Loaded with cherries

I feel just awful. I slept almost all afternoon. I simply can't figure out why any physical activity gives me flu like symptoms? If I go for a walk.... I get chills, congestion, aches, and fever. If I work extra long hours at the machine... I get chills, congestion, aches, and fever. If I mop floors.... I get chills, congestion, aches, and fever. I'm a senior citizen but most days I feel as if I'm a hundred years old. I'm too young to feel that old.

I worked on the current quilt for awhile before going to bed for most of the afternoon. Before that I asked my neighbor if she wanted the cherries from my tree. I walked back there with her to show her where the tree is. As you can see the tree is loaded with cherries.

She decided to pick only what she could reach from the ground. She didn't want to get on a ladder. Neither did I. I sat and kept her company for awhile then went to lay down. This is the tree from ground level.

This is the top of the tree. The birds will get all of those.

She got about 5 or 6 gallons of cherries just standing on the ground. This is an 8 gallon bucket. There's probably another 20 or 30 gallons on the tree. They will all be gone in a couple of days. Some birds have already started raiding them. I can remember the first year after this tree was planted. I got a whopping 4 cherries from the twig that it was. My how it's grown.

This little cherry tree is dwarfed by the trees hanging over my yard. The trees are actually in the empty lot next door. I've complained and complained to the city about having the trees cut down. I'm always told that I can pay to get it done myself. Like I can afford to pay for someone else's yard work! There aren't any help programs in this city to handle debris or trees. That's a shame.

You can barely tell that the cherry tree is in my yard. That's it next to the clothes line pole. I haven't been able to use that pole for many years. Too much bird poop gets on everything.

My yard looks just plain awful! Nothing I can do about it though. I can't clean it up myself and I can't pay a landscaper either..... so it just keeps on growing and claiming my yard.

All of the brush and trees are on the other side of the fence. See here. I do pay the guy that cuts my grass to cut what he can from my side.

But here's the problem..... this is on the other side of the fence. No way to get to it to clean out the fence.

Another view of the other side of the fence.

My fence is 4 ft and the debris is as high as the fence. Under all those branches are old car parts, tires, bricks, metal sheeting, wood with nails, broken bottles, and a bunch of unknown stuff.

I noticed this stuff growing in the yard too. Is this poison ivy? It does have three leaves. I have weed killer on my shopping list for next week.... if my SIL doesn't mind going to the hardware store.

It's growning near the gate going to the back yard and also near the back gate to the alley.

I guess the trip to the back yard today will be the last one I make this year. I won't go back until cherry time next year. It's not a place to hang out and I don't have any other reason go. I'm going back to bed now so I can get an early start in the morning. I should be able to finish the quilt that's on the machine..... if the fever and aches go away.