The ground has turned to mud and it is much too wet to do anything other than prune, weed, and clean up between the storms. Aside from a row of green onions, parsnips, and carrots, most of the vegetables in my garden plot have been harvested. While it is possible to plant crops like cabbages, peas, rutabagas, and asparagus, I do little winter gardening. Digging the earth when it is as wet as it is here ruins the structure, compacting it and turning it into a hard plow layer that can be impossible for plants to grow in.
Instead I walk the land, looking for damage. The wind and ice bring down branches and sometimes whole trees that must be cut and moved to the woodpile. Often they damage fences that have to be mended before I can let the animals out of the barn.
