Don't kick rocks which are frozen to the ground.

While cutting a curly willow tree in Fishers today, I was looking for something to prop open a gate. I saw a small rock that looked like it had been used for a prop before, so I decided to kick it to free it from the frozen ground. BAD IDEA! I soon was limping badly as I jammed my big toe. It feels like someone hit it with a hammer. It would seem that 65 years of experience doing dangerous stuff would keep me from stuff like this. I hope that I will be able to take advantage of the wonderful warmer weather and finish up tomorrow. Not like this.
I was able to do two loadS of corkscrew willow, using a ladder to cut branches about 20 feet off the ground and stuff tqahe branches into my van. I take them to my shop and unload and trim them into usable components. Large branches wil be bed headboards or birdhouse posts. The medium pieces will be used for trim for tables or lamps. The finest end branches are the most valuable. They are tied into bundles which are sold for decorative accents. Customers place them in vases, sometimes vases I have made from plywood and covered with white birchbark, leather or fabric.
The bundles of curly or corkscrew willow have become one of the main items I sell.The demand has been very consistent and I spend a lot of time bundling these into 5 or 10 dollar bunches. They have become the bread and butter of my business.
Nothing is wasted, which I like.