Author Topic: Flowers, Trees & trails started  (Read 2569 times)

Offline paintponylvr

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Flowers, Trees & trails started
« on: November 13, 2016, 01:36:28 PM »
Well, it’s been a long time coming. We are finally getting started with opening up & building trails around the LP Painted Ponys Farm. It’s exciting, it’s hot & sweaty work, it’s uplifting, it’s hard work, it’s not in-expensive! All of these rolled into one…

After calling several tree companies in our area and having the Harnett County Ag guy(s) come out we found a tree cutting and property maintenance crew with an arborist on their team as well. Friday was the first day out for Around the Clock Tree Care Professionals out of Lexington, NC and a good day it was. Only three folks came out today, we met, went over the projects we are looking at and how to mesh them together.

The trees leaning towards the shop were prioritized as needing to come out &/or be trimmed first. Several trees were removed before I got my camera to start taking pics… There are limbs already on the ground from this tree.





and the tree comes down…



Trees taken out behind the shop as well.  We will have part of the trail circling past the shop.  Thankfully, Hurricane Mathew actually cleared out some of the scrub/thorny vines and we actually have partial paths cleared and ready now(no good pics of that).



What the Bradford Pear looked like in September -



and now...  We will be putting a fruit tree in here, not sure if it will be an apple, pear or fig tree yet.  Larry doesn't want any peach trees, but I want one. 



Due to finances, it will take a while to have trails weaving throughout the whole wooded parts of the 11 acres (approximately), but we are now started!!  The tree company will be coming out at least 2 more times this winter (may be a couple more, not sure yet).  Besides doing the tree removal for trails, we will be removing some more trees in front of the house and also removing some of the "bushes" that are taking over literally right in front of the house.  Eventually, the whole front yard will be done as an edible garden (fruit trees, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries - still playing with other berry ideas) and then butterfly & bee attractant bushes and mosquito repelling bushes....

The plan was to start moving the downed trees this weekend (the trees were dropped Friday morning), but Saturday I woke up feeling blah and by noon I was running a fever.  Later in the evening that fever went from bad to worse as it climbed to 102.+* (F) and pain bloomed thruout my sinus(s).   I accomplished nothing at all yesterday and so far today, I've been in/out of bed or stretched out on the couch (until now).  After a mega hot shower, the fever has broken but ...  bleh...  I am now able to type.  DR's office tomorrow(maybe) to see what's going on... 

Paula Hoffman
LP Painted Ponys
Cameron, NC

Offline paintponylvr

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2016, 01:43:16 PM »
Flowers blooming in front of the house –







We will be removing some of the shrubby flower bushes in front of the house and trimming/pruning the others once full winter is here.  I didn't know how to do that last year and will be learning to do it this winter.  Not sure yet what we'll plant in place of the ones that will come out.

OK, time for another lay-down.  with the corn husk wrap over my head/face.

Paula Hoffman
LP Painted Ponys
Cameron, NC

Offline dcwolcott

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2016, 06:48:32 PM »
WOW!  Looks like lots of positive changes going on for you, and the pictures of the flowers are just GORGEOUS!!!!

Hope you feel better soon!! 
'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

Offline Ryan

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2016, 05:29:44 PM »
Hope your feeling better Paula :) Nothing worse than being confined to the couch when your not feeling too well.

The works at your place sound great :)  I have to agree with Larry though in regards to the peach tree ( im thinking of pulling mine out)

Peach trees are prone to "Curly leaf" and I just cannot seem to get rid of mine. Im going to give it one last spray around March next year as the leaves start to drop off.

I have two peach trees and two nectarine trees and are in the "orchard" in a group of 4 trees - and all suffering the dreaded "Curly leaf". The one nectarine tree that has given me plenty of fruit the last three years , hasnt produced any fruit this year. The four trees are looking very average tbh.






Offline Holly

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2016, 07:06:47 AM »
 lovely! I missed this thread somehow.
We have a creek running through our property and it divides our house and pasture (4 acres) from our wooded (8) acres. You will love the trails through the woods! We use them for 4 wheel riding, horseback riding and walks. It's heavily wooded with blackberry bushes, beauty berries and muskidine. Love home made jelly.
I would love some fruit trees, but we are loaded with squirrels and don't think they would fair well. Though I am sure the squirrels would!!
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Offline Silver City Heritage Farm

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2016, 10:36:55 PM »
Paula's flowers are a good example of how the wonky weather has the plants all funked up too though.

I'm not sure what variety her roses are. If they're the common Knockout variety it's late in the year for even those to blossom. But they favor a type of heirloom variety to me. Also, rhododendrons usually flower in early spring and summer, so I'm quite surprised to see THAT!

Hopefully, as the slower winter season sets in, I'll get a chance to go up and visit and enjoy the new trails.
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Offline paintponylvr

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2016, 05:42:18 AM »
Story time -

Finally feeling a "little" better.  A trip to the Dr (lost at least one, possibly two, days to the fever - no recollection).  Missed a day of work while caught up in the one (I thought I was scheduled for the following day) and then called in for the next and boss is mega put out and let me know I was "on notice" and needed a Drs note when returned to work. 

DID make it to my already scheduled appointment on Wednesday.  Fever had broken at home before I took my shower but was at 99* when I went in and during the hour I was sitting in the office it went up to 102* (again!) but this time using the much higher quality medical thermometers!   U kno - I don't think I've ever been tested for the flu before?  THAT was TERRIBLE.  I thought they were trying to pull an "Arnie" on me (pull a bulb tracker out of brain thru nasal cavity - can't remember which movie it was - Larry would know).  Wow.  And wouldn't you know, my nose was actually relatively clear right then (no yucky mucous since I'd cleared it w/ coughing/blowing in the waiting area- people shifted around the longer I waited, didn't blame them)...  No flu.  Hmmm....  Dr listened to lungs and then had me move my Tshirt around to listen again...  Id forgotten how cold a stethoscope could be, chills started again and did not stop (for several hours).  Dr not at all happy.  Said fluid behind both ear drums (ears have not hurt and trust me, I've had ear infections before) & lungs were heavily congested, but not rattling - not pneumonia.  Decided to treat for bacterial (due to high, lengthy fever) bronchitis and asked if I needed a cough syrup prescribed.  I'd tried 2 different ones otc, they hadn't touched the cough and I was coughing till vision narrowed down and close to passing out (due to out of air?).  Went over the chart that last year had noted i was allergic to all antihistamines (?? not sure where that came from?).  She then gave me a scrip for a typical "Z pack" and a cough syrup.  The scrip for the "Z" was called in - I had to hand walk the cough syrup in and give info in person.  She then handed me a $20 coupon for the scrip.  WOW, what IS this stuff - I briefly wondered...  Given the Drs note and told if NOT BETTER by Sat/Sun (end of "Z pack") to come in next week again (they would be open Mon - Wed normal hours and short staffed on Thur/Fri during Thanksgiving).  I sat in running truck for a while - waiting for the heater to warm me up (it's over 70* f, WHY am i so COLD??) enough that the shakes lesson.  30 miles w/ 2 stops on the way home seemed to stretch forever and I really wished someone else had been driving (I've never really experienced that before...)...  I called Larry, waking him up, and told him he needed to get checked too.  So he immediately called and also got a Drs appointment (he'd come down ill and had had a fever as well - we are not usually both sick at same time - the whole 30 yrs that we've known each other, 28 married).

"Z pack" is ready, but young lady at the drop off counter had to call a pharmacist up to assist her with the cough syrup.  Turned out - they didn't have it (CVS pharm).  Said they could order it, but wouldn't be in till NEXT Monday (?? - our vet clinic can order and have product in the next day - REALLY???).  She called several other Pharmacy's - the further out she called - the more of a "heart attack" i was having.  WHAT was in this stuff - gold?  No one had it.  She then called back to Lillington and found a small pharmacy that had it - but they closed at 6 pm and I wouldn't make it back there in time to get it (I was at a pharmacy 10 miles from my house and 20 miles from Lillington/Drs office/pharmacy) with Ft Bragg traffic coming home now.  So I said OK, I'll be back out to get it tomorrow. 

Larry turns out to have a "touch" (??) of bronchitis - but Dr wants Xrays of his chest.  So we get up the next morning (Thursday) and head out.  Good thing I guess...  Got to Pharmacy (I'd been confused by the name - it had changed!) and it's one I'd used for years next to the IGA in Lillington where I used to work in 04, 05 & 06.  Don't know if this cough syrup is new, but they had a few bottles...  Did paperwork and Larry and I sat down to wait.  We did talk about going to the hospital (new one opened right before we moved to our new property) to do his Xray and come back, but decided to just wait.  Moments later, the woman who'd run my 'scrip card came out and said it wouldn't run - that it was no longer in effect (Larry - HUH??? I use it all the time.  He would have to check on that).  Well, would you still want it - it's $300.  GULP!!  Larry and I looked at each other and then another coughing fit hit.  He said YES, we can do that (me -  :o  ).  And we waited again...  I had already had my "heart attack".  Then the woman who called us that it's ready - seemed to have one right before ringing it up.  I told her I'd already had one...  Then she held up the bottle and I have another "heart attack" - it's almost the size of a bottle of Strongid that I use to double dose 15 full size horses or 30+ Shetlands with!!!!!!  O.  MY.  GOSH.  "Uh, don't you have it in a smaller bottle" - checked - "No, this is the size your Dr prescribed".  "O...".  "Still want it"?  "Yes, but do need a pharmacist to come tell me about this "bottle of gold" - have no idea what it is".  Turned out - it's the stuff I usually take (& had been) OTC but in higher (better quality?) dosage AND with Hydrocodone Bitartrate added...  It is to lengthen the time between coughing episodes and shorten the time spent coughing (it works!)...  But still WOW.  Hycofenix (TM) - hydrocodone bitartrate, pseudoephedrine HCI & guaifenesin in 2.5mg/30mg/200mg per 5 ml dose.  I take 10 ml dose every 4 hours (as needed) for cough.

The stuff smells wonderful - w/ that scent I wasn't at all prepared for the brew affects!  I almost spewed the whole dose across my kitchen as my stomach heaved when I tipped the dose cup up. The gagging/throat spasms were hard to work thru - the dose so bitter my eyes also watered...   I've moved the dosage out to 6 hours when I sleep & 4.5 to 5 during the day.  My body lets me know when to take again - the coughing fits wake me up or hit at those times currently.  Yesterday, Friday, was day 3 of "Z pack" antibiotics and I was still running a fever for while (but outside longer catching up on chores and farrier appointment which was cut short - since I forgot to cancel).  Definitely hurting yesterday after way too long of a "normal" day.  DID stop to pick up daughter/1 granddaughter - we were out of feed for ponies, hay for "special ponies", rabbit feed, cat food & chicken feed.  Picked up Arby's sandwiches & SIL, other grand daughter met us at our house.  Quick meal, then they helped unload all the feed (thanks, family!!).  Then they headed home and I settled down on couch with a sigh...  Larry soon had to get ready for work.  When he coughs now, I can hear his rattling - but he does have to go in tonight - doesn't want to use all sick days AND no-one to cover for him this time...  :(   But he's off normally tonight & tomorrow, so he'll get some more rest himself (hopefully.  He's coughing pretty bad, now, too.  No, he can't take what I have due to his blood pressure & specific meds he takes daily.  The web portal, where the results of his xrays are to be posted, wasn't up yet last night).

I can say one thing.  It's 537 in the morning here.  I've been awake since the coughing fit woke me at about 330 am...  After a quick pit stop, I took the cough syrup again.  The gag reflex is gone, the stomach no longer heaves and I just shiver thru the throat spasms - the nasty stuff does work and I sure shouldn't have any problem with weaning off of it.  This is the best, and most coherent, I've felt since last Friday noon!  Don't know if it's too soon to hope I'm getting better... 

Sorry so long...  posting before I lose it!!!!
Paula Hoffman
LP Painted Ponys
Cameron, NC

Offline paintponylvr

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #7 on: November 19, 2016, 08:42:22 AM »
Julie -

I was thinking the pink ones were Azalea's (well, they are - just didn't realize that they are in the Rhododendron family/genus)...  So know I know we are both right,  :D

and the white one - I would NEVER have thought it was a rose.  Still weird to me...  But went to lunch last Friday with Vicki and she was going crazy.  Before I came home, she searched and searched - because she also thought of it as a rose, too.  Took a long time (30-45 minutes) and then she found it, we think.

~~~

 from American Meadows (.com)

The Most Misused Common Names of All

If your Aunt Sarah, who knew her plants, told you that wild rose at the farm was a "Pasture Rose", that's fine, but don't expect anyone else to know what that means. Pasture Rose, Prairie Rose, Wild Rose, Dog Rose, Eglantine, Sweetbriar, and Scotch Briar are just a few of the very common names for wild roses that mean different things in different places. (Probably ten different species are called "Pasture Rose" in various parts of the country.)
There are some species roses available from specialist nurseries, but by and large, gardeners who love the look of a wild rose are using some "newer" plants that have all the good qualities of the originals, but all kinds of wonderful new qualities, too.

First of all, most species roses bloom for only about two weeks each year. That's great if you happen to be there, but if you miss it, you'll have to wait a whole year for more. That's why many of the new "landscape" or "shrub" roses combine the convenient size of the species shrubs with the wonders of repeat blooming. A lot of this has been done by crossings with the fabulous rugosa rose species from the Far East. It has the incomparable combination of large flowers, tremendous toughness even in the coldest temperatures, and best of all, repeat blooming all season long. No other species rose has all these qualities.
Pink Single Rose

So today, "shrub roses" like Carefree Beauty, Carefree Delight, Chuckles, and the one actually named "Nearly Wild" (photo at right) all offer the loveliness and low-maintenance of wild roses with the added qualities of incredible cold hardiness plus the magic of repeat bloom. Other popular "carefree" roses includs the famous "Bonica" and more recently, the "Knock Out" series. They are some of the most carefree roses available, but they don't have the classic 5-petaled "wild rose" bloom.

To the purist, none of these are true "wildflowers", but for most wild gardeners, they're a miracle. And in any wildflower meadow, they easily hold center stage whenever they're in bloom.
~~~
Paula Hoffman
LP Painted Ponys
Cameron, NC

Offline dcwolcott

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2016, 10:25:14 AM »
Horrendous price, for sure, but if it's working for you, then I'm glad you invested in it.  Coughing fits are so horrible, not being able to catch your breath!  My daughter just prescribes a Tylenol with Codeine for me for coughing, since it's the codeine that works for me -- and I hate taking liquid cough syrup because of what you went through.  But, I do have a liquid cough syrup with codeine that I glug down when in between the tablets.

Hope you feel better really soon!!  Praying for you!   ;pray ;pray ;pray
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Offline Ryan

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2016, 06:35:18 PM »
Glad to hear you are feeling better Paula or at least starting to improve. :)

In your opening Post there is a guy up in one of your trees cutting it down.

Do you know the name of it.  Last year I brought 60 of something that look very similar and , I cant remember what they are called ( everyone thinks its a great joke as its been on the tip of my tongue for so long, the name just wont come out ) LOL !!

Offline paintponylvr

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #10 on: November 22, 2016, 06:06:57 AM »
Ryan - it is a type of Oak, but have no idea which one.  A lot of what we have is just called "scrub oak" - and you'd (or I did) think of it as being ground cover - until you go to cut it down and realize how many of the "scrub oak" you have that's that big!!

Others are quite small - and we'll be removing them.  The tree crew is supposed to come back out again on the 3rd of December.  But I have no idea if I'll have the trails marked out at this point or any of the larger trees chosen to come down.  Now that I know how, I can (and will) remove the smaller ones.  This "chest cold" has really BAD timing!

As to coughing and getting better - the "Z pack" is done, but still taking the cough syrup.  Thing is - its causing me to cough but not enough to bring mucous up/out.  So now, my tummy rolls and then I get sick.  Yea, just what I wanted - NOT.  This is terrible!!  How do smoker's ever deal with this?  My chest feels like it's on fire.  I'm back at work, but was thankful yesterday to get off a little after two pm (7 hours instead of 10).  I made it home (thru several coughing fits - just short of terrifying) and then "crashed" for a lovely 2 hours nap.  Hope I can do the same today - then off until next week...  Barely keeping stock taken care of, it's terrible and really needed to hit all the weanlings with 5 day wormer pack, sigh.

Have to run - shower & off to work.
Paula Hoffman
LP Painted Ponys
Cameron, NC

Offline Holly

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2016, 10:31:25 AM »
Glad your getting better!
There has been a virus sweeping through here and most of us have had it.  Glad to get that over with before the holidays!
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Offline Ryan

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #12 on: November 22, 2016, 05:55:45 PM »
Thanks Paula , though they look similar in foliage , I know mine are not oak trees.

Glad to hear you are on the mend , The yearlings can wait a few more days for worming , your priority is getting yourself well , hope you managed to have that power nap :)

Offline paintponylvr

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #13 on: December 05, 2016, 11:37:05 PM »
Well, it's been almost a month and I'm still dealing somewhat of the bronchitis.  Feel better for a while, then start coughing for a while.  Still get VERY tired pretty quick (last week, 10 hour days at work were "killer" - just short of 40 hours in 4 days.  + chores + drive time both ways.  It was a long week, LOL.  I SOOO enjoyed Friday (farrier changed to later this week), I delivered Koal to Vicki and took a bit of a break at her place.  Sunday, while it poured rain, I spent a lot of it napping.

Spent 5 hours out on Saturday - marking trees and measuring paths.  Did mostly 10' between larger sized trees, some are wider between.  With rain pouring at 4 am this morning, I mistakenly thought the tree company wouldn't be able to work today.  They proved me wrong.  They arrived a bit later than planned and then had to leave a bit earlier but we got a lot of paths worked on w/ trees removed and/or limbed to allow passage of wagons/riders at heights of 12'.

I've a attached a few photos.







The rest of the photos can be accessed here - https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipNj2JNPTKzN70JvBvmvghwBu5wfE0fA_yGAjtyL

Here is one last one though. 



The red outline delineates what was turned into paths today and in the near future (haven't quite got all the trails marked)..  The 2 sections outlined in blue still have to have trails marked out - may take up to several years.  They aren't quite accurate around the house at the bottom of the pics - I don't know exactly where his 3 acres lie at the moment(originally part of our property).  We'll need to find out as we lay out those trails - so we don't encroach on his acreage.  The purple lines show where the ponies are w/i the pony pasture. "G" stands for girls and I swap them back and forth - Sr/Jr mares.  The "B" is boys pasture - the Arab mare, Ellona, is also out there.  "RP" stands for the 60' round pen, and "2" stands for the blue panel pen behind the barn that currently has 2 stallions and a mare in it.  The next pony pasture is to be between the bottom row of trees (by the blue line) and the barn/round pen and #2 pen.  The dimensions aren't accurate (and my lines are not straight), but it gives you an idea.  With 21 acres total, we have between 10 & 12 in the wooded areas.  With the number of trails we've already started with, I see being able to weave trails that will last between 2-3 hours of riding/driving time. 

WHEE FUN!!  I can't wait until they are all done and we are able to drive them!
Paula Hoffman
LP Painted Ponys
Cameron, NC

Offline Ryan

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Re: Flowers, Trees & trails started
« Reply #14 on: December 06, 2016, 05:43:50 PM »
Sorry to hear that the pesky cough just will not get the message and leave you alone.

The tracks/trails are going to be amazing , so glad you have some starting photos that you can compare back to. Its always great to see what once was and has been turned into.

Will you be planting trees along the paths (even though I see you have thousands throughout the property)