Weeding at Sunset is like a Prayer

Goodnight Mindego Hill. Goodnight land of San Francisco gartersnakes.
Goodnight slowly diminishing hillsides of purple starthistle.  

The weeds have raised their ugly heads. Italian thistle is starting to blow seeds, milk thistle is fat and purple, and yellow starthistle is bolting. I hope you got many weeds at their seedling and rosette stages (see Thistle Logic for these early strategies). There is still time to capture more weed seed before it ripens and escapes.

Weeding can be hard and weeds can be depressing. We need a coping mechanism. Every few days, I make sure to weed where I can watch the sun set. Recently while admiring a tangerine-blasted horizon, I found myself singing while tossing thistles into an overflowing wheelbarrow. From whence comes such joy? Weeding at sunset is like a prayer.

Busy, Busy

Grazed hillsides in late spring on the Dipper Ranch.
Soon the cattle will be leaving at the end of their grazing season. Things will get quieter.

How's your late spring going? Busy, busy? Lots of interesting things happening at the Dipper Ranch and in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Seems like the only time I have to write is on sticky notes while washing the dishes.

Here's what I am working on: