My Warmest Birthday

...In the 60's! Larry, Bill and Ruth were all ready to go when I met them near the dinning hall on the hill; leaf-blowers and chainsaws were prepared for making the trail- THE FIRELINE- that would outline the new burn section for Rocky Point Glades. The few acres have not burned in the history of Swope Park! Larry is confident that in time, our prescribed burns and honeysuckle removal will be able to revive the glade without the thinning of woodies that helped to bring the other sections of Rocky Point Glades back to life. . The exotic Bush Honeysuckle that has taken the understories around swope park is nearly the only green thing left this season. It is usually the first green thing in the Spring and the last on in the fall, thus giving it another sunlight-advantage over the native plants that thrived before it's introduction as an ornamental from Asia. It is the Oriental Ornamental and yes, it is everything towering that is green in the pics. Yikes!

Ruth and I stuck between Larry and Bill to remove larger debris from the trail and spot and remove hanging-hazards from in, over and around the line... Things like vines and dead trees that threaten to fall over the Fireline and introduce wildfires during a burn as well as dead branches and vegetation that the blowers cannot move. The fireline runs across a handful of old camp-buildings and a small stand of weathering picnic-tables will all make for the type of obstacles that I have never burned around before in an understory fire. Being the first year, and with so much green brush around, there is little more than fresh leaf-litter for fuel. It will be an exciting thing to learn from! Bill is a marble-maker. His hobby is making all sorts of way-cool beads and marbles to collect and give as gifts. He gave me this awesome one, made from the colourful scraps of glass from the table! Its soo cool- little viewing windows, swirls and a big vortex on the top! Bill saved the marble for me while I visited Colorado and was delighted to coincidentally gift it to me on my Birthday! Thanks Bill!