24.

Out toward the eastern edge of the clearing, a small stand of cottonwoods has appeared. Or I’ve just now noticed it. The trees obscure my view and their fluff blows all over the house. It gets stuck in the screens, between the deck planks. I went out there with a bow saw and cut them to the ground and then went below it and took them out at the roots. It felt good to do it. To be working all day in the sun. Cutting those trees away. Keeping things in order.

But then as I was coming back home I found a wide patch of Scotch Broom, one of those invasive species we’re supposed to kill on sight. Despite its cute little flowers, it’s an aggressive little fucker and swallows everything in its path. I hear it can kill horses, too. Tess rolled her eyes when we found the flyer in our mailbox. I admit, it was a little hysterical. All those exclamation points, language as if the weed were Satan himself. Beware the curse of Scotch Broom scourge!!!!!

But I keep an eye out all the same. This is farm country and people don’t fuck around with these things.

I took the machete from the garage and just before sunset, I hacked those invaders to death.