What does a Michigan girl on a snowy Sunday in April? Why saw the ends off of 17 pieces of wood sized somewhere in between 2x4s and 4x4s, by hand of course-partly because I'm fat and need the exercise but mostly because I'm too chicken shit to use my circular saw.

I was amazed I could move my arms this morning.

Tonight I built up a new bed by making one and a half of the 3x6 beds into 3x3 beds and stacked two of them up. Cardboard and newspaper went at the bottom, then a bag of oak leaves. I got one cart load of dirt in it before I pooped out.

It was an animal-rific session tonight. When I first walked out there was a rabbit in the lilac. I looked up while wrestling the pegs out of the black raised beds and found myself eye to eye with a nice sized doe about 15 yards away in the neighbors yard. I froze so she could wander off at her own pace.

But the best part? Unearthing a five inch black salamander in the remains of the 3x6 bed. I looked him over quickly to make sure the shovel hadn't harmed him and then nestled him into the loose earth of the new bed with a protective cover of dried grass.

You can't get much better proof of organic gardening than a salamander over wintering in your garden bed!