Seems We Missed the Burning "Window"

 

Open burning wasn't allowed during the Spring of 2020 because of COVID-19, and officials had hoped banning burning would keep air cleaner for victims of the virus.

The prunings just kept piling up and piling up, waiting for the Fall burning period.  Tree damage from storms added to the pile...and a concern began that we were providing a haven for a rodent infestation.

Well, the Fall burning period was announced to begin on Saturday, October 17th (and ending on Saturday, October 31st), but we were still up-limbing evergreen and maple trees so that golf course mowers could pass beneath their branches.  Days and days of hauling prunings over 15 acres to the burning pile and we were almost ready, despite the area having received 2.5 inches of rain over the previous four days. 

Slash burning began in the uplands areas of the Coldstream Valley on Tuesday or Wednesday, but we still weren't ready.

Slash burning in the hills

And our pile continued to grow.

The pile grew and grew, in all directions

The weather forecast on Thursday October 22nd warned of  90%  S N O W (yes, snow) on Friday... today.

So...here we are.  Leaves still on trees, some yellow, some green, now heavy with snow.

And it's still snowing.

Accuweather warns that overnight temperatures Saturday will dip to -11C!  

 

We did manage to get the irrigation water meter and in-line fixtures disconnected after the irrigation blow out last week...all are now in the clubhouse, safe from freezing temperatures.

odd-looking replacement meter installed recently by DoC

So...

 

The view from the family room this morning...

No comment on that dismal view through the window...

Wayyyyyy too early for snow!

Shop Roof Redone

This year's windstorms "did a number" on Highlands' shop roof.

We had planned to replace the old roof in early July but the roofing company was so busy this year that the work was postponed until mid-October.

The old roof shows missing shingles from recent windstorms

Very organized and efficient process

Preparation included replacing some plywood edges

 

After plywood repairs, "Certainteed" membrane is attached

Nearing the finish line...

Done...and good for another 30+ years

Trevor of TF Roofing, 250.308.5863...highly recommended by us!

Peace of Mind...Professional Inspection/Cleaning of Gas Fireplace

It's certainly worth the ~$100 to have a gas fireplace checked, and we'll now schedule regular maintenance late each summer before the heating season begins.

Late last winter, one of our two Carbon Monoxide detectors sounded an alarm.  A friend had had a similar situation last year and he warned of the danger that CO produces in an indoor environment. 

In our case, we couldn't discover what was wrong.  A certain number of "beeps" meant its battery needed replacing, another number of beeps meant carbon monoxide was being recorded.  But we couldn't ascertain how many beeps were occurring (before the next set of beeps started).

But there had been a strange odour when the fireplace was running...nothing we could define as a propane smell, but there was a smell nevertheless.  So it probably wasn't CO, which is odourless (that's what makes it so dangerous).

We certainly weren't experiencing any of the effects of CO.

internet photo

After a few minutes, our CO detector stopped beeping, I pressed its Reset button, changed the 9-volt battery and plugged it in again.  No beeping.

But that was a lesson.

So when our tank was filled by Superior Propane last week, the driver did his usual "soap test" (bubbles would indicate a leak).  No bubbles occurred on the line from the tank to the fireplace...at least where it enters the house.  The driver isn't responsible for doing any checks indoors.

Prior to the gas arriving, we had phoned Shepherd's Hardware in Armstrong, who supplied and installed the fireplace in our family room 20+ years ago.  During that time, their installer had also installed a steel liner in the two-storey chimney that serves the family room fireplace.  And all had been well during the ensuing years.

Shepherd's Hardware recommended one of the contractors who performs their installations.

Tim was punctual and professional.  He took apart the fireplace while the pilot light was out, vacuumed the interior of the unit, checked connections and lit the pilot light.  He then checked the exterior connections in case the gas delivery person had overlooked anything.  The fireplace was lit, and within a minute or two the fan came on and warmth spilled into the room.

During this time, Tim's carbon monoxide detector was reading ZEROS...yay!

After 10 minutes the reading remained at ZEROS, and no strange odour was noticed.  Tim stated that the odour we experienced last year was likely a result of some dust accumulation (after 20+ years--in my defense).  But that it was NOT from carbon monoxide.

Time to replace our CO detector...

A big thanks to Tim...we'll call him every year to perform maintenance.

 

And give us the peace of mind we have today!  Thanks Tim!

How I Prune my Jade Tree

My sister-in-law has a Jade Tree whose life began 20+ years ago as cuttings from my now-50+ year old Jade.  My jade is almost 6 feet tall and it's a brute.

  

These photos show -- albeit approximately -- what I've done over the years to thin out any bushiness and get it to grow tall.

First, decent pruning sheers because all cuts must be flush to the branch/trunk...don't leave half-in "knobs".

The basic idea is to remove any branchlets/leaves that hang down below an "imaged" horizontal line.  You want it to grow taller, so any branches below a horizontal line will only make it look shorter overall and bushier.

Here's my jade.  Note:  it hasn't been thinned/pruned for several years so it does need work.  But I'll only focus on one or two branches today.

We'll focus on that branch at left above the chair...hope the photos go where they belong (aaaarg...new Blogger format has me scratching my head!)

This is it closer up.

 

After a bit of pruning, there are branchlets that hang down below the imaginary horizontal line.  Those need to be cut flush to the branch they're emanating from.

 

 

Ok, almost done.  Have also cut off some branches (the green fresh cuts to the trunk are visible) next branch over.  They were growing into the center of the tree, which isn't desirable.

Yes, lots comes off!  But you don't want to "scalp" the tree...give it a few leaves at the end of branches you're keeping...that'll give it a point from which to grow next season.  Unless you're taking an entire branch off to the ground.  But that would take a little sharp-toothed handsaw...another blog post perhaps.

 

 

 

This large "below-the-horizontal" branch was kept a few years ago because a Robin always makes a nest in it. 

So...having removed any below-horizontal leaves/little branches from the left side two or three branches, the tops look like this.   No more down-hanging branchlets, no more thick and crowded branchlets.  It looks like a taller (albeit thinner) branch now.  New leaves next season will grow from the ends.

 

Thinned out, its form takes on a more dramatic shape, rather than being hidden in a mess of green leaves that simply looks like a canopy...but has no "shape".

Here is my jade, with the two large branches at the left completed.  Pruned ... but now the rest of the tree needs doing.  Another day...

 

Good luck with yours, sister-in-law.

Or hold off until you come visit again...this time with your Jades in your vehicle.  

...and if you wish to start new Jades from the cut branches, lay them on a warm and dry shelf for a week or two...the cut ends form a callus.  Then plant it -- only half an inch into not-rich potting soil.  The cutting will need three or four chopsticks poked deeply into the potting soil around it so it doesn't flop over (because it has no roots yet).  Roots will slowly form but don't overwater it.  A once a month watering is fine.  Give it morning light only.

now...will try to get the photos into my post where they belong...aaargh!

Okay, okay, not all the photos went where they belong...think (know) I'm getting too old to learn new software/template changes.

Trying out the new Blogger format.

 Actually, forced to try it as "Revert to Old Blogger Format" is no longer available.  Aaargh!

 OK, will try to post some Fall photos.

The large white building in the distance is VegPro

VegPro's operations to the right of gravel pit, south of the golf course

(photo above) The gravel pit is shrinking...

looking NW from top of golf course.

looking NNE

Praying Mantis ...

looking ENE