Warmer weather, sawdust gathering and MUD.

Driving out “the cutoff road” toward the main county road. Not the kind of road you want to meet anybody on when you’re driving a massive diesel pickup

A few days ago, the weather suddenly warmed up from around zero to nearly 60 degrees, so with that taste of future spring, I got inspired to go get sawdust from the cedar sauna builder a few miles up the road.

Dang, why didn’t I bring the trailer?! (Well, the fact that I’ve yet to learn to hook up and pull the trailer is one good reason)

They bag and give away the sawdust, first come first serve! Last year, I vowed that I would get sawdust in January or February, instead of waiting until spring and then competing with half the county for it. As you can see from the above pic, that turned out to be good strategy...that, and picking a terribly muddy, slushy day. Throw in spilled sawdust, and I looked like a tarred and feathered wreck in the end.

Just for scale: size of bags compared to size of preschoolers

The previous owners of our place were REALLY big on landscaping. It’s not quite so high on my priority list. So I’m all about covering huge planters like this one in free sawdust, instead of buying truckloads of mulch, and calling it a day!

I like the drive along the cutoff road because you wind along through the woods, and then boom! as you come over a hill crest, you abruptly emerge into fields and the view totally opens up.

Managed to jam 8 bags in the truck!

Going back down into the woods

Got two loads home and stuck them in one of the outside stalls to age (I’m assuming they’ll age ok in the bags anyway)

Sunny needs to go on a diet

If there’s one thing I like a bit less about country life, it’s the MUD. It’s far from a terrible problem to have, so I can live with it....as long as everyone remembers to take off their boots at the door!!

The chickens make me laugh because the buffs and the Reds don’t give a hoot about mud, snow, puddles, whatever—they march on through. Elsa and the Wyandottes (Lucy and Ethel) are much more picky and avoidant of wet, messy spots. Elsa decided this day that she was NOT braving the mud a second time to go back to her coop.

Sliding back down

The chicken chase is on!

Elsa got a ride back to the coop, but you can see somebody else fell in the mud trying to catch her!

Everything is now frozen again though, since after a couple warmer days, the temps plunged all the way back down overnight. Let the seesaw weather begin!