Leap Day Storm - Another Winter Wonderland

What a day Leap Day was this year!  The Meteorologists predicted snow and we got it, almost 2 feet of it.  I knew we were going to get snow, but I was hoping the amounts were off, anything over 5 or 6 inches and I was not going to get to work.  Scott woke me up before he headed to work in the 4-wheel drive truck and said I wasn't going anywhere (this was at 5:15 am and we already had 8+ inches).  I do have a few pics, but I'll have to add them later. 

The road we live on didn't get plowed out until after 2 pm.  Adin and I shoveled and I did some plowing with the 4-wheeler (have I mentioned before that I love that thing?).  After 2 hours of braking trail and plowing, my arms were jello and I had to call it quits.  Once Scott got home he finished and as the temp dropped he said it got easier.  :)

The kids have been loving actually having snow and today Adin tried to ski using my cross-country skis.  He did good, seeing as they were just a "tad" bit to big for him.  The chickens on the other hand have NOT wanted to come out and free range.  I guess I don't blame them.  The area between their coop and the barn made a wind trap and the snow was way above my knees back there.  The poor things would have gotten lost.  I am also glad that door on the east end of the barn opens in or it would have been difficult to get it open. 

Next week we are supposed to be in the upper 40's to 50, I don't think that the snow will stay around too long.  Maple tapping is getting close.  I am going to try and trudge through the woods this weekend and set some taps.

Stump Moving

Today after work, Scott and I put the 4-Wheeler to work moving stumps.  As Scott has been clearing out the east end of the barn, he has had to dig up a ton of stumps and not all of them are little.  Some of them have had to be winched out and some rolled one flop at a time with the wheeler.  Tonight we put the wheeler to the test and drug them all out into the woods and out of site.  I was impressed that the wheeler was finally able to pull them all.  The big ones have dried out a bit so I think that helped.  I have also discovered a new way to plow up the soil - just hook up a root ball of a big oak and drag.  It turns up the soil nicely.  I really don't think that I'll be using that method though.  At least we have have them out of site.  :)

Moving Day

Big day for the chickies... it was moving day!  What a circus that was. 

Now if you know my hubby, you will know that when he builds or makes anything, he does a great job and it is built to last (Forever!), but it usually gets pretty big.  The Chicken Tractors are no exception.  We knew moving them was going to be hard, especially when we knew we wanted to move them to the top of the hill from in front of the barn.  

Anyway,  Scott braced them up and built a wheel carriage, that we hoisted and pushed to get it under the tractor, then we used the winch connected to a chain to lift the other end.  The original plan was to pull the tractor with the 4-wheeler, this would require driving backwards.  That worked to a small degree, but the 4-wheeler just didn't have enough oomph to pull it up the hill, so I said we should try and push it up the hill.  YIKES! This was a bit scary.  I do have to say that I became a pretty good "Tractor" driver if I do say so myself.  Scott directed and watched so it didn't tip and up the hill we went, twice, one with each tractor.  The second was much lighter because it didn't have the siding on it yet. 

All braced up and ready to go.

Uphill progress.  We did have to stop once to re-position the wheels.

Set in it's spot before bracing was removed.

They are now parked next to each other on the other side of the playground.  Let me tell you, I do not know who was more excited about the move, Adin or the chicks.  I just couldn't get them in there fast enough.

Adin giving them the tour.  He even pointed out the nest boxes and told them that was were they were to lay their eggs.

Babies checking things out.

Dora stopping to say Hola!

On one of the many walking trips up and down the hill this evening, I did discover a small blueberry plant that actually had 2 ripe berries, one for Adin and one for me.  I guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow morning, hiking in the woods to check out the wild blueberry plants.  :)  They are about 2 weeks later this year than last year.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.  Now to go and put the babies to bed in there new home and then to hit the pillow myself. 

4-Wheeler Confessions

When we bought the 4-wheeler a few years ago, Scott picked one out that had a small dump box on the back.  I remember saying "who needs a dump box on a 4-wheeler?"  It was a silly thing in my mind.  Well, today I used it for the first time and I used it a lot.  I am here to confess that I was wrong and I actually used the dump box.  Funny how things work out. 

Today I finally made part of my new hosta bed along to front sidewalk.  It has always looked awful and was hard to mow along the steps that are throughout the length of the sidewalk.  So yesterday I dug it up (putting the patchy sod in the dump box) and hauled the sod to the back side of the garden and dumped it.  We are using the extra sod and such to help support the raised garden edge.  Then I hauled in the black dirt, again using the dump box.  Now both sides of the sidewalk have nice hostas.

I also worked on my corner bed by the deck and hauled some more black dirt in there.  I am now a big fan of the dump box on our 4-wheeler.  :)