise".  We hadn't seen them before so it was just like they were new releases to us.  They were entertaining, but not what you would call a work of art.

The crew with Cassie today were children 13, 15, & 16 years of age.  The youngest hadn't ever seen a VHS tape and I explained it was sort of like an old fashioned DVD and she could relate to that.  The 15 & 16 yr old kids knew what VHS tapes were and had seen them.  Technology changes from generation to generation and old stuff dies out quickly.  Don't even get me started on cell phones.

With that, I bid you a goodnight.