Earlier this week we took advantage of one of the ridiculously warm days to do some outside work. We tackled the chore of burning a pile of wood that had literally been waiting on us at least a good 7 or 8 years if not longer…well the stuff on the bottom had been waiting that long anyway.
We’re planning on re-doing the raised beds this year and we got all of them pulled up so now we have to re-do them or there’ll be no where to plant the veggies in the backyard come spring and summer.
We also managed to clean off the garden debris that we had left standing since last summer in the smaller garden in front of the house and The Deer Hunter worked on the driveway ditches.
I’ve always heard smoke follows beauty and it was indeed a beautiful day full of rewarding work.
Tipper
Tipper,
Loved the post today. I have a couple of comments.
First, when I read the line “Smoke Follows Beauty” it sent me back to my Girl Scouting/Campfire Girl days. When the fire was built and we were seated in our circle, at the beginning it would smoke of course. One instructor, repeated this every time we built a fire. On every excursion. as we coughed and waved at the smoke, “Well, girls smoke follows beauty”. As the smoke moved around picking up with any air movement. We would giggle and jump up and run from seat to seat doing our best to get in front of the smoke. Soon none of us were waving away the smoke and laughing too hard to wave the smoke away from our faces! As it settled our came the hot dogs and marshmellows! Oh the fun memories of youth!
Second, I notice In the comments of folks needing to gather up fallen winter limbs or burn piles of limbs. Before doing this consider a permaculture bed…We have one of sorts and it is wonderful!
Here is the official name, “Hugelkultur” ! It is a German name, I pronounce it “who-gull-culture” not sure if that is correct, but it works for me! We are planning to build another one. We have had ours for several years now and it stays moist. Yes, last years drought was a worry! But everything in it seemed to make it pretty well. Here is a site for research on this easy Hugelkultur beds. Be sure to scroll thru all of the article as it shows exactly how to make it and use up all left over debris, limbs, rotting logs and wood. …..Easypeasy gardening!
Thanks Tipper
Well must add number 3 thing. I have to say that Cindy is totally right about Matt. A hard working mountain man, a great family loving man and a very handsome man! Of course I say that about my sons as well! Cause they are!
I can’t even burn brush and stuff like that. I have to get somebody else to do it for me. I am so ugly that every time I get near a fire it goes out. I even had to give up smoking because matches won’t strike and lighters won’t light and cars don’t come with cigarette lighters anymore.
I worked for the fire department for a while but they took advantage of me. After they suppressed the fire they always sent me in to clear the smoke.
Tipper,
I agree with Miss Cindy, the Deer Hunter is alright. One time when me and my two daughter were burning yard stuff, I mentioned Smoke Follows Beauty. Well, my youngest was only about 5 then, and she made sure that she got plenty of Smoke. Lordy, that was about 35 years ago, how time goes by. …Ken
Isn’t it satisfying to get one of those lingering clean-up projects DONE! When the rain melted snow last week, I thought it meant a chance to pick up all the odds and ends scattered around the place that didn’t get taken care of before Winter. (I always try, and always miss some, darn it.) But when I went out after the rain, I found everything was frozen solid to the ground. A good kick only dislodged a couple of things – and gave me sore toes. Now we’ve got more snow, so it’s back to “do it in the Spring!”
Tipper–I notice that the smoke in your picture is going straight up rather than heading Matt’s way. Were you and the twins somewhere up on the ridge top?
If smoke follows beauty then it seems logical it would flee from ugliness. Since there have been many times around back country campfires when I’ve had to move to avoid smoke, the latter obviously isn’t the case.
Jim Casada
Our folks always said smoke goes to the man with money.
My wife quotes that any time she gets near a fire and the smoke curls toward her.
I have a lot of outside work to do once the weather clears. We are due for 3″ of rain during the coming week so it will be awhile for the mud to dry.
My burn pile is getting bigger by the day. The fierce January winds have brown big limbs out of the maple trees surrounding my house. I’m waiting to burn the pile, but the winds won’t allow me to start a fire. When the wind finally stops, it rains…and rains some more. Our record breaking temperature makes it easy to forget it’s still winter.
Yes, that was what my Grandma would say when we were circling the fire trying to stay out of the smoke. Us boys knew it couldn’t really be beauty that made the fire so hard to get away from.
There actually is a physical reason for smoke moving toward a person standing nearby. Air is drawn in toward a fire by the rising heated air and on the lee (fire side) of an obstruction there is an eddy of still air that smoke drifts into. Of course that means the ‘beauty’ part was thrown in as a mild tease. Probably the boys used it as a way to flirt.
This weather is something. Makes me want to start gardening but it is way too early. I suspect we will have to pay for these days before winter is over.
Tip, it’s a wonderful feeling to clear up old jobs that have been waiting. It seems to me that it frees up energy within me when I do that.
Yes, smoke follows beauty and that is the most beautiful man I’ve ever known, inside and out!
Ah, that must be true for ever time I’m round uhfar, I bout choke. My Good Wife says it always follows her. That must be true cause my Papaw always told her she was a handsome woman.
Ah, that must be true for ever time I’m round uhfar, I bout choke. My Good Wife says it always follows her. That must be true cause my Papaw always told her she was a handsome woman.
Ah, that must be true for ever time I’m round uhfar, I bout choke. My Good Wife says it always follows her. That must be true cause my Papaw always told her she was a handsome woman.
Ah, that must be true for ever time I’m round uhfar, I bout choke. My Good Wife says it always follows her. That must be true cause my Papaw always told her she was a handsome woman.
I enjoy working outside on mild winter days. No bugs and minimal sweat depending on hard I work.