Watch that mud

We've had a few good rainstorms in the last week or two, so I decided to start a burn barrel.

However the burn barrel had gotten moved over the summer when a neighbor came to dig a hole in the driveway. After filling in the hole, the dirt packed nice and solid and we crossed the area without any problem for the last couple months.

However after a few good rains, the section was a muddy mess and the mud stuck to any footwear foolish enough to venture into the vicinity.

When I started a fire in the burn barrel, I started out wearing sneakers. Let's just say that didn't last long. I switched over to mud boots, and the mud was caked on so thick I tracked it everywhere (porch steps and deck) and didn't dare come into the house.

Unfortunately this muddy patch was right in the pathway between the house and the driveway, which meant delicate tiptoeing whenever we needed to get from Point A to Point B.

So Don patched it. He started by rolling out some weed cloth.

He cut it generously to size.

Then he fetched several loads of gravel from near the barn and brought it around to the front of the house.

It took several loads.

Afterwards he raked everything flat.

The result is a nice solid patch.

We're trying to get little projects like this done before the snow flies. Come winter, we won't have to worry about sinking up to our ankles in mud.