This Burn is for the Birds

Monday afternoon, on very short notice, and with the window of opportunity rapidly closing it dried out sufficiently for us to conduct a prescribed burn.

You're probably scratching your head over the notion of someone deliberately setting something on fire beside a BBQ grill.

Over the years we have suppressed Ma Nature's use of fire to maintain the natural order.  While suppressing fire will bring a smile the face of my pal Smokey Bear it also has unintended consequences.  Most recent among them have been the devastating wildfires in California and other states.  So, at usually three year intervals, this practice is performed by a professional burn crew on sensitive wildlife habitat.  Plus it removes a boatload of combustible material that is close to the house.  

BUG Fire Department authorized the burn and was in the loop at all times.

A controlled burn accomplishes a number of things.  Included among them are:

1. Fire removes excess fuel (built-up thatch) thereby reducing the risk of an out-of-control wildfire.
2. Fire returns valuable nutrients to the soil
3. Fire kills undesirable woody vegetation, invasive plant species and the blackened earth warms-up quickly in the spring sunshine stimulating the growth of desirable native plants
4. Following the application of fire the resulting flush of desirable plant regrowth is a benefit to wildlife – including insects, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and birds.

Photos and video clips.....

Burn Crew

Starting to back burn from the west

 

Continuing the back burn

Commencing the head fire from the south

Letting it rip with head fire from the east  

Prime contractor does terrific work

  
The aftermath on our Tuesday morning walk - blackened, scorched earth.  I'll perform some touch-up work with my new Mini Dragon.

Night Sky

Full, Super, Flower Moon tonite.....

Flower Moon

May's full moon is known as the Flower Moon signifying the wildflowers that bloom in May.  This includes wild iris, sundrops, marsh marigold, violets and more that are found around here.  

The month of May also marked a period of increased fertility and the warming days that made it safer to bear young.  For that reason it is sometimes called the Mother’s Moon.  Other names include the Corn Planting Moon and Milk Moon.         

It is also the fourth supermoon of the year.  Tonight’s Flower Moon will reach its peak tomorrow morning – May 7 at 5:45 AM CST.   A supermoon is a new or full moon closely coinciding with perigee, the moon’s closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit.  This is a full moon that is bigger, brighter and more impressive than your garden-variety full moon.       

Such as this comparison:           

JPL-NASA Image

On occasion astronomers will grumble about the term - supermoon.  They tend to think this is overdone.  Nevertheless, supermoons are special and this year has, and will, bring us supermoons March 9, April 7-8 and May 7, September 17, October 16 and November 15.   

Yowza!        

For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, a low-hanging moon looks incredibly large when hovering near trees, buildings and other foreground objects.  

The fact that the moon will be much closer than usual this weekend will only serve to amplify this strange effect.  

 Fingers-crossed for clear viewing conditions this evening as you’ll not want to miss it.

Switching-up the Brat Experience

 

 

Start with Marchant’s fresh, homemade brats.  

 

Smoke low and slow over hickory at home using the Slow ‘N Sear® set-up on the Weber kettle.  

 

This mama jama is a game changer.

Two hours. 

Yummy juicy. 

Looking forward to when we can confidently have friends and neighbors over during grilling season.

The Magic Curb

When I lived in the naked city I periodically made use of the magic curb.

Magic curb you say?   Unfamiliar with the term?  

Here's how it works.

Let's say that you have something you want to get rid-of and you don't want to haul it to the dump or pay someone else to take it away.  This could be just about anything - old window frames, a rusted-out wheel barrow, a dehumidifier that makes an annoying vibration - just about anything.  Haul it to the curb and just like magic it disappears.  Before too long someone will come along and coveting your junk - they will appropriate it.  Trust me - this works.  All of the fore-mentioned items have been disposed-of by means of conjuring.

Once upon a time my previous Tosa next door neighbor hauled a ginormous, broken-down and busted, gas grill to his magic curb.  Within only a few hours a diminutive man with a pick-up truck full  of metal junk materialized.  I watched in amazement as he single handedly muscled that grill into the back of the truck.

Of course you must be respectful of the magic curb's ju ju.  Another friend was cutting his grass one Saturday and he left his mower near the sidewalk to take a quick pee and grab a glass of water.  By the time he returned the mower was gone!  But that's another story.

The magic curb works even if you have no curb.  Living in the country we've no curb - only a deep and wide ditch.  Nevertheless the magic persists.  

I rolled four old office chairs I've wanted to discard down to the end of the driveway.  And I primed the pump with some homemade advertising.  Within hours they were gone!

Just like magic.

Today's Calendar

May the fourth be with you.....

Aliens

They have returned.

An action shot of them firing their maneuvering thrusters on their spacecraft.