The Beauty Within

Some of the olive trees on the finca need a bit of attention.  Traditionally at this time of year you start cutting back the suckers that grow from the base of the tree.  They are unnecessary, they get in the way of the nets when harvesting and they don't grow any olives so they have to go.

Most of the trees have been fairly regularly pruned and looked after but there are a few that have been left for several years by the look of the growth.  This isn't the time of year for pruning but we just felt that we had to try and sort them out while we can... We have started on the ones that have their trunks totally obscured first.

 Unfortunately it didn't occur to me to take a photograph until I was half way round the tree, but suffice to say that the entire trunk was obscured by branches.  And somewhere in amongst it is this beautiful olive... and an old one at that.

One little moment of shock and horror when I discovered this in among the branches I had just chopped off!

Thankfully this is an old nest and the birds are long gone... phew... lesson learned... next time check carefully before starting to saw.

It's hard work but we love it... still over a hundred trees to do but we'll get around them eventually and its so satisfying to see the finished tree looking magnificent.  I guess this is why we came here, not to give up work, but to do more satisfying work.