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....

Stuck inside

Well, I am but by choice.

There was this big HUGE ice storm that was supposed to make the roads dangerous this morning. Didn't happen, which I am grateful for, but I planned ahead for it. I decided to make chocolate chip cookies and homemade stew on Monday while the storm rage ON outside.

Did my supply shopping early. Came home with the sun out and the temperatures at 50 degrees. Wow!
I thought twice about pulling up next to the house.

I should have thought 3 times about that.
Warm weather pulled the frost out of the top 3 inches of soil. I pulled into a gushy soft area.
Oh crap.

I unloaded and then we talked a bit about the weather. Rich said I should go ahead and back it into the big shed. I replied that I thought the ground was too gushy mushy for that.
Never mind. I thought I'd try it nice and easy. I was able to back up a bit but as soon as I hit the real soft spot, the Subaru just started slowly edging sideways.
Nothing worse than gooey mud.
I wrangled my way out of the goo and parked down the driveway next to the horse trailer.

I left huge ruts which I tried to stomp down. I didn't do a very good job.

I plan on having the lower driveway redone next year. New base, new gravel.

During the spring thaw, I can't park in this area at all. Yesterday was just like that except in December.

There I go not thinkin' again!
Just like this morning when I made a pot of coffee and wondered why it wasn't working?
One needs to add water.

I think I need to have a 'Time Out'.
Can someone stick me in a corner and let me sit and read?

Going to be busy.

While cleaning out the back 'almosta' room, I came across and abundance of seeds.
Apparently I am a hoarder of seeds and didn't realize it.
I have now located all seed packets past and present.  I have an ice cream bucket full of them.

Combine that with all of the perennials that I have yet to dig up before the remodeling starts and those I gave away, it is a wonder that I should even have a yard.

Well this year I am sharing my seeds and my neighbor is getting quite a few perennials as we thought sharing would be fun.

I know some of the seeds are old but I'll plant them anyway and see what happens.

I finally got some Stella Doros to plant.  I have always loved their cheery blossoms in the summer.
I look out my window at the place where we have our garden.  Last year it was used as a pumpkin/squash patch and not weeded.  It looks like it will be an intimidating job to clean up and plant.

I am hopeful though.  I have beets, lettuce, and green beans to plant.  

Of course then reality hits.  I have a mess in the driveway from the last big snow fall, I had raked and cleaned the yard already once and now need to do this task again.

It looks rather daunting.  I started work on it again yesterday until the rain/snow/sleet forced me back inside.

After it quit, I went out to do some more work.  Alas the mess had turned to muck and there was no raking or shoveling it.  It needs to dry out again.

Then there is hubby who is finishing up cleaning up the Dexters's summer pasture.  We spent a whole day picking up the last remnants of stumps and debris that we intended to take care of last year before he had to go through cancer treatment.

This section was the messy area. The tree stumps are those left over from trees that were damaged in a bad storm.

It has taken us quite a while to get it all cleaned up.

The rest of the cow pasture is in good shape.

As soon as this weather breaks, it looks like I'll be back to fence repair in the Merry Meadow.  The deer and coyote have busted some of the electric line on the second wire.  We have brush piles to burn and more trimming to do.
Oh.
That is to be done while we are remodeling, and somehow I need to stick gardening in there also.

Hmmm.  Don't forget work!

Looks like a very busy spring.  

It is mud season.

As beautiful as spring can be, there is always Mud Season to count on.  When the frost comes out of the ground as the snow melts, everything gets.

Squishy.

Our gravel roads become some of the most interesting places to drive.  Ruts and yellowish mud are items to contend with.  If the car is washed in town and you drive 1 mile on the squishy road, your car will be covered in road mud by the time you get home.

Our dooryard has become the annual 'swamp'.  It usually clears up as the frost leaves and the driveway hardens again.  This year after construction, hubby said we'll redo this section of the driveway.
Right now I'm looking at all of the gravel and mud that has been plowed onto the grass and think of endless hours of raking.

Surprisingly enough, daffodils are beginning to peek out from the ground!  I haven't found the crocuses yet, but they should have been first.

Morris and I went down into the valley to see if the Skunk Cabbage flowers had poked up through the snow yet.

Morris got muddy, and I got muddy.  We stopped near a spring in the creek.

We found treasures that had been hidden by the snow.  An antler shed, an interesting rock, and hip bones from perhaps a raccoon.

The creek was fairly low for this time of the year.  But I expect the rains that we are going to get may help a bit with that.

The valley felt so warm, I left my jacket hanging in a downed tree that I would pass by on my way back up the valley.

PeeWee's Valley

  

The hillside trails were pretty treacherous.  Which basically means any way I chose to hike was treacherous.  The north facing hillsides were icy and slippery. Any other trail was just muddy and slippery.
I found that I could slide on my rear end quite well while holding my camera in hand.

My backside accumulated some mud.

We found no skunk cabbage yesterday.  But today is supposed to be 70 degrees and rainy.  I think that should bring up the flowers!

I do love winter, but when spring comes along there is the excitement of new growth and warm weather.

I expect at some point this month to get some more winter like weather, spring usually never comes this early to our part of the world.

Rain Rain Rain....and Sunshine

Maple Bud on Mossy Rock

We had nearly 4" of rain in the past few days.  It made all the paddock areas slop holes of muck and mud.

I spent most of yesterday raking and cleaning around the hound dogs in hopes of getting their areas a bit nicer looking and not so muddy.

Dixie has adjusted nicely to her new spot which is thankfully not in the wet spot it used to be in!

We made more trips to Madison.  Once to the VA and once to the UW Hospital.
The UW Hospital is like a maze of unending hallways and elevators.  You practically need a personal guide to get around from one department to another. However the staff and other folks guided us around with ease.

I Like Lichen

So about yesterday at 5 pm I decided to take a break from raking and yard work and grab my micro/macro 40mm lens and take a short hike to see what the afternoon light would show off to me.

The forest is just beginning to show signs of life but one really has to look hard for it.

Soon the ground will be teaming with undergrowth and wild spring flowers.

New Growth

Views of the Big Ravine which the kids call it, will disappear in green undergrowth, not to be seen again until next fall.

The Big Ravine

I didn't find a lot to photograph and searched for the elusive Blood Root to no avail.  I expect after the next couple of warm days they will start to pop up on places like the ravine or dry wash as we call it.

I made my way up to the road and headed towards the mailbox.  It was time to go home and start the chores.  Still the 45 minutes of wandering the north hillside near home was worth it.  The fresh air had a hint of warm air in it and the sunlight after days of rain was very welcome.

After feeding the dogs I went back to my project of cleaning up the piles of rock that had been pushed off into the yard over winter.  It has been a long grueling task, but I take it in small amounts.

It is really quite amazing how quickly the driveway dried out after all the rain we'd had.

And lastly but not least...

I was pleased to find a crocus that had come up in the yard.

And the Daffodils are making themselves known.  It is pretty obvious that this fall I need to separate them.

Rites of Passage into Spring.

Him: I'm going out to hook up the hay hauler to the truck.

Me: Oh, okay.
[Get's busy doing some laundry until I hear the roar of the diesel engine. Over and Over.
Walk to window, peer out,
Him is in the truck trying to back up into the squishy part of the yard, the truck is flinging mud...uh oh]

Me: [above the engine roar I make a slice across my throat... he stops and I approach]
Um, why don't you go get your skid steer and pull the hauler out onto solid ground and then hook up the truck.

Him: Truck's already here, I'm hooking up...maybe with the extra weight I can get out.

[I scratch my head and look at the truck which is in 6 inch holes with all 4 tires gummy with clay and muck...thinking~~this would be a Kodak moment, why didn't I bring the camera?
Then thinking his reasoning makes no sense what-so-ever.]

Him: [Jumps in truck and revs it up.
Vroom, Vroom! The mud flies the wheels spin helplessly.
I am reminded of a scene from the movie *My Cousin Vinny*.
He grits his teeth and revs harder twisting the steering wheel this way and that.]

Me: [Make large motions in front of him so that he knows he isn't going anywhere. I make the cut motion again.]

Him: What??? [an irritated What]

Me: You are stuck, you are only about 4 inches from the undercarriage of the truck now.

Him: [Opens door and looks down.] Damn. [He says another curse word or two and then steps out of the truck. He looks at me and points at the truck.] You'll have to drive it! [Slugs off through the mud and muck.

I enter the truck, not much of a step up for me as it has sunk so low into the soft clay.]

Out comes the skid steer.

He maneuvers it in front of the truck and attaches a logging chain to the front of the truck.
He slips back into the skid steer and eases back slowly until the chain is tight.

I've done this many times so I ease the truck into gear and put my foot on the gas. Gently, steady, sturdy...the skid steer bucks a bit as the tracks with spikes dig into the hard ground under the driveway muck.
The truck moves forward, I know I am still in muck because the truck won't steer, we are just sliding out.

Him: [Motions for me to stop]

Me: Good job!

Him: Gotta get going!

Me: Okay!
[He drives off the mud caked and goobered tires flinging chunks as he goes.
I look back at the mess and wonder why when he first got partly stuck, what in the heck made him think that going at it harder would get him out?]

It is our Annual Right of Passage into Spring.
The soft ground, soggy, mucky driveway,...and getting stuck.

Yes, several robins flew over my head as I watched hubby leave.
Mud Season.
Gotta Love It.