Gearing Up & Baddassery

Here’s the thing about Spring in Michigan. Sunday, I spent almost the entire day working outside, and do you know how many sleeves I was wearing?  None.

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That’s right. Working outside…. sleeveless. And I’m not saying I walked outside, threw my sleeveless arms into the air, and did a little happy dance because it was a glorious seventy-degrees… but I’m not saying I didn’t either. The beauty of living in the middle of nowhere is that no one will ever know.

That was Sunday. And then– not even 36 hours later– I woke up Tuesday morning, looked outside expecting to see all of that sunshine and green grass, and instead what I saw was…

Snow. (Ugh.)

And while I know intellectually that it’s easier to work outside in nice weather (I mean, it doesn’t take a brainiac, right?) this week has been a perfect study in how the weather affects my ability to knock out a dozen projects in a day like a total badass.

For example, Sunday I started my day with a quick trip to Lowe’s where I just needed to pick up a few things.

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Right. You’ve heard that before. Turns out “a few things” actually meant “one of everything I saw.” (But I mean, really? Who doesn’t need to randomly buy a sheet of pegboard now and again?)

My haul included, yes, the pegboard, along with some baskets and a new benchtop-toolbox to help my my continuing efforts to restore order to the workshop. I also picked up enough lumber to start the chicken run, a new shelving unit to upgrade my current kitchen greenhouse

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And some gate hardware to fix the damage I did a few weeks ago when this happened.

Oh, look… a bent-to-shit gate hinge.

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Swapping out the hinge itself was no big deal. Doing it with a couple of two-hundred pound “helpers” underfoot?

No problem.

My mom came up to the farm to visit the animals and help me with some barn-cleaning and hoof-trimming…

So I talked her into a few rounds of my new favorite thing to do on my property… taking shots.

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Ohhhh… you thought I meant of whiskey, right? Well don’t worry, I’m sure I’m far less likely to lose an eyeball with a bow and arrow.

Archery has actually been on my list of things-I-want-to-learn-to-do-but-will-never-legitimately-have-time-to-learn-to-do for a few years now. Luckily I have a dude in my life who randomly shows up at my house weaponry instead of flowers (as if he didn’t already have me hooked with the beard) and we’ve been having so much fun with these things.

This is my mom, being a badass…

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Sunday was one of those days that was just filled with general badassery. I’ve never quite figured out what the secret recipe is for those days… good sleep, easy projects, extra energy, or something in the air? It’s a mystery. But I know for sure that on the days my world is covered in snow, what I get done is basically this…

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But I could do with a few more days like Sunday to get me geared up for all of the projects that need to get done this year.

11 Responses

  1. Beard. Cooks. Nice to you. Comes with weapons.

    That there is a keeper!

    How’s the arm healing? It’s a gorgeous piece by the way!

  2. Oh, that hinge is fine, nothing broke, take it off, bang it flat again, put it back on….voila! You do have a bench vise with an anvil flat on it don’t you (or a concrete floor)….and a 4 pound fist maul? 😉

  3. Chicken run is definitely on my spring list, once NY weather remembers it’s spring again. Can’t wait to see your plans / fully completed run which will likely happen before I manage to get a post in the ground.

  4. I see your Michigan and I raise you Vermont. This weather stuff is bullshit. It was almost 80 degrees. And I know this is way less bad ass, but I switched out the clothes in my closet, did some spring cleaning, mopped the floors- and all with the windows open and the kitchen screen door closed because there were MOTHS outside. Just flapping around. Next day? Blamo. Stupid white stuff. The chickens were like, “Excuse me? What is this? Nope nope. We thought we were done with this.”

  5. I have been wondering for awhile and have to ask – why no dogs? I figured you’d have a herd of farm dogs at this point 😉 Just curious. Because you know, cats, random birds, donkeys and nuggets just don’t seem to be enough…. 😉

  6. My husband and I made garden beds this weekend, and thanks to your post on how you made ours, we saved a bundle by buying cedar fence planks instead of planed planks. We live in the A2/Ypsi area and I sincerely hope I run into you sometime so I can buy you a beer. I don’t comment often, but I enjoy your writing a lot, and each post makes me laugh/think/want to drink…so basically that’s good. 🙂 Cheers!

  7. Love the tattoo. It fits.

    I started a new blog and thought you would like the address to drop by and visit. I haven’t blogged in about 3 years. Feeling a bit rusty, but you inspire me.

  8. I have never seen a more contented Cat. You did accomplish something there that Sunday – made Cat happy. 🙂 Love the tattoo, by the way.

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