Super turnout at Cap Saturday morning! I counted 14 cars in the lot when I arrived, and we had several stragglers as well. We also had a big group from Atrium Landscape, running chainsaws as well as hauling. New snow atop old ice forced caution on the walk in and it was quite cold at the start.
As always, the activity and several big fires kept us warm throughout the morning. You truly do forget what conditions are like outside our little "work bubble" 'til the walk back gives that chilling reminder that we're still in February.
Thanks to first-time Palos volunteer Brian and all of the hard-working volunteers who gave of themselves on this morning!
Paddock Woods Wednesday February 23
This took me back a few years, to our regular Paddock Wednesdays of 2017-18. Good times! On this occasion, we were a stones throws from the Paddock lot, burning three big piles with a smallish group of eight. Much of what we burned was already on the ground, though Jim and Matt were kept busy with chainsaws bucking it down to manageable size.
This area is so rich in forbs that, during the growing season, it's tough to navigate. Hoverboards would be useful when hunting garlic mustard, to keep us from trampling all the native plants underfoot. In winter it's much easier to get where you need to get, and walking overland was a better choice than chancing the icy stretches of trail. When I left at 1:00 pm our final fire was just taking off, so I suspect Joe stayed deep into the afternoon.