Cherries

Great excitement today for me...I found cherries on several different trees extending along the fence line of the property. The owners of the woods behind us had a forester meet them to discuss their woods - how it's growing and what the next step for them needs to be. I learned that when you are planting hardwoods you alternate a row of hardwoods with a row of pine trees - somehow that helps the hardwoods grow faster and eventually the pine trees die out by themselves. (I went outside because I had a question for the owner). The forester also pointed out some cherry trees with fruit on them - the cherries are very small but sweet. This evening I took a walk - down the hill along the fence line looking for more trees. Turns out there are several and they had little tiny cherries on them. I may have only been able to get half a cup or so but I'm still thrilled and hope to be able to put them up until I can make something out of them. The grape vines have little dark purple grapes on them - apparently they don't sweeten until after the first frost. So I'm going to have to keep an eye on them and be ready to try and pick them after the first frost. The hazelnuts will be bountiful again this year I think...I've really got to come up with ideas and knowledge to use them. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Apples, pears, peaches and plums aren't doing too well though - if I get enough peaches for one batch of jam or jelly I'll be surprised. Plums will be even less - I can't find any on the trees.

While I was out walking and looking...this was not an exercise walk by any stretch of the imagination...I saw a coyote (i think) cross from the woods behind us across the hill and road into the field where it disappeared. It was an animal that looked a bit like a wolf but the coloring was wrong - too brown. That's why I think it was probably a coyote. Anyway...though I've often wondered if we had any living around here this was the first confirmation of it.

And we have baby kittens again...5 this time I think. Oddball is the mother - she's done good this time. Now we just have to wait and see if they all survive.