Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RaZ]

With the 40-50s and close to 60 temps they are "advertising" on the news, a lot of things should thaw out this week. I hope.

I'll be stabbing the pitchfork into the compost pile today, to see how it's thawing out. Really want to get the "done" pile moved so that I can start a new one with the winter poop. I'll be mixing in lots of raked up leaves, because it's just about all poop. The critters have taken most of the kitchen scraps I've added.

Can you wait until the leaves have had a week or two of 50 degree temperature? That gives the butterfly eggs/caterpillars, and insects a chance to emerge. Those cats and larvae feed a lot of baby birds in spring.

I haven't checked my compost piles yet. I'm sure none of them are workable yet. Maybe I can try to work them this week. But the way it is currently snowing I might have to plow a path just to get near them. A good 1/2 inch has fallen in the past half-hour. Crazy Michigan weather!

 

[Sally PB]

Can you wait until the leaves have had a week or two of 50 degree temperature? That gives the butterfly eggs/caterpillars, and insects a chance to emerge. Those cats and larvae feed a lot of baby birds in spring.

Thanks for the info. I won't anywhere near all the leaves, so I'm sure there will be lots of bugs for the birdies. I need to get the leaves off the front lawn, so that's where I'll be working the most.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

OMG! Hopefully no more heavy snow. Cleaned the coop. It was so much. New chips on nest boxes, heating boards turned off, floor is empty in just linoleum until I can get the sand that I use. The run will have to wait. Sad because let the girls out all morning but then they went in on their own to check the coop out and 2 are laying but heard weird noises and went out and a big line of geese flying by from south to north. That scares me because there were none last year. They will have to stay in. Read some news that this AI is responsible of over 7.6 millions of birds lost so far. Then the stupid war is making people forget that covid is not over yet.
Can we keep the cold without the snow? ( wishful thinking)

 

[aart]

Can we keep the cold without the snow? ( wishful thinking)

Wishing the same.

 

[RaZ]

Sure was foggy here today. I couldn't see across the road this morning. A lot burned off as the day went on but you still can't tell where the lake and the sky meet. Can't even see Charity Island out in the bay. The ice is almost completely gone from the lake. Just some ice near the shore and lots of little icebergs off shore. There were also a lot of waterfowl on the water and ice. They weren't ducks or geese. Something else...loons maybe? IDK My eyes aren't so good at distances any more.

I did see a sand hill crane not far from home. And I heard the redwing blackbirds calling so Spring is close. When I hear the spring-peeper frogs I'll know spring is here to stay. In the meantime I'll keep wood on hand for the fireplace.

---

I went to town today for errands and essentials. Stopped at TSC. I looked at the chicks and I was able to walk away. Got what I needed and got out. Then for a lark I stopped by FFH. Same thing with their chicks. Nothing I wanted to bring home. They did have a nice chipper/shredder on clearance for a really good price. I could really put that to use. I used to have one and wore it out over the years. They are great for someone who composts a lot. I have to go back to town tomorrow with my trailer to pick up some stuff that work wants hauled away. So I might just have to snag that chipper.

 

[troyer]

Heard some spring peepers today.

 

[Swiss]

We got to listen to a pair of Barred Owls duet tonight (and possibly saw them "get it on, but it was difficult to see through the darkness and trees)! We've been seeing them in our front yard, and want to see if they're nesting on our property because that would be awesome!

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Saw a bunch of crows chasing off a beautiful northern harrier over my land today.

 

[aart]

Heard some spring peepers today.

I thought I did too, but wrote it off as tinnitus, but other people herd them so I believe it.
Was near 70.

 

[Sally PB]

High of 63 here, yesterday.

Remember 10 years ago when we had 9 days of record/near record highs? One day reached 87 in Grand Rapids. Of course, then we lost a lot of the fruit crop.

Some of the people I worked with had no idea why I was so upset by the "really nice days."