I sorted all these into "pretty" and "broken" and took about three gallons of "pretty" ones to someone at work to deliver to her son's preschool for crafts. I have nearly five gallons of broken ones in the basement waiting to become kindling in a month or so.
I've got plenty left to pick up. I've filled those two buckets again, and every time I walk through the front yard I pick up a few more.
In some ways cones are more trouble than leaves. Let's wait and see if I still think so at the end of October.
Well, they sure are pretty. And it never occurred to me that the broken ones could be kindling, very clever! Have fun gathering them, sounds like a great functional fitness work out. Or a pain in the ass. Kinda both I bet.
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty: every now and then I fill a cutglass bowl with cones as a centerpiece. Naturally the broken ones can be kindling, since they're pre-splintered pine. Compared to what I do at work, bending over to pick up things and put them in a bucket isn't much of a workout. The pain in the ass part is spotting them in the grass before you step on them.
ReplyDeleteYou're supposed to pick them up?? Who knew? Actually, I don't bother because the squirrels usually do it for me. I'm all about delegating chores 'round here.
ReplyDeleteThe squirrels don't pick them up; they just move them around! I pick them up because they do, in fact, make excellent kindling, and because I like to have a few around to decorate with, but mostly because they make my battery-electric mower go 'KchNK' every time it hits one, and there are lots of them.
DeleteWe have a number of pines at the new place. I'd be checking out the cones... if *I* was at the new place.. sigh! Kindling sounds like a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the squirrels will have them checked out for you when you get there.
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