March comes in like....

This week winter decided to come back with a vengeance in certain parts of the country. The shot below is one taken through our back door.

I love how its branches twist like old arthritic fingers. These trees are quite abundant in our forest near the house. I did hear that the CCC -- or the Civilian Conservation Corps may have planted the locust trees and pines as part of the reforestation project. I cannot prove or disprove it. The locust tree log once debarked makes a great wooden fence post. They last quiet a few years. 

The shot below is one of the Red pines that still live on our land. We have three left. When we moved here, there was a stand of Red pines where one of the sheds now resides.

These trees are old. I mean old old. I took 4 down last year that were dying and am grateful that they won't fall on the house. However, their shade when they were in their glory days was wonderful. Plus, the wind sighing through the needles make a most calming sound.

When I had to go retrieve mail in the last ice/snow storm this week, I thought I'd take the slightly longer way through the woods. It was pretty. However the gusting winds kept things creaking above my head so I returned to walking up the driveway. 

You know I had to walk Charlie and take my camera at the same time. When I got to the ridge and stopped to look, I figured out what was causing all of the creaking above me. 

We had rain that became ice before the snow hit. The trees were heavy with it. 

Since I'd left hubby napping, I didn't take much time to scout around like I usually do when I get the mail. I generally take a round about route to tour my favorite part of the forest.

However, we are trying to establish a new routine of sorts.

Sorting and resorting the medications and the medication changes are quite the chore. 

I'm also trying to master some indoor photography. I had a bit of fun. Mostly though I have been too tired from the week to do a whole lot.

Nina took her goats for a walk and had to have a dog help her keep her goats together.

[The fake foliage is actually a cheap pack of plastic fish tank plants! The green is a green fake grass mat. The rocks are what the fake plants were stuck in. How fun is that?]

I've got an idea or two to work on this week. It is so muddy and windy outside that I gave up on trying to set things up right close to the house in the yard.

Hello March. What a month you already have been!

Welcome to March Madness Mud

I never think of March as any other type of month except mud month. In fact, I think March can be more dreary than November in so many ways. The grass is brown, the mud is brown, and nothing really looks appealing to my eyes.

This is a photo of the mud pasture a few years ago:

In the low part of the driveway, it can get like this depending on the melt and how the frost comes out of the ground.
Now that we are not running the skid steer daily up and down the lower part of the driveway, it isn't quite as bad.

The Spring Thaw is always a wonder around here. I am amused at all of the times hubby got a tractor stuck when it sank into the ground while he was going up hill with a round bale to a pasture. Eventually we got a skid steer and put on tracks. And yes, it is possible to get one of those stuck too. 

Me? I put hay on sleds and pull them out to areas where I have feeders that are up on a hillside and not sitting in water. I keep a big feed tub next to the porch to rinse my muddy boots off before I step onto the porch.

Even those who live on the ridge have Mud Madness. This is one of the most amusing signs I've ever seen.

He not only has mud, it is Muddey.

During this time of the year, I generally park just a bit up on the hill. Anyone wishing to come down our driveway will see its blocked from the top of the hill.

I am hoping that the fella who does our plowing will be able to build a nice rock base and gravel on top of that. It has been 10 years since the hill has been done and probably 30 years since the lower driveway has been done.

If this mud season is extended, it will suck for us getting our heater fixed. I wouldn't allow anyone to come right now down to the house in a vehicle that doesn't have 4 wheel/all wheel drive. 

Until the ground settles, or until we get some more cold nights...

It is too

Muddey....