Monday, Moving Chips

Monday morning dawned sunny, but cold (there was frost last night in outlying areas).

But it had warmed up to 65 degrees F. by the time I went home at 5:00 PM. I hurriedly changed my clothes and got out the tractor, trailer, two rakes, and the garden fork and then headed out back.

I took my camera and got a couple photos of the rig to post for you. I decided to take the camera back inside before I started working, just in case.

On my way back, past the raised garden, I noticed a clump of catnip was growing, so I picked it for the cats.

It was amusing to watch them eat it. Caley especially, seemed to really be affected by it (and she's goofy as hell, normally, lol!)

Back outside, I filled up the first trailer load after raking the debris out of the south-side corner. I realized there was no way I could get the trailer past the plants to the wall (too many of them), so I loaded up the wheelbarrow. It took seven wheelbarrow's full to fill it in (I am putting down about 6 inches of mulch as the wood chips have a large amount of long pine needles mixed in with them).

Then began the amusing (to everyone but me, I suppose) task of backing the trailer up to the spot I want. My neighbor solved this problem by welding a hitch on the front of his ATV. He uses a big snowmobile trailer to get his wood from the back (where he cuts and splits it) to the front where he stacks it. But, I used to back up a dozer on a trailer, while driving a dump truck! So, while it's frustrating right now, I know it will just be a matter of practice.

I got two full trailer loads dumped and raked before my back said it was time to quit. I would estimate each trailer-full equals three or four wheelbarrow loads, BTW.

Back inside, it was 8:10 PM and I was hungry. I had bought a pound of deli ham on sale last Sunday, so I got out a handful. I rolled it up and then thin-sliced the roll (like you do to basil when you chiffonade). I got out a bunch of scallions and thin sliced them while a pat of butter was heating up in the saute pan. I got four eggs and whisked them together with a glug of heavy cream.

I put the scallions and onions in the pan to warm up, and then I added the eggs. When the eggs had set on top, I added a handful of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and folded the omelet over. I plated it and went off to watch some TV.