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Saturday, June 30, 2007

Of Mulberry Trees, Birds, And Life...

When we first moved to the house we live in(28 yrs ago!), there was work to be done. The previous family had 4 boys under 10yrs old, and they had beaten the crap out of about everything they could. The yard was nothing special, with some shrubs getting yanked, and others to plant. The edge of the property had a mix of trash trees(Chinese Elm, Willow, and Mulberry bushes). Nice shade from the willow-until one day, windy but clear, it blew over. We had it removed, along with the chinese elm-full shade to full sun in one week! For some reason, we just kept cutting the mulberry back, until we just let it grow. We now have a large tree in our back yard that once a year bears a bumper crop of mulberries! Too soft and small to pick sucessfully, and stains like nothing else on Earth- we pretty much let the wildlife have at them. Mainly birds of all varieties, they do have one thing in common- they crap purple on everything I own! From my computer room I can see thousands of berries, all red(not ripe yet!) knowing the crap attack is coming soon....
I used to get really mad at little things like this, but now I figure the creatures get a little treat and sustinence, and crap washes off

18 comments:

snowelf said...

Ugh...birds!!! ;)

Just kidding! Birds are fine when I am not sleeping!!

I have a strong affection for willow trees...someday when I have a house again I am going to plant one. When I was little, I spent hours playing in my grandma and grandpa's on the farm.

--snow

Akelamalu said...

Your mulberry tree sounds magnificent, not so the purple bird crap! :)

Anonymous said...

Well, you can't be sure this year's crap will wash off... It might be different from last year's... Just saying...

Mike Minzes said...

Dang birds!

We used to have 2 pet ducks who pooped everywhere and constantly. They have since moved to a family lake.

I've never been happier!

urban vegan said...

you seriously HAVE to have some good mulberry karma coming your way.

buffalodick said...

Snow-Willow trees in sandy soil(which I have!)send out long, but shallow roots. Not being a hardwood, in sand they are easily uprooted.
Akelamalu- Tree is great, but I cannot believe the staining power of that juice!
Dutchie- Just like work: Same old crap, different day...
Mike- It's one thing to have land poop-much different when it's "Death from above"!
UrbanV-It's good to know in Philly they call"Purple Rain" mulberry karma!

Jen said...

ah to have a house, a yard, and trees, what a concept!

Christo Gonzales said...

tons of mulberry trees in my hood and they stain like a mutha...they litter my car with mulberry "poop"

pinknest said...

i like the clustered chunks of mulberries but would not enjoy the colorful crap.

Angel said...

OMG, I have a mullberry tree too, and unless you have one, YOU HAVE NO IDEA!!! Those things are the devil. purple everywhere, and berries....ugh!!! and you really can't even eat 'em. what a waste.

Lynda said...

If you painted everything purple, you wouldn't even need to worry about washing!

buffalodick said...

jen- Our yard right now is one year away from a major overhaul. I have stuff growing I'm pretty sure came in a meteor...
Dog- And they wait until you've just washed the car..
Pink- I have tried to do something with the fruit numerous times, but with no easy success...
Beth- We had another one up by the house, and what it took to kill it would have defoliated Viet Nam.
Lynda- Always comes in a slimy white poop binder of some sort...

Christo Gonzales said...

I have tried to make things with them too ...they have a difficult texture and they are inconsisitent in the flavor department.

snowelf said...

Ah! Good to know! I'll get some cement too, then. ;)

--snow

meredic said...

If you dropped me on my mountain I could probably make a good stab at the time of year from the colour of bird crap. Its blueish now with some early bilberries but in a month or so more purple as the elder comes in....well goes out as it were.

Christo Gonzales said...

whats the 4th update

Tanya Kristine said...

hahahah...crap washes off.

it sounds nice...my lilac is not doing well and i'm near tears over it. i wonder if california is just too hot fo rit? i think i'll go cover it right now.

Helene said...

lmao... growing up I had a Mulberry tree in my yard to (its actually still there but just about dead... I suspect that the people who buy my Moms house will remove it)

We used to have to bleach the back porch and steps after berries were done dropping each year because everything was stained. Actually we avoided going in the back yard at all during that period. At least I did! lol Good thing it wasnt near the driveway and our car! lol I'd have been washing that baby daily! lol