Seeing is believing!

Have you ever started something and then wondered why you did? I'm sort of at that point with the recent spate of videos I've posted at https://youtube.com/kckendricks. I'm having fun (sort of) learning to edit a cohesive video so that's a good thing. I've joked I'm going to be ninety years old in the nursing home and pulling up these vids to prove to the old codgers I really did operate a John Deere tractor and I really did use a chainsaw. Ha ha. 

But seriously, a conversation with some friends got me to thinking. Myself and another member of our "dinner group" live alone, and we are not afraid to cut down a tree and chop firewood for ourselves. Several other group members have no clue about how to garden, how to can food, how to take their car in for service. They just don't know where to start. I want these videos to show women in my age group that they can do it. 

So what have I been recording?

Using the Brush Crusher on the John Deere tractor to remove fallen tree limbs, brush, to aid cutting firewood, and using the backhoe attachment to dig out stumps and a clothesline post among other things. I'm going to run out of ambition to keep making videos long before I run out of projects. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUYFmD6rG3c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZLTCa_x19g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVIhb51F6hE

Of course, I manage to get video-bombed by Deuce at least once per video. 

I try hard to not allow myself to get annoyed by women who think they can't do for themselves. So many times it's conditioning from their parents. You can take care of yourself. I'm walking proof of that. I had good examples of strong, self-sufficient women to guide me. I had a husband who believed it was part of his duty as a husband to teach me all that he could. His life was my biggest blessing. 

Sooooo, if you'd like to see me in action, visit the YouTube channel. If nothing else, you'll get a laugh or three as I blunder my way through projects here at Holly Tree Manor.

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, John Deere 1023, strong women, self-sufficient, tractors, chainsaws, gardening, cooking, rural living, country lifestyle, a writer's life, greenhouse, YouTube channel

Tree topping in Triple H weather - not advised

I've been a bit MIA lately, and that's because I've been working with the cousin in Triple H weather. That's hazy, hot, and humid in case you don't live in the Mid-Atlantic region and don't know. I can only work for a couple of hours at a time when I'm on my own. If I get heat stroke, I'll lie there and be dead before someone misses me. We don't want that to happen! 

My property is a three-acre lot and two of those acres are wooded. That's fine. I like trees. The only thing that beats shade in the summer is central air in the house. But I digress...

Back in 1981 the trees were not this big. They grew, and some of them became uncomfortable neighbors. Cousin Dave and I rented a "cherry picker" lift and topped out six of them. I'm in the midst of cleaning up the brush so we can cut firewood rounds. It's going to take many, many, many days to get it all finished, but in the end, our firewood rounds stockpile will be in good shape. 

Deuce has a bit to say about the lift we rented. He was not impressed. https://deucesday.blogspot.com/2025/07/whats-this-thing.html

Years ago, I began to post short videos so my husband could see what was happening around the manor in places he could no longer physically get to. There were also dog vids, and vids of walks and such, all posted in the hope he'd feel included. 

After he passed, I pondered whether or not to start a more intense video project, and to that end I've been recording my activities on the manor. My YouTube channel is called The Hideaway Between the Keys, and as with all things, Google knows where to find me. I think YouTube has changed up some things and it's now youtube.com/@KCKendricks. I think. I'm still figuring a lot of "stuff" out. 

I'll have upcoming videos of the tree trimming and cleanup, as well as some general gardening and general manor activity vids. It really is my life unscripted. 

But back to the Triple H weather, I'm pretty much done for the day with outside work. I grabbed the chainsaw around 7:15 AM and worked clearing the brush from the top of one of the downed maples until the sunshine stole the shade from me. I'll go at it again tomorrow morning. Once I have the smaller, lighter brush removed, the cousin will return with his big saw and finish the heavier work. Sooner of later, it'll all get done and I'm fine with that. My plan is to get to the end goal without giving myself a heat stroke. 

Good plan!

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, KC Kendricks, YouTube, country lifestyle, rural living, tree trimming, firewood, weather, heat stroke, Milwaukee chainsaw, John Deere 1023