Friday: silent auction

[OT from cottage renovations]

Friday evening's bake sale and silent auction for the benefit of the Gulf Coast relief expedition was a success.  a wide variety of goods and services were donated and bidding on many items was brisk, particularly as the time began to run short. 

the word this morning was that the amount raised was enough to cover the group's travel expenses -- our getting there is now assured -- and to get a good start on covering the equipment and supplies that will be needed. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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M^cCathran Hall

the event was well attended ...

... by enthusiastic participants of all ages

many thanks to all who organised the event and who donated and, of course, who bid on and purchased items. 

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I have received some queries about whether and how one could contribute to the project.  donations can be sent in care of the Grove's church:

Washington Grove United Methodist Church attn: Katrina Relief P.O. Box 115 Washington Grove, MD  20880-0115

thank you. 

cover in morning sun

[OT from cottage renovations]
[crossposted to texture]

(click through this thumbnail for higher resolution image)

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stomping ivy in the West Woods

[OT from cottage renovations]

turnout was excellent for this morning's ivy eradication work session: 30 volunteers of all ages showed up with clippers, saws, loppers and other implements of destruction to cut, hack and slash away.  two groups were formed: one took on the heavy infestation in the area around Maple Lake and the other headed into the woods to deal with two hot spots. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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West Woods

the walk in was delayed briefly on my part by the distraction presented by the sight of this leaf.  it hadn't done anything more special than to fall onto a log in time for morning light, but it wasn't possible to get past it without taking a moment to appreciate the found composition. 

[image crossposted to texture]

these hirsute stems and this solitary leaf demonstrated a contrast in texture between parasite and host. 

[image crossposted to texture]

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anticipating that some of the thicker stems would be problematic for hand tools I had brought along this old bucksaw.  it made short work of the worst offenders and had the side effect of producing a highly satisfying sound described by working group chair Ann Briggs as "good music". 

is that operator qualified on the equipment?


Ann wields a mean saw 

this stem was shown in this space on 10 February.  the coin is a US Quarter (for UK readers: it is identical in size to a 10p coin). 

tagged for chemical application


multiple stems, cut and tagged


more vines -> more cuts

Kathy, our tree hugging tagger

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this stem specimen was collected for the historical record. 

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the ivy was persistent and not about to give in graciously.  this hand tool shows evidence of a spirited resistance. 

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we are grateful for interagency assistance provided by our State Department of Agriculture, lead agency for invasive species and forest pest management in Maryland. 

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by the end of the morning we had run out of vines in both affected areas.  we're very much looking forward to repeating the exercise in the East Woods; another work party will be formed for the purpose in another weekend or so.