ranunculus

The Obstacle Practice sessions went well this week, small groups but people did seem to have a good time. 

In far more mundane news, after taking M to the airport this morning I set fire to the burn pile that has accumulated just outside the Main Gate, near Norgard's pond.  It is a little hard to see in this picture, but the brush pile is about 5 ft tall and 40 ft long, and that length excludes the big pile of live oak branches in the background.  I got about 3/4 of the two piles burned, however there are multiple branches, and one pile about 50 feet up the road that I can't burn where they lie. So all that material will need to be hauled down to the current burn pile. 

Lots of the wood was very green willow and didn't want to burn.  After throwing on the last pieces of wood, I sat with the smouldering pile for about 3 hours until there was no open flame.  If it is a burn day tomorrow I'll restart the fire and finish the job, possibly cutting more brush and young live oaks away from the side of the pond.  I really don't like live oaks, and I REALLY don't want to clean up the mess they would make on the road as they get bigger.  While I'm at the turnout I should take the spading fork and perhaps the mattock and dig out blackberries. They are so invasive that the whole turnout has to be completely cleared every year or two. Anyone have good tips about how to get rid of blackberries?