It's gross out
Feb. 18th, 2026 09:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unicorndukeFalse spring hasn't been treating us particularly well. The top inch of exposed soil melts during the day but refreezes at night. The snow hasn't quite melted off despite multiple days of around 50F. The melting snow water has nowhere to go because the ground below the top inch is too frozen, but the soil on the top is just pure muddy muck, so the ground is either laying water, mud or both. It is currently 34F and raining. The ground refroze overnight, so the rain is just laying there. Winter returns this weekend, we'll be down below freezing during the day by Sunday, so everything will just be solid ice soon.
I spent the last four days splitting wood as is expected. I cut and split two bins of basswood for maple syrup and cut up another whole log that is sitting on the ground right now. I still haven't worked on the huge chonker log but that is next for cutting, need to sharpen the chains again. I split another half tote of dead wood for the indoor wood stove. I also split most of a dump trailer of wood for the outdoor burner because the bobcat doesn't do well with mud or muck and I figured it would be nice to have the wood ready to go before the rain. Only goof with that I forgot one of the front tires has a slow leak and I popped the tire off the rim while I was running it. womp womp. But it should be easy to get it onto blocks and the tire off to see if we can get it back on the rim. The good thing is that the tires are really sturdy, so it should have survived the experience.
Bin of wood. I could fill them a little more but I worry about the stakes breaking and also the tractor being able to lift them. We have a pretty beefy tractor with forks, but we put the bins/bags on top of a stack of pallets outside the milk house, so we don't need to go up and down stairs to fetch wood while boiling.
Wood ready to split. I was so pleased to finish the one log before dark and the chainsaw ran out of gas last night.
My finger that I cut several weeks ago has fully healed up, I trimmed the skin flaps back once they callused up and starting catching on things, but more than a week after that, the skin is still really sensitive and not good with pressure. It should get sturdy again.
I am making good progress on a number of crafting projects and with this rain, I'm planning to make some progress on the upstairs bathroom. Just haven't been super motivated. I've been reading a lot of fanfiction lately. Tis the season I guess. I am enjoying the increased light in the afternoons, trying to spent as much time outside as possible when the weather is decent.
I spent the last four days splitting wood as is expected. I cut and split two bins of basswood for maple syrup and cut up another whole log that is sitting on the ground right now. I still haven't worked on the huge chonker log but that is next for cutting, need to sharpen the chains again. I split another half tote of dead wood for the indoor wood stove. I also split most of a dump trailer of wood for the outdoor burner because the bobcat doesn't do well with mud or muck and I figured it would be nice to have the wood ready to go before the rain. Only goof with that I forgot one of the front tires has a slow leak and I popped the tire off the rim while I was running it. womp womp. But it should be easy to get it onto blocks and the tire off to see if we can get it back on the rim. The good thing is that the tires are really sturdy, so it should have survived the experience.
Bin of wood. I could fill them a little more but I worry about the stakes breaking and also the tractor being able to lift them. We have a pretty beefy tractor with forks, but we put the bins/bags on top of a stack of pallets outside the milk house, so we don't need to go up and down stairs to fetch wood while boiling.
Wood ready to split. I was so pleased to finish the one log before dark and the chainsaw ran out of gas last night.
My finger that I cut several weeks ago has fully healed up, I trimmed the skin flaps back once they callused up and starting catching on things, but more than a week after that, the skin is still really sensitive and not good with pressure. It should get sturdy again.
I am making good progress on a number of crafting projects and with this rain, I'm planning to make some progress on the upstairs bathroom. Just haven't been super motivated. I've been reading a lot of fanfiction lately. Tis the season I guess. I am enjoying the increased light in the afternoons, trying to spent as much time outside as possible when the weather is decent.
Thoughts
Date: 2026-02-18 10:36 pm (UTC)Here in central Illinois it's 69F today, though it's supposed to freeze later in the week. The honeybees have started to emerge from their bee tree a few days ago, which is way too early. But today the first of my crocuses bloomed, so that's something. Also today I saw two red-winged blackbirds, another too-early arrival. They won't find much to eat. Last year they came early and wound up huddling in my yard for few weeks.
>>I cut and split two bins of basswood for maple syrup <<
Yay maple syrup! A favorite vendor sells it at local events. We usually buy their maple root beer, which is excellent.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2026-02-19 03:38 pm (UTC)The syrup is so good, especially the darkest most maple-y syrup
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2026-02-19 06:50 pm (UTC)Cold keeps things dormant. Snow insulates. I use fall leaves to cover flowerbeds, especially now that the subnivium is largely gone.
>>The syrup is so good, especially the darkest most maple-y syrup<<
*envy* I also prefer the dark robust version. I have no interest in straw-pale "delicate" syrup. Hell, I love birch syrup and that's a much more robust and mineral flavor than maple. But that last round before it quits condensing is just awesome.
Have you done anything with male vinegar? After the syrup season ends, there's a span where you can ferment that sap into vineger. It's fairly harsh compared to something like apple cider vinegar, but when you have both maple vinegar and maple syrup, you can use them together to pinpoint the sweet-tart spectrum in a dish pretty much wherever you want it. :D For things like salad dressing, glaze, barbecue sauce, stir-fry, etc. that's awesome.
I still need to hunt down a source for maple extract. We bought a maple cookbook recently and several recipes call for that. Not an artificial flavor, but a legit maple product with concentrated flavor.
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Date: 2026-02-18 11:05 pm (UTC)That's a lot of wood to get cut.
Glad you're healing up all right.
We're maybe getting lucking on the freezing rain; we've got some sticking, but it looks like it got warm enough to substantially reduce accumulation (at least hereabouts) from what the forecasters were worried about.
And, yeah, February Thaw is traditionally a good time to stay indoors.
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Date: 2026-02-19 06:49 pm (UTC)When I read the part about your finger yesterday I looked down to my almost invisible scar and thought; geez, my finger is pretty well healed. Later I bumped it against the edge of the sink. News flash; it isn't "all healed".
We are finally getting just a pinch of your cold. Supposed to get down to 27 tonight for a couple of hours. I'm covering lots of stuff. Temps go back up tomorrow and stay at or above the mid 30's.