Keep up two legged person! ~by Charlie

She was pretty sure that I wouldn't like the new fresh cold stuff she calls SNOW on the ground when we went to do chores this morning.

OH! How much fun is this? Run through the cold stuff and have it brush my tummy! Run run run! Spin and run! Stick my nose in it and run!
It made her laugh and laugh.

When She put on coveralls and boots after chores and asked if I wanted to go for a walk I was right there at the door waiting.
She said 'Walkies!' and I was ready!

And we headed out through the meadow and down to the creek. I kept running ahead and then checking to see if she was coming. Sometimes SHE can be so slow!

She called me a few times to wait up and I did. But the snow covered so many good smells and I had to keep putting my nose into it.

The creek was 'up' from the recent heavy rains last weekend and so I found a rock to stand on so I could look around.

How come human people are so slow?
I watched her walk towards me and then it dawned on me. It must be tough to be a human and only have two legs. Four legs are better, more to balance with, better to jump distances with...oh the advantages.

Maybe I can train her how to do that. I mean, I sure can try.

She kept having trouble on all the slippery snow covered rocks. More than once she had to call out to me to stop again and wait.
How embarrassing.

She is so Slow. Perhaps if she would use her hands and her feet, she could climb and jump better.
Yet She insists on walking on those two long legs. Pity. Short legs are so much better suited to slippery stuff.

I thought She was going to fall and crash when I heard her yelp. She has good balance considering. She hopped and steadied herself and then told me to "Wait up!"

Oh slow poke! I have so many smells to take care of, don't you understand?

She finally stopped by a little waterfall and decided to head up and over the bank towards home. She whistled and I came running past her.

Maybe it doesn't look like it here, but I am running up a deer trail with my ears flapping magnificently while flying across the snow covered ground.

I think I like the cold much better than the hot heat. It feels better and my thick coat keeps me toasty warm.

When we got home, She toweled me off.
She handed me a chew bone and I immediately got down to business.

However, I can't wait to go out again.

Perhaps we can take Dixie too. Then I'll have someone who can keep up.

Out and About ~ Me Time

This past week has been a good one filled with ups and downs. A few warm days were wonderful. Morris was able to get out and walk with me for some nice romps. Dixie watched over her elder dog friend.

Then the weather went crazy. It was 45 degrees in the morning and pouring rain when the temperatures dropped to 15 degrees by noon and we had sleet and snow. By nightfall, the temperatures had gone to 5 degrees and the winds kicked up.

I was concerned that Mica one of our mules who seems to be effected by rapid weather changes would show signs of an upset stomach. She didn't. Other than frosty backs no animal showed adverse effects. Phew...

I knew that the rapid cool down would create some interesting views along the creek. So after the chores were done, I packed a bag and headed out. I wanted to get to the 'East' Dry Run to see if the spring had created an ice flow.
However to get there quickly I had to walk across the top of the ridge and across cropland which placed me in the cold north breezes.
The temperature was -7 with a wind chill of ... well, cold.

I am so grateful to have purchased these over the glasses goggles a few years ago, combined with a face mask, hat, hood, and scarf my face rarely gets cold even in subzero temps.
I also wore insulated coveralls over layered clothes underneath.
I know, most people would cringe at these temperatures and stay inside. Most sane people, that is. But dressed properly a person can enjoy the bitter cold.

I climbed down through the woods and was surprised and pleased to see that the spring at the top of the dry run had been busy!
As I was climbing down I heard some rather loud cracks and at first couldn't figure out what it was.
I've heard it on lakes but never on an ice flow like the one I was standing on.
The ice was popping in the cold!

In contrast, December 10th:

The spring has added at least two feet of ice in waves...

The sun was shining brilliantly onto the ice so getting a good shot of the ice flow would have to wait for an overcast day.
I sat on the ice to take some shots of the little spring.
The water comes up out of the ground and is much warmer than the air around it. I knew that this spring would be 'running' as well as the spring at the bottom of the dry run.

I packed up and hiked to the next spot. The Big Spring.

Here it comes out of a rock and clay are and flows towards the creek. This is the spot in the spring where the very first flowers appear, the marsh marigolds.
No flowers today. Just bone chilling cold. When I squatted down to take some shots of the incredible frost on the mossy rocks, I could feel the cold air caressing my face and it seemed to come right through my coveralls.

The excess moisture from the past week and then the plunging temperatures had an interesting effect on sticks, logs, and moss, a hoar frost effect.  I was really quite excited to see all the delicate frost clinging everywhere.

I should have worn my boots that would have allowed me to stand in the water and take some shots. However I didn't. So I walked down to where this spring water joined up with the creek.

To compare with December 10th....

I only took two shots before my fingers started to get cold. I opened some hand warmers and put my hunting mitten/gloves back on. It was time to head up the valley towards home.

All along the creek where grasses dangled, the frost had collected. I felt like I was walking in some sort of wonderland.

I know that each time I visit the creek, now dubbed *Awesome Creek* by the neighbor kids...it changes slightly. 

The old Mule Crossing. It changes constantly. This is the spot where we used to ride to cross the creek on the west end of the valley.

And then yesterday?

Different but similar. With the subzero temps, the ice is starting to form on the edges of the creek and extend out into the faster moving water.

December 21st 2017

January 7th:

January 11th:

 And then yesterday:

I love this place.

This morning after chores I raced out with my camera and no dogs to try and *shoot* some more hoar frost before the snow and wind change the creek again.

I was not displeased.
I told my husband that I'd only be gone for about a half hour.

Oh.
I was gone longer than that.

The camera is still in its bag warming up slowly.

When I get the winter doldrums I just go out the door and make my way to the creek.
That's what I call Me Time.

Chilly

Hey Lady! Where is my Treat??

Little Richard was frosty yesterday morning as were most of the critters. The cows lay in their thick layers of fodder bedding and chewed their cuds awaiting the sun to make its appearance through the trees and into the valley.

I always am amazed by the wonderful winter coats these animals have.

You can see where I shoved my bare hand up through his coat to feel the downy hair underneath. No, he was not shivering. He was not cold at all. He has shelter from the weather and he chooses to be out.

People however have a harder time with the cold. It was actually better this particular morning as their was no wind.
I dug out Rich's subzero coveralls for him. After all, it was about -4 when we did chores.

He was going to hook up the hose to the hydrant so we could water the large heated stock tank.
I have taken to wearing over the glasses snowmobile goggles. It may look stupid, but the comfort is incredible. And my eyes don't feel windburned at all. I find that with this 'get up', I can take the cold and the chilling winds.

I wish I could put on Little Richard's coat!

Morris came out with me for a while when I was filling the big stock tank. He ran back and forth sniffing and looking, I think, for mice until he started to shiver. When he got cold he ran to the porch door and stared at me intently.
I let him in and he stopped as if to say, "Why are you not coming in?"
But the sun was shining so brightly  ~ and I was toasty warm.
Besides, I had to drain the hoses after the tank fill so they wouldn't freeze up.

And the sky was simply amazing.

Today it is supposed to snow some light fluffy stuff and then we may go back to some rather arctic temperatures for the weekend.
I have my Kenosha Gang arriving some time on Friday and they want to hike. They all recently got goggles to protect their eyes from the cold also.
We have some ice formations to seek out at the KVR. I've scouted out the trails and we will be out of the winds.
The temperatures should make for some incredible ice formations also.

Just after I finished with the watering, Sunshine came up. I grabbed her bridle and we took another spin around the pastures and yard. It is an easy way to check fences!

You can just barely see the house in this shot.

Have a great day.

Little Rascals!

I like the fact that I keep getting neighbors with kids!  It is like getting a free pass to play and be silly.

Big puddles are amazing to kids.

Mud is even more intriguing.

I went over to visit my ex-neighbors in their new house about 20 some miles away.
Mom locked the door of the house and then realized she didn't have the key.
So we went hiking as planned.

I was introduced to the huge quarry that was on their land.

And of course, tree climbing.

We made a fort in a nice sunny spot while we were waiting for someone to show up with a key to get in the house.

All the spare gloves I had in my trunk ended up wet and muddy.

The views from the ridge where they live were astounding.  Blue skies, fluffy clouds, sun shine, melting snow...and lots of fresh air.

I had two days of hiking with children.  It is amazing how fun it is to see the world through their eyes.

And of course, I had to bring a camera!

I love having little rascals around!

Especially when we can find exciting treasures!

Wednesday Fun.

With morning temperatures in the below zero area, I decided not to take Mr. Morris for his morning walk.  

I thought I'd wait for a bit and perhaps take him out later.

I'd gone last Saturday to an indoor flea market in our local little town and had picked up some items for about $15 for my 52BeStill photography class.  I felt a few new items [or old!] might help with inspiration.

It did!  I set up some wooden boards on the floor after I'd hung out the laundry to freeze dry.  I got out the old white sheet and some chairs and began to play with some items.

Of course Morris had to get involved in setting things up.

After the wild soup was set up in the crockpot, I gathered my books and walked to my neighbor's house.  We had some fresh brewed chocolate coffee and I read to Allie and Logan.

Logan loved the way I growled and roared while reading the story about how Morris's toys found Terrible Tiger.

It was fun to see him point out Morris in the book photos and he even growled in imitation.

Story time ended and I went home to make sure all of our animals had nice fresh water.  I wore my heavy coveralls and rabbit fur lined bomber hat.  After a few trips with buckets, I was actually too warm.

After 3:30, Carson called and asked if we could meet up and go for a walk.  So I met them in the driveway and we went on a little adventure.

It is amazing what children can find to do in the woods. I think I can call this sport, rock jumping.