January 14-15, 2011

Cold Week

Friday and Saturday were really very nice with highs in the upper 40s and dropping only to the upper 20s overnight. But during the week we had the coldest weather of the season with several sub-freezing days and single digit nights. We also received a dusting of snow in town Sunday-Monday, but I'm sure the farm got several inches – it was still on the ground in many spots.

Walnuts

We arrived late and so I decided to get some walnuts cracked instead of starting any larger (longer) project. I need to get cracking on these nuts if I am going to get the remaining 3+ bags cracked and picked. I almost filled my box, and got close to finishing off bag #2. (Each bag is 40-45 pounds.)

Blow Log

While I was cracking nuts, I decided to burn the trash in the fire pit – and possibly burn the cedars I have piled up in the back. I thought with the recently melted snow the ground, grass, and leaves would be damp enough to not worry about the fire getting out of hand. Wrong! It didn't take long to realize we were still in the middle of a very dry spell. So much for burning the cedars.

Some sparks from the fire got on to my hollow log I had by the fire pit (which I was saving to impress some guests). It was so dry and rotten, I couldn't get the smoldering areas that caught put out. So I just went ahead and put it on the fire – sitting it right in the middle. I had to use a stick to prop it up. This blow log was very impressive while it lasted. At least I got some good pictures before it fell over and broke apart (maybe 10 minutes). Sally enjoyed feeding the fire with all the lose debris she could find. I'll be looking for another hollow log so I can do this again. Maybe with a beer in hand the next time.

Pond Walk

Saturday morning we walked to the pond, which I was excited to see because I knew it was frozen over. Sally enjoyed throwing rocks out on it, which made that eerie hollow sound as they bounced across the ice. It was pretty thick, but with one foot I could get it to crack so there was no walking across it. The were only two spots where it was melted: directly in front of the culverts and where the spring seeps into the pond on the south side.

I talked Sally into walking back across the pasture hoping we could find some antlers a deer had shed, but no luck. I think it may still be a bit early. Though I have found some most years, I didn't get any last winter.

Lopped Cedars

My Saturday morning project was to drive down to Plume creek and then lop cedars on the opposite north facing slope. There are lots growing there even though I have covered this area before.

I worked my way up to the bluff because I wanted to see the giant icicles there. (Later in the day I would hear them fall and crash from across the valley.) From the base of the bluff, I worked my way down through the edge of the woods lopping all the way. I cut over 1,100 cedars in an hour and half, but didn't make a dent in those shown in the picture. I just need more time.

Split/Load Wood

We decided to take another load of wood home, and since Sally likes the exercise I let her load the whole truck. While she was doing that I split the rest of the Chicago/Denver logs I had stockpiled. I then decided to split one of the 24 inch logs I had cut the weekend before. I had to use my wedge to get the log into two pieces, but after that the white oak was very cooperative. From one log I ended up with 15 stove logs. I can't wait to burn this stuff – it will sure beat all the limbs I'm using now (although some of those bigger hickory limbs make great fire wood).

Before and after the splitting, I lopped and cut cedars and other trees and scrub just below the barn. Somewhere in there is the field line for the septic system. I need to do a better job of keeping trees from clogging it up with their roots. I whacked another 150 cedars in this area.