A large landscape operation began in the fall with clearing the meadow in order to sow some new seed. The house overlooks the area, which is about 5 to 6 acres, slightly rolling and lightly wooded. Henry spent the better part of two weeks on the back of a tractor, tilling and reworking the turf….. even repetitively rolling a huge log across it to redistribute and smooth the soil. (Photo courtesy of the motion-activated game camera.)
Here is the result…… neat as a pin…. (this is a panorama shot with the house visible to the left.)
We spent a lot of time selecting what we wanted to grow. One area was sown with a mix of wild grasses and flowers native to this area; another strip near the house, wildflowers and micro clover; and across the rest, oats to feed the deer during the winter, with crimson and white clovers and a mix of about 20 different low-growing wildflowers.
The weather was dry and uncooperative at first; eventually, however, Mother Nature gave things a boost and we are off to a nice, albeit patchy, start.
Two arctic blasts passed through in January and February, with unprecedented cold and thick blanketings of snow!
Perspectives are a bit off from one photo to the next, but you get the idea.
Speaking of arctic blasts, just a couple of bits from that experience. Here is the electrical wire along the driveway to our house, inoperative due to heavy ice (and downed lines elsewhere in the area)….
Henry’s nearby son and his family were stuck without power or generator. We picked up and conveyed a generator through the night along remote roads to the rescue! A beautiful and spooky experience. Had to stop several times for Henry to cut down obstructive fallen branches with a chainsaw.
The birds were voracious…. and ate about 110 pounds of seed in just over a week. Here they are feeding. One tries to fly through the door to the warmth of the house!
Ice formed on every surface, including this baby pine tree that bent over in defeat…
Our wildlife camera yielded lots of photos of deer, coyotes…. and hogs. The former will hop over the new electric fence, but maybe the gal in the photo below will be fearful.
Hopeful that this spring will bring delight and color……. just a few of the flowers that have peeked out so far.
Cheers until next time!
Emerald Isle to the Norse Lands 
Wonderful photos – and the video of driving the snowed road is spectacular – feel like I’m there! (Glad I don’t need to be.) We are pondering acquiring a butane heater and perhaps a generator “just in case” … not so much IF this kind of winter ever happens again, but when.
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