Buffalo burgers, splitting logs, bubbles, and more

Except for chilly evenings, the New England weather this weekend was perfect. So, outdoor activities were the order of the day.

As always, I enjoyed helping Mary with her lovely yard. Since it slopes down a slight grade, it gave me a good aerobic workout while I hauled mulch down to the back where her huge stretch of wisteria plants grow. I look forward to seeing them bloom.

Later, I had my first experience with splitting small logs. While I had heard of the simple wedge often used for this, I was not familiar with the 4-sided wedge. They funneled down into a common, blunt point, making it easy to pound it into a log with a sledgehammer. The idea is simple—just tap it into place and hammer away.

Of course, it's not just mindless action. You should be mindful of your surroundings, careful not to hurt yourself or anyone (or anything like the family cat) wandering nearby. Also, getting accurate control of a 5 pound sledghammer takes a little practice.

I ended my introduction to log splitting with a perfect strike. As the two halves of the log fell to the ground, the wedge wound up stuck like a spike into the large stump I was using as a work surface. That was cool.

At Sunday dinner, Mary and her son introduced me to buffalo burgers. They were delicious. Mary says they're better to eat because they're less fatty. Fine by me; I just enjoy how they taste.

When the wind is gentle enough, I like to break out a little toy that shoots soap bubbles by the dozens. It's a fun diversion (and pretty much all I can handle after wearing myself out with yard work).

Mary showed me one of the Durham attractions—Mica Ledges. I forgot to bring her wonderful camera. So, this pic will have to do for now. The view is much better than this pic. Mary's home is somewhere off to the pic's right.