Michael Connelly - The Scarecrow

The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
  Another Connelly classic with a good mix of new and old. An interesting twist for Connelly, whom I don't necessarily see as a computer guy. He seems more like an old school typewriter-type author. He did his research and presented a mix of tech with older journalistic terminology and practices.
  Once again, older characters are brought back for another round. One of the more complex female characters, FBI Agent Rachel Walling, and Jack McEvoy, the main character from The Poet (one of my favorites ever).
  The book is fast-paced and the ending was dark and complex... in a style I haven't read from Connelly before. It'll stick with me for awhile.
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Beveryly Cleary - Beezus And Ramona

Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
Another great book in the series. I'm reading the entire series to my 5 year old and she not only loves the story but is learning 'sight words' like "she," "her" etc. by following along. The writing style is also reminiscent of a time when families held more values without the family being portrayed as 'perfect.'
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Stump Removal Experiment

At only a few dollars,
this may be a great idea

   I'm trying to remove some pine tree stumps from the front yard.  Unlike other types of tree, pine doesn't try to regrow, causing you to need to 'kill' the roots.  I'm such a FISCAL CONSERVATIVE (some say 'scrooge') that I want to avoid paying $10 per stump for someone to come and grind them down or paying to rent a stump grinder.  Instead, I'm trying something Shannon found online...on Pinterest!!! 

   The 'article' suggested using Epsom Salt and water to prompt the stump to dry.  This is interesting because Epsom salt can be used as an excellent fertilizer in small amounts (see details here).  But with this heavy mix applied to be absorbed into the stump, the tree will dry out and decompose much quicker.  Also, make sure to use Epsom salt as regular salt may contaminate the ground and kill off everything (this is an old trick used many times in history - an invading force would 'salt the fields' of their enemy to make the land worthless).

   I started by cutting the stumps down to a height of 4-8" off the ground and then drilled 3/4" holes in the stumps - about 3 holes each stump.  The drilling took a little patience and multiple differently-sized bits.  You'd be surprised at how much liquid is stored in the 'meat' of the tree!  After drilling the holes to a depth of approximately 6", it was time for the Epsom salt...and that's when I realized we were out of it. 

   Two days (and a trip to the store) later, I poured the Epsom salt into the holes and then added water - pouring carefully so the salt stayed in the holes.  Then went back to each stump and added more salt to the holes.  They say 'rain makes grain' but it knocks all the salt out of the holes in your stumps so I'm going to apply more salt today after church.  I'll also update with pictures to prove whether or not the process works - and if I have to hear "I told you so" from a friend who said it would never work!

This Lady Is Southern...And Thankful

'Ax Men'... In Our Yard

This is just a small section of the front
yard, but the piles are everywhere.

  Actually, just 'Ax Man' since I'm doing the clearing myself.  I'll let the pictures tell the story, but after taking 15-20 down with an axe over the past 2 years I was happy to use the chainsaw.  I was able to take down approx 20 in just a few hours of cutting.  Here's a quick tip - if you buy a chainsaw, buy a new chain with the saw.  The factory chain is most likely 'light duty' and you'll be sharpening it every 15 minutes. 

Another section of the yard...
with piles of wood.

  As soon as the piles started to mount, I started to burn as much as I could... and I started meeting all of the neighbors in the area.  A few people stopped by offering stump removal service and a few offered to take the wood from the piles.  This worked out great because I have enough wood piled in the back yard to last for a few years so the wood in the front is just a mess.

  I'll update later if the easy stump removal process I'm trying ends up working. 

(PS - yes, I'm aware of the correct spelling of "axe," but the title is how the TV show spells it.)