Sometimes the weather is the story. On Saturday at Willow, we were able to get our work done ahead of the main band of snow that came through the area. We cleared brush along the ravine just east of 104th Avenue, burning three brush piles.
On a visit to the site two days later, two of those fires had enough hot embers to rekindle them. This, despite 3-4 inches of snow including that messy wet stuff at the end of the second round. The parking lot, closed for the season, contained the snowman pictured below, someone's anonymous gift to all who pass through.
Hidden Pond December 11
We didn't have high expectations for Sunday morning, given the snow already on the ground and the forecast of more to come. So it was a most pleasant surprise when several freshman biology students from Whitney Young HS arrived, accompanied by parents who joined in the work.
We cut honeysuckle and multi-flora rose on the wooded rise just north of the prairie, opening up a sizeable area by our noon quit time. Our single fire was warm and welcome.