Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

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I have a yellow n red delicious tree n they don't look good at all...
I dont know if it was all the rain this last month or some type of bug or fungus. I got really busy this year and didn't do anything to care for them. Next thing I know they are all dying.
 
Went back this morning and dropped another tree, hooked up a strap and drug it closer to the yard so it would be easier loading. Got most of it limbed and bucked and stepped on a yellow jacket nest, thank GOD none got under my chaps. It’s 87* here so I left. Go back tomorrow really early. Got nailed 4 times Friday weed eating, that was enough.
 
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Whoop Whoop! or rather barp barp, burble burble, barp barp!

Not run it yet, won't get chance until the weekend....may not even then! visually it looks great though. 2015 according to the plate. virtually new chain, semi chisel (wtf! semi chisel on a 71cc pro saw?!) I'll need a spare or 2 anyway. bar has a little use but nothing much judging by the paint. rails have had a file to debur but groove looks parallel and deep so loads and loads of life there. I did notice Oregon didn't make it straight :confused: fairly sure since the curve is gentle and uniform it isn't damage. it is slight and shouldn't be a problem. Its also noticeably heavier than the same length (20") stihl. Nose sprocket feels like its had a thick grease applied, turns smoothly but with that 'running in treacle' feel.
So long a the saw run as good as it looks I'm very very happy!
 
Went back this morning and dropped another tree, hooked up a strap and drug it closer to the yard so it would be easier loading. Got most of it limbed and bucked and stepped on a yellow jacket nest, thank GOD none got under my chaps. It’s 87* here so I left. Go back tomorrow really early. Got nailed 4 times Friday weed eating, that was enough.
If I got stung 4 times they would find my body beside the nest.
 
Here's my next weeks scrounge...gotta drop them but it shouldn't be hard....
2 big cherry n maybe a maple

N nope....its not poison ivy.....yaaay

That 3rd pic sure looks like poison ivy, but then I’m paranoid about that stuff.

It is surprising how many folks that get inflamed by the stuff, yet have no idea how to spot it. In case you've never had a good tutorial, here is how you can ALWAYS be right about whether or not some plant is poison ivy:
  1. Leaves of three. Yep, but there are a surprising number of plants that have that feature. NEVER 5, Never 2, Never just one. Counting the leaves is not enough. Also: Technically, the correct expression is "leaflets of three". The triad of leaflets is one entire leaf.
  2. Leaves are "alternate" on the vine. This means that each 3-leaf combination does NOT have another one attached opposite it on the stem. If the leaves-of-three are paired going up the stem: you have a Box Elder maple.
  3. The center of the 3 leaflets is on a longer petiole (stem), and it is a bigger leaflet than the other two. It will have what is called an "acuminate tip", which means that it is somewhat pointy on the end. The leaflets on either side are closely attached. The petioles have a tendency to have some reddish tint to them, too.
  4. You CANNOT tell poison ivy from the shape of the leaflets. They may be smooth edged, or deeply dentate (with teeth). They are never finely serrated, though. Once you know the "look" of them, it is still pretty easy to spot. They are never "lobed" which is to say that the indentations on the leaf are rounded, rather than angular.
This pic has smooth edged leaves.
index_clip_image006.jpg

This one doesn't:
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5. Poison ivy can be free standing, but it never gets real big unless it is climbing a taller structure. When it climbs up an object as a vine, it will attach itself with aerial roots. These are little hairs that just seem to grow into whatever the plant is growing up. Just because it doesn't look like a vine doesn't mean it can't be P-ivy.

index_clip_image004.jpg
No aerial roots on a mature plant but still has the previous four traits? It isn't poison ivy. I have seen landscape vines that had some of the immature leaves that were so deeply lobed that an unskilled observer would think it was poison ivy. But it didn't grow aerial roots; instead, it had "hold fasts", little adhesive pads that hang onto anything.

6. The leaflets are glabrous. That means that they don't have any fuzzy little hairs on them. I put this item last, because if you are allergic to P-Ivy, then you don't need to be fondling the leaves to see if they have microscopic hairs on them.​
Distinguishing poison ivy from poison oak is a bit of a moot point. Poison Oak has most of the above features, but the leaves are quite a bit more rounded, and they have hair on both sides of the leaf. Poison oak (in my very limited experience) is just not as invasive as the vine, and is seldom encountered. Since you might still get a god-awful rash from poison oak, it doesn't really matter if you can tell them apart.

More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxicodendron

Myth: NO! Not you, nor anyone else can look at a rash and determine that it wasn't poison ivy, or P-oak, or P-sumac, or for that matter, any other kind of contact dermatitis. You are allergic, and you get a rash. It could be caused by anything.
I have actually had people tell me that their doctor assured them that their rash was caused by poison oak, not poison ivy. Egotistical bastards! There isn't one single poison oak plant in our region, so the victim damn sure didn't get exposed to any. Besides, the individual's relative allergy and the type of exposure make more difference than which plant gave you the rash.
 

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