April 23, 2018 Firewood & Bringing The Jeep Home

Our first balsam root
bloom!

Moved firewood off the porch. . .

. . . & stacked it in the shed.

Friday 4/20. I hung the wash outside again today.  Seems like a little thing, but it is really a big thing.  Then I gathered two more bags of pine needles for fire starter.  Now that the snow is all gone, all the winter land mines (piles of dog poop) have been revealed.  Had to be careful scooping up the needles that I didn't also grab poop with my bare hand. . .

We pumped clean water into the cistern today, for the first time in a few weeks.  It will be a while before the water is crystal clear again.

We used the tractor to move all the fire wood from the porch to the wood shed.  It took 25-1/2 bucket loads, with me loading and JB driving and dumping.  Had to dump about 1/3 of it outside the enclosure.  Now I get to re-stack it all inside the shed, but we are getting our porch back.  Just in time to sit on it and enjoy the warm sunshine.

It was such a great day!  Cloudy to the southwest by mid afternoon, but didn't need a coat while working.  Our high for the day was 57, but that was in the shade on the porch.  Had to be in the 60's in the sun.  I opened a few windows and let in the Spring air.

Saturday 4/21. It was 34 and windy with clear skies this morning.  The wind popped up after sundown yesterday and blew all night.

JB was up at 7:00 am to bake banana bread that he didn't have a chance to make yesterday.  So, when I got up at 8:00, it was to the aroma of it baking.  Needless to say, it activated my saliva glands. . .

I didn't hang the laundry outside today because of the wind.  Didn't want to have to drive to the next county to find it.  I spent most of the afternoon stacking all the wood in the shed.  Of course we will still be using some of it, but we still have a nice early start on next winter's fuel.  It may not look like much (see photo above), but anyone who has ever stacked wood knows what a chore it was.  Eh, Randy?

JB worked on a shelf I wanted for the outhouse, and a few other chores.

But the time I was done stacking wood, the blue sky had all but disappeared and it was time to go on our afternoon walk.  In many places the ground is turning white and pink with some yellow splashes as small clusters of Alpine Spring Beauties blossom, interspersed with yellow bells.

Our high for the day was 58, with a wind gusting to 18 mph.  The wind finally disappeared along with the day.

Sunday 4/22. it was 34 and overcast this morning, but the sun was out by noon and the overcast was quickly clearing.  The ground is so quickly greening up that I was able to pick a big hand full of yarrow ferns for the girls.  They were thrilled!  There are also dandylion greens that I will soon be able to get for them.  I also gave them fresh shavings in their nesting boxes.

After lunch we drove down in Miss Kitty to Larry and Elsie's to get JB's Jeep and bring it back to Rose Camp.  He drove the Jeep up, while I followed in Miss Kitty stopping to clear small rocks off the road.  There is barely any snow left now.

Back home, I uncovered the splitter.  Checked the oil and hydraulic fluid, then filled the engine with gas.  It usually needs a little coaxing to start for the first time after having sat all winter.  I tried to start it, then let it sit for a little while.  Did this four times and it finally roared to life.  I split about five rounds and called it a day.

Our high on this phenomenal Spring day was just 52, but there was no wind and the sun was so nice and warm.  Spring is most definitely my favorite season of the year.

Monday 4/23. It is 38 this morning and the sky is clear.  The forecast calls for a warm, dry week ahead.  Woo Hoo!!

Thought for the day: We will be known by the tracks we leave.  Native American proverb