I just finished the worst part of the tree trimming that the city demands

[chowmama]

I'm not sure it's gardening, but it's as close as I can get.

The city let me know last Wednesday night (when the letter arrived) that the trees above the alley had to be cut back up to 14 feet before next Wednesday. So - six days, out of which I work four. Temps in the mid to high nineties. Terrific.

So we went out and got the tall ladder and a new tree lopper. I've now trimmed it as high as is safe, as far as I'm concerned. Anywhere near the existing wires is 14 feet, as far as I'm concerned, and trimmed back towards the garage/carport as far as it needs to be. If they want my 71-year-old ass on a metal ladder and playing around wires with a lopper and a saw, I have three words for them. You Go First.

The last time I smelled this bad was the day in vet tech school when we all had to go out to the university farm site and castrate pigs. Radar the dog took one sniff and gave me the most horrified look - I think I've got a tub of cool water in my near future.

I'll go out after work tomorrow and clear the low vegetation.