This area in the valley is one of temperature extremes.  This year it  ranged from -18 degrees F in January to 109 degrees in April. The hill is somewhat more moderate so the trees have a better home there.

     The hill is some 60 feet high  and  its soil is " among the most well drained soils in the county" as the county soil map says.  What this means of course, is that I have to water often.  Initially, I thought it would be fine to carry water in buckets.   A nice quiet form of exercise.  Images of wadis and pioneer homesteads.   Splendid really.

It did not take me long to mechanize:  

I appear somewhat sheepish in this photograph, because , in spite of all my planning,  I don't really know how this is going to work.