Brian is about ready to defend his Master's thesis and has a chance to go on an archaeological dig in Peru over the summer, and he was seeking ad-hoc (cash) employment to defray the cost of the plane ticket...his other expenses are covered. We employed him to do a little of the heavy work we had in mind on the fenceline.
Unlike Richwood, there were no HOA restrictions in place that prevented burning the excess, so he really went to town.
He's also got us started on a fresh pile of firewood. I think I'm going to invest in preserving my lumbar area and spring for a wood splitter. I have commited to provide firewood for future squirrel hunts, and it's never too early to start.
We even hooked up the Grey Ghost to see if the diesel could pull up a big cluster of yaupon stumps...no problem! Now I just have to roll that unwieldy mess over to the burn pile to await the next conflagration.
He did such a good job that we've asked him to come back for more. He would have come during Mardi Gras (and my first week as a free man), but the weather turned nasty and we deferred until later in the month after his thesis defense.
Here's a look at the semi-finished product during the recent ice storm. You may notice that the satellite dish, basketball goal and random iron pole are missing from the scenery. When Joe and the kids came this past weekend, we hooked up the GG and yanked those out of the ground, too. You might spot two of them in front of the woodpile.
Before the ice, Joe and Jack helped Denise out with some interior projects. They hung valance rods for the windows in our bedroom and the living area...
They mounted the curtain rod for the drapes in the dining room...(Denise will finish up with some tie-backs and we'll tackle something like blinds for behind the curtains later).
They mounted some little knick-knack shelves in the corner by the pantry door...
...and they mounted a handy row of owl hooks to hang jackets, raincoats or whatever just inside the pantry on the blank wall.
Meanwhile, Audrey took advantage of the working oven to try out different decorating media (it was over a triple cake mix recipe, and we coaxed her into taking it home...but I am sure it was delicious).
Prior to the cold weather, I took a stroll around in search of the early signs of spring...here's what I found:
By the birdfeeder, the redbud tree was showing some faint signs, and the rocks from Lake Superior in the birdbath were inviting our feathered friends in for a refreshing sip.
Trail cam highlights...I won't bore you with turkeys and coons, but rest assured I am enjoying the pictoral record of their daily antics. The scottycam showed the bobcat, an armadillo and those pesky aliens. I also have Big Daddy on his only walk back to the deer feeder...he'll come again after I get a UTV and can go on a trail through the woods (a 2014 project).
Not much new to show on the yardcam, but we do have a fox making regular appearances. I finally got a couple of pics that weren't too blurry, and I'm pretty sure this is a gray fox. Good for keeping mice and moles in check (I think a full grown turkey would kick his ass, but he might depredate some chicks if he gets the chance).
Speaking of posterior parts, I did catch a squirrel playing the old "moon-lighting" trick that made the round in certain beer-drinking adolescent circles. I hope he survived and will leave you to speculate on his ignition source. (I think it's those aliens and an extra-terrestrially warped sense of humor that's not that much different than some humans I have known).
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