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Artwork: Mud Season Driveway, by Deb Marshall

February 22: it’s been unusually warm the last few days, and the snow has been melting apace. The top of the compost bin is visible again, and there’s a bare space between the south wall of the house and the nearest vegetable bed. The cats are lounging in that space in the sun; I went out to check, and it’s a little damp but I can see how they’re comfortable in their heavy fur coats. The sun feels nice when I stand outside.

February 24: Wow, in spite of a couple of cold nights, the back yard’s turning into a muddy mess. Fortunately the ground below is still frozen, but there are lots of muddy pawprints on the deck and in the kitchen. I expect it will get cold again soon.

February 26: The nearest raised bed is completely bare, and the smaller compost bin is starting to peep out from under what had been a very high snow pile. Even the bottoms of the windows out front are now above snow line – we can see out again and the dog’s stopped playing “King of the Hill” because he sinks into the giant snow bank hip-deep. Sap’s running. No water in the cellar yet.

February 29: The cellar’s looking a little wet around the edges, but nothing to worry about. The cats have stopped going off the back wart, though – they get to the bottom of the steps, put one paw off, then hustle back up, shaking their feet.  The driveway’s got a buncha puddles in it now, but if you start down the left edge, then switch mid-way to the right, you won’t flood out. Expecting snow any day now.

March 2: I threw some corn out onto the driveway for the mourning doves this morning, then watched one land and sink out of sight below the mud. Time to get some boards out, I guess, and put them down in the worst places. The cats are fishin’ off the bottom step in the cellar, but it’s not too bad. With boots on, I can still get to the freezer and washing machine.

March 5: Granma went out to the compost bin this morning and sunk down up to her knees. Fortunately, one of the dogs was nearby digging for treasure in the rotten snow, and she was able to grab him ‘round the collar and get hauled out. She lost one of her best rubber boots, though; maybe we can recover it come Spring.

March 6: One a the trucks got stuck in the middle of the driveway today. I told Bubba not to go fast through the puddles – which are really more like ponds – but did he listen? Navigating our small pond-way this time of year is tricky. The Husband got the kayak out, just in case someone needs rescuing. And the UPS driver left a note hooked onto the paper tube at the end of the driveway that said, “See you in the summer, bwah-ha-ha-ha!” Damn. I was expecting a delivery of new rubber boots for Grandma and some floaty-devices.

March 9: One a the dogs went missing this morning, and the other came back coated in mud from snoot to tail. Not sure where the other is; I hope he made it across the swamp to out-back naybah Eddie’s house. We saw a couple of ducks swimming by in the low spot in the field last night. Got a car parked at the across-the-street naybah’s house on high ground; can’t do any more shopping than we can haul in, in packs, but even that’s getting dicey: the Husband had to kind of wade through waist-deep icy snow and water yesterday.  Hope it freezes again soon.

March 12: We almost lost Granpa last night, he went out after dark for a load a firewood, and apparently stepped off the board walk. He was in up to his waist and was sinking rapidly when the dog barking finally got our attention. We got him out, but it took all a us, some climbing gear, and the come-along to do it. We tossed him into the cellar to get the mud off, and after swimming about a bit, he was good as new. Phew! That was close!

March 15: We think we saw a dolphin in the driveway pool this morning, but it musta been something else. We have caught some nice fish out there, though, which is helping with the dwindling food supply; the freezer’s flooded out and we can’t get at the canned goods down cellar, either. Oh, well – happens every year, and we’ve got a good supply of beer and maple syrup, so we’ll manage. Besides, it’s sure to freeze soon and then we can get out for supplies.

March 17: OK, the Husband doesn’t know I’m writing this but --- Send Help!

Deb Marshall is barely keeping her head above water. This story for the blog, alone.