Flirting with spring

Friday, 3:09 pm

By Kate

Feb

09

2007

I’d been thinking, lately, that I ought to go out and rearrange the wood pile for the remainder of winter. I’ve used about half my wood and rather than mess with the remaining long scraggly stacks, I thought it would be prudent to re-stack into more compact piles. And that’s about all I did about it...think about it. Until today.

Last night we had a fierce wind storm that managed to capture a corner of the tarp and rip it off, taking over two stacks of wood with it. Seeing is believing, but I wish I had witnessed it. It’s hard to imagine the wind knocking over a wood pile, even with the help of the tarp.

When I went outside today to bring in more wood, quite a sight greeted me. Wood was tumbled all over the place, although, somehow, rearranged into rather compact piles. Pretty much what I’d been thinking about doing. Only not as neatly. It only took about a half an hour to straighten things up out there, but now I have a very compact woodpile that is completely protected from the weather and any snow that might come along.

Nature has it’s way with things.

My neighbor popped out on his deck while I worked. He commented that my wood seems to be holding up pretty well. I said, yes, it has so far. But March is the question mark. If it’s cold, I might start running a bit short. I remarked that I was beginning to look forward to spring.

“Yeah, but then you’ll have to mow your grass,” he said. Big old smile on his face. He knows very well how much I don’t love mowing the grass.

“I was thinking about making a vegetable garden or two this year,” I said. “Less grass to mow, you know.”

“Yes,” he said, “but then you’ll have to pull weeds instead.”

Well, that’s true. But when I mentioned that I’d want to share some of the garden produce with his wife and him, he brightened right up. I’ve been thinking about that a bit. They can’t have a garden since they rent and the landlord won’t approve of a garden. But he certainly didn’t have a problem jacking the rent up. They’ve been struggling with high heating bills, too. Any food from the garden would certainly be welcome. The thought gives me additional inspiration to grow some good things. It’s nice to share the bounty and I can’t think of two people who would enjoy it more.