They are grouchy in the morning

Doesn’t get any better

Morning view from the second bench on our property. What a gift.

Talk to me about honeysuckle

We recently bought our dream property in rural Missouri. It’s 10 acres on a sheer ridge line with limestone bedrock very close to the surface. It’s not easily arable, so the forest was never cleared. Consequently, the property is dotted with centuries-old burr oaks and many grand hickories. The forest here obviously used to burn with some regularity. Our long term goals for the property are pretty modest: large garden, possibly goats and chickens, all things we’ve done before and are confident we can do again. First and foremost though, we want the old forest to flourish. Unfortunately, the old owners liked their “green buffer” and our grand old trees are absolutely choked by invasive bush honeysuckle. Does anyone have insights on the best way to knock it back? I know honeysuckle control is usually a matter of “chop and herbicide,” but 10 acres of it? Is the best method just to get a brush trimmer and get after it? And then do that every year until it dies?

Pre Seasoning Our Beef

Trying mushroom totems. Any advice?

Conferance pears: what is a good rule of thumb to know if they are ripe?

Drought Corn

Jimmy Buffet relaxing on his boat in 1975

Seeing how many people you could pack into a phone booth was what teens did before the Internet, 1959.

People buying paintings and for Lunar New Year decorations during 1929 in Hanoi, Vietnam

Salvador Dali painting The Face of War, 1941