Hiking Pictures

Template
Nov 15, 2022

A short story. A tale of arborist woes in the desert of New Mexico: The bush that would be a tree: We have a bush here in New Mexico, or at least my part of that environ, that not only is delightfully equipped with wonderful long sharp barbs, but it has delusions of grandeur of one day becoming a nice tall tree. I have many of the aforesaid bushes in my yard, and sadly, some actual trees, due to the time (about 25 years) that this yard was not given any noticeable care. I have taken on the duty of ridding this yard of their presence, a duty made much more difficult due to the previously mentioned barbs all over the trees/bushes branches. Barbs that will punch through even the best leather gloves in a NY minute. My reason for ridding my area of these bushes, is that, other than making it clear that you betta give them a wide berth, they don’t provide with any shade whatsoever, and serve no real purpose normally attributed to a professional quality tree! Therefore I have a plan to replace them with actual trees with genuine leaves. (As I say that, I don’t overlook the fact that the minute I utter the word ‘plan’, our adversary kicks into high gear, and quietly states, ‘Hmmm… I wonder how I can get this doofus’ plan into the receptacle… quickly’)	A relatively young version of said bush
However, if left alone, they will become this!
Unhappily, it is immensely difficult to completely get rid of their stump even if you are able to completely cut them down and dispose of the barbs & branches. To the right is the visual aid of what you are left with if you trim them back on their way across the Rainbow Bridge. And trust me when I tell that what you cannot see here is the gazillion roots that are craftily underground and hidden from view. And as well, if you leave this as it is, next spring it will joyously leaf out and begin the process of repairing the damage done by the inconsiderate gardner.
On the right is the remains of the smaller of the two bushes. The size of the dug up area is a small indicator of what was involved in just getting this intruder out of the ground, and that includes a lot of help from Mr. Truck in attempting to loosen the intruders grip on the ground. Additionally, the fact that the ground is loaded with large rocks didn’t make the job any easier as well.

A short story. A tale of arborist woes in the desert of New Mexico:

The bush that would be a tree:

We have a bush here in New Mexico, or at least my part of that environ, that not only is delightfully equipped with wonderful long sharp barbs, but it has delusions of grandeur of one day becoming a nice tall tree.

I have many of the aforesaid bushes in my yard, and sadly, some actual trees, due to the time (about 25 years) that this yard was not given any noticeable care.

I have taken on the duty of ridding this yard of their presence, a duty made much more difficult due to the previously mentioned barbs all over the trees/bushes branches. Barbs that will punch through even the best leather gloves in a NY minute. My reason for ridding my area of these bushes, is that, other than making it clear that you betta give them a wide berth, they don’t provide with any shade whatsoever, and serve no real purpose normally attributed to a professional quality tree! Therefore I have a plan to replace them with actual trees with genuine leaves. (As I say that, I don’t overlook the fact that the minute I utter the word ‘plan’, our adversary kicks into high gear, and quietly states, ‘Hmmm… I wonder how I can get this doofus’ plan into the receptacle… quickly’)

A relatively young version of said bush

However, if left alone, they will become this!

Unhappily, it is immensely difficult to completely get rid of their stump even if you are able to completely cut them down and dispose of the barbs & branches. To the right is the visual aid of what you are left with if you trim them back on their way across the Rainbow Bridge.

And trust me when I tell that what you cannot see here is the gazillion roots that are craftily underground and hidden from view. And as well, if you leave this as it is, next spring it will joyously leaf out and begin the process of repairing the damage done by the inconsiderate gardner.

On the right is the remains of the smaller of the two bushes. The size of the dug up area is a small indicator of what was involved in just getting this intruder out of the ground, and that includes a lot of help from Mr. Truck in attempting to loosen the intruders grip on the ground. Additionally, the fact that the ground is loaded with large rocks didn’t make the job any easier as well.