December has arrived–and with it our first significant snowfall. That means time is up on my fall to-do list.

Winter came on fast this fall. I was waiting for all the leaves to fall from the trees before I cleaned the eavestroughs. Then temperatures turned cold. Weather got rainy (causing unfortunate hair-dos for Hair-Do) and then snow.

I cleaned the eavestroughs, but it involved a jug of hot water and a chisel. I turned off the last outside tap when temperatures were already below freezing. I dealt with some new to-dos, like resetting our mailbox post after it was knocked over by a street racer and setting up a cat house for Cedar who persists in hanging out under the lilac in the front flowerbed rather than in the barn.

“Inside is for wimps.”

“Never mind. This inside is perfect. I’ll stay here. Thanks.”

I also checked a bunch of smaller tasks off the list and tackled some (not all) of the tasks on my main fall to-do list. Here’s how I did.

Coop

The coop felt like the biggest task–and the most critical. I did pretty well here.

Clean out the pens – Done.
Put in fresh straw – Done. The chickens will keep getting new layers of fresh straw throughout the winter.
Patch drafts in the walls – Done.
Patch leaks in the roof – Not done. We had some big rains in the fall and the coop stayed dry, so I’m crossing my fingers that will hold for the winter. I’m hoping to revisit the roof in the spring.
Clean up scrap wood – Half done. (The smaller pile, of course.)
Set up a designated straw area – Done

Barn grading

This task was my biggest fail. Fortunately, it’s not a critical pre-winter task, so it’s moving over to the spring to-do list.

Remove old fence post – Done.
Remove bush – Half done.
Spread dirt – Not done.

Driveshed siding

Done.

Mowing

No photo evidence. Done.

Brush chipping

No photo evidence. Done. I’ve already started rebuilding the brush pile.

Swallow shutter

Spot the assistant.

Swallow shutter – Done. (It’s definitely not a shutter, but the broken window is covered.)

I feel pretty good about what I accomplished this fall. The birds, cat, barns, tractor, house, property have all had attention and hopefully we are all ready for winter.

How are your winter preparations going?

Fall is here. That means the clock in my head is ticking as I review the things-to-do-before-winter list.

Today, I’m getting that to-do list out of my head.

There are the usual winterizing tasks like putting away the mowers and patio furniture, turning off the outside water, stacking firewood (thanks to Matt’s Dad, his brother and nephew for all their work last weekend), taking off the window screens, cleaning the eavestroughs. But there are a few special additions too.

Coop

The most critical item on my list is the coop. I need to make sure the chickens are all safe and set for winter. Some of my tasks are basic, like clean out the pens and put in fresh straw (the turkey pen also needs cleaned, though they obviously don’t need fresh straw). Others are a little more involved like hunting down a few drafts in the walls and leaks in the roof and patching them. I also want to clean up the scrap wood that has been scattered around since I took down the old coop and set up a designated area for my bales of straw.

Barn grading

I have been slowly working my way around the barn for years, clearing brush from along the foundation and mowing closer and closer. I was able to get a few loads of dirt this summer from the landscaper who did our patio. He dumped them at one corner of the barn where the grade needs to be adjusted. The corner also held a bush, a wire fence and an old split rail fence. I’ve tackled most of the fence and have just one post left to pull. The bush needs a bit more time with the saw and perhaps a shovel. Then I need to spread the dirt and finally finish this corner.

Driveshed siding

Some time ago (I’m talking more than a year), I noticed some boards on the driveshed were in rough shape. Just how rough became obvious when Cigo got into the driveshed while the door was locked. I didn’t know where he was, called his name and he popped out through the wall. I blocked the hole with a piece of plywood, but I need to do a proper patch with actual siding.

Mowing

I’ve made good progress at clearing the septic bed and alongside our front field over the past few years. To keep them clear, I need to mow them a few times a year with our big rotary cutter. I’ve done them once, but I want to do one more cut. Given that I haven’t cut the main grass at all this month, this is perhaps a bit optimistic. I feel like I have one more mowing in me, and while I have the tractor out, surely I can hook up the big mower and get it done. Right?

Brush chipping

After I disconnect the rotary cutter, the next attachment in line is the wood chipper. As always, I have a brush pile. In previous years, this pile has grown extremely large. If I can chip once a year, the pile will stay under control.

Swallow shutter

My final task is back at the barn. I uncovered a broken window on the back of the barn in the spring, so that the swallows would be able to get into the barn to nest. It worked well, but I now need to close it back up. I’d like to make a shutter so I can open the window again next spring. However, in the interest of time and simplicity, my “shutter” may be a piece of plywood I screw in place for now.

While the clock in my head is ticking urgently, making me feel like I’m already behind, I’m reminding myself I have three months until winter officially arrives. Laying my tasks out here is one step and a helpful one. Now, I will get to work.

What’s on your fall to-do list?

I’m trying to focus on wins. It’s easy to get caught up in everything that’s not done or things that didn’t go according to plan. December has arrived, and I’m feeling behind. But as I look back over the fall, I can see the progress I’ve made, and I realize I am moving forward.

Everything on my fall to-do list is done.

Outdoor furniture is in the barn. Eavestroughs are clean (I’m not as confident in the downspouts, but I hope they’re good enough for the winter). Septic tank is pumped. Chimney is swept (and we’ve been enjoying some lovely fires). Heat pump filter is clean. Outdoor water is off and hoses are hanging in the driveshed.

I completed my final task, chipping two piles of brush, last week. Then I moved the tractor up to the garage where it’s more convenient if we need it for snow .

My major focus for the fall was the barn: cleaning out more of Matt’s stuff and building the coop. Matt’s stuff is done. The coop, not so much. But I am aiming to get back to it between now and the end of the year, so I’m hopeful that I will see more progress soon.

I’m also starting to look ahead to some of the projects I want to do next year, and I’m very excited by what’s coming. With DIY there are always frustrations and delays. But there are also wins, whether it’s the fun of planning, the satisfaction of figuring out how to do something, or finally crossing a project off your list and enjoying the results of your work.

So today I’m celebrating the simple accomplishment of finishing my fall to-do list, and the bonus of a few more weeks to tackle a project that is important and interesting to me.

Anyone else have projects you’re trying to wrap up before the end of the year? How are you feeling about your accomplishments this year? Is your house ready for winter?