Working hard with Mark

Today is Thursday and a day off from helping Mark.  There is so much work to be done clearing brush, trees, and those darn blackberry bushes.  Phil also helped with cutting and stacking firewood.  Mark decided he wants to plant grass seed in front of the cabin so he dug up an area 60"x30" with the backhoe and tractor.  Phil dug out the root balls of the blackberry bushes and then raked the dirt.  He can water all he wants as water is free. The pressure from the spring drives the sprinklers. Hopefully he will have success with the grass!  Tomorrow may be a day to go with him into the forest and get the first load of firewood for winter.  A permit is required and one can only pick up so much wood.  Of course you can only take downed timber and you cut it up yourself.  Heidi will also get a permit.  They need enough to last through the winter for her woodburning stove and for Mark at his cabin. 

I am ok after raking into a bee's nest.  We had been clearing this area off and on for a several days and I decided to clear a little more, deeper into the woods.  All of a sudden bees were flying everywhere.  I got stung on my neck, one finger, and multiple times on my scalp.  After trying to pick the bees out of my hair, with Phil's help and not too much success,  I headed for the nearest faucet and flooded them out!  It could have been a very, very bad situation but I am not allergic to them.  My entire hand and wrist were swollen for 48 hours and my scalp, if one could see it, probably is still swollen.  After several doses of Benadryl (more than the recommended amount) and Hydrocortisone Cream (and I think I over pack), I am feeling fine.  I really am glad this happened to me and not Mark as he had a very bad reaction as a child when stung on his face. 

We were at a ranger station today and mentioned we cancelled our trip to Yosemite.  He said it was a good thing we did because the smoke is now into the park area.  The firefighters have saved the big trees by surrounding them with sprinklers.  So they will still be there next year for us to see. 

I went for a short walk last evening and took a couple pictures of the steers and the sunset at the campground.  Unfortunately I cannot upload photos tonight as the connection is too slow. 

Not to many more days to blog as our time here is rapidly coming to a close.  So sad!