Friday, January 30, 2009

the biggest tree in the world

At over 2000 years old, El Arbol del Tule, which is actually an Ahuehuete Cypress, is amongst the oldest living trees in the world. With a 10 meter (33 feet) diameter trunk it is also considered by many to be the broadest tree in the world. The circumference of the trunk is an amazing 54 meters (178 feet) It is over 40 meters (130 feet) high.

read more | digg story

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Spring in the Greenhouse

Just a quick post to let everyone know the temperature has been turned up and soon you will see pictures of green as the tree seeds start to sprout.

The greenhouse is washed and neat waiting for the hassle of the seeding machine pumping out tray after tray of seeded containers.

Got to love it when spring comes early, even if it is just under a huge section of plastic.

Watch for it!!


Muddys' Emporium

25 Seriously Twisted Trees Growing Over Objects | WebUrbanis

Trees and plants have a kind of flexibility that is both disturbing and inspiring. Left to their own devices they can wrap around objects and create strange works of unintentional art. Properly pruned and cultivated they can be made into curious, compelling and useful shapes of all sorts.

read more | digg story

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Crafty wood products

I can make one of these for you!

If you want a piece of cedar painted green with a couple of holes drilled in it I will do this for you, and and i will do it for half of the $160.00 price tag on the one I saw in the magazine. Just tell me how green and how long you want it.











A stick stuck in a piece of wood, I can do this too! I will do this at least then half price. $225 to paint a branch and stick a couple of candle holders on it. I can do that!
What else made from wood would you like to see me make. I will be busy this summer working on these product, but who will buy???

Hollow White Birch - What is it good for?

Solid birch stem that is hollow due to rot. What is it good for? What can you do with them?

You have seen the pictures I have of birch bark with all the wood rotted out. The birch bark has natural oils and chemicals to preserve the bark from rotting. In the case of these pieces of white birch the rot has started in the base of the stem of the tree and rots from the ground up.
What is created I call a "culvert" Cedar and spruce can also produce these culverts.
So what are they good for.
Number 1 - they make great natural growing pots. Last summer two very large "culverts' were bought to plant trees in for a Grand Opening. A bottom can be put on them to be used indoors, or just put them on the ground to give elevation to some of your plants. Sit on the patio and plant a tree in it.
Number 2 - a great natural table leg. One would be wonderful with a glass top sitting in the living room. Two beside each other with a glass top would be twice as good.
Number 3 -stand it up and frame something special. You will have to stop it from rolling, but sit it on a shelf or a piece of furniture and let it frame that special something you have. I have tipped one up and and placed some of my natural treasures inside. I have a turtle shell, natural bored rock, and arrowheads that would look nice displayed in the hollow birch.
Number 4 - I think it would make the nice face to a clock.
When I get a chance I will get more pictures of them close up and put them on the Muddy Mark webstore.
Can you think of other uses?

Same place - different temperature

My computer has been in the shop, I have it back now but it is going back to get fixed properly.

Timmins has been in a cold snap. I grabbed my snowshoes and went for a walk down to the lake where I had been in September. Roll'n lead the way for a little while. The snow was too deep for him to travel easily, so I ran past him so he
could get into my snowshoe tracks. Roll'n, like many dogs, wants to be in the lead.










It has been cold!! Not record breaking cold, but the wind sure
makes it feel record breaking.

January 14th the temperature was recorded at -35.9C, the record cold was set in 1994 at -41.0C
January 15th the temperature was recorded at -37.6C, the record cold was set in 1965 at -41.6C

Both days the school buses were cancelled due to the wind chill. The wind on both days made it feel below -45C

Not much activity in the bush at those temperatures. Harvest equipment that was parked over night would not start the next morning. The birds are on the move as they continue to look for food. The moose tracks that are common in the area are wind swept and days old.

Summer photo mapped
Winter photo mapped



Sunday, January 4, 2009

Christmas Trees - Real vs. Fake

What is the best for the environment? What is better in the long run?

Well, there is plenty of information out there. It all seems to confirm the best way to go is REAL!

REAL is best.

What is making a move to even more environmentally friendly is the rent a tree movement. Some bigger centers are starting to offer rent a tree. It is a live potted tree that can be rented.

Even better is the large potted tree that would be planted after christmas.

At the office we have a real tree in a big pot. It is more of a bonsai Japanese black pine, but with decorations it looks like a great christmas tree.

The City of Timmins takes the real tree one step further. Trees are collected and mulched, which makes them useful again!

Plan ahead for next year. Find a source for a real potted tree and reserve it now.

I have a spruce tree on my front lawn, now 20 years old, that spent about 6 years in a pot before being planted. It gets the lights every year outside, but for one year it was a great tree for Santa to put presents under.

Christmas Trees Growers of Ontario
The Great Debate
Statistically Speaking a US website
Rent a christmas tree