We lucked out on a great day. No wind! Neighbor Bob is an over-the-road trucker and his route never has him home over the weekend. Bob also has a rather large fire ring that he allows us to use . . . as long as we keep it tidy around it when we are finished using it. Use it we did. An acre that endured countless horrific winds was showing a bit of anything and everything that could be burned. Today this seemed a better alternative than using the rider mower and doing the continual mulching.

The six tall evergreens on the far east end of the acre had lost quite a few boughs. They were the no brainer to add to the fire periodically to keep the multiple plastic garbage barrels of leaves burning. Dennis tended the fire, dumped the barrels and I continued to fill the barrels with leaves from the windrows I had raked together yesterday. When I had raked there were quite a few pine cones that came with and when they hit the heat . . . it was pop, pop, pop.

Here we are at supper time. Though our butts are dragging, we are finished with spring cleanup on the acre.

Dennis had one last item to close the list of “to do.” We are making a trip north tomorrow to pick up a construction item. Out of the back garage came the two wheel trailer. At a time back it was a trailer for a defunct fiberglass boat. Dennis had the foresight to ditch the boat, find a piece of steel that was 4′ by 10′ and we now have a two wheel trailer that has high utility. The side boards that Dennis fathomed are a bit rough, but do the job. Dennis made sure to replace the wheel bearings as the trailer had no doubt been in water numerous times. Off Dennis went this late afternoon to the gas station and checked the tires.

We are closing this great day with frozen waffles topped with Ready Whip and organic Maple syrup with a side of Jimmy Dean frozen pre-cooked sausages. Sounded like a great quick meal and leave the guilt behind.