Winter Storm

Yesterday's storm for us wasn't as bad as it was in other places. We got about 4 or 5 inches of snow with a layer of sleet to top it off.

The birds were very active at the feeders despite getting pelleted by snow and sleet.

We had Gold Finches, Juncos, Sparrows, and Downy Woodpeckers visit.

Charlie and I took two walks to go out and explore the storm. In late afternoon, the township plow came through and cleared the road. Even though the winds were howling from the north, we were able to walk along the forest edge and stay protected.

I didn't envy the plow driver. Our township has over 70 miles of gravel roads to plow and care for. I can't imagine how difficult that job is. It was pretty funny as Charlie sat in the field and watched the truck do our dead end road.

Charlie, the Road Commissioner!

IF you are really bored during a snowstorm, you can look up your state's 511 site and click on cameras to watch traffic or snow plows. 

Oh that is where my package is! Delayed! 

I spoke with Olive yesterday evening. She said going to collect eggs at her place on the ridge was like an Artic Expedition with the fierce winds and blowing snow.

Down here we stayed pretty cozy but could hear the winds howling on the ridge above us. 

By late afternoon the freezing rain was getting with the program and I decided to get out one of my deer skulls and begin prepping it for a paint project. Seems that I am always getting assistance from some of my Little People friends.

By morning I was pleased to see my hired 'crew' working.

The heater saga continues and we've gone 4 days with two Space Heaters keeping us warm. 608 Dan did give us a call to let us know he ordered the blower motor for the fan. He sent us an quote for the Mini Splits also.

Rich was still a bit on the fence regarding that so Olive and Nathan asked if we'd come up for supper one evening and they could show Rich how a Mini Split works and what they think about it in their home.

This is turning out to be a rather expensive February for us, however that is the way things go.

At least we never lost power and we still have a warm house. 

Peregrinate

 to travel or journey

especially on foot...

That is my word of the day. 

In a sense, it also means Wanderlust except the word specifies journeying on foot.

And I love to journey on foot. I love exploring. I like moving and always have. I used to run distances at one time, then I transferred that love to distance bicycling, then distance riding, and then back to 

Peregrinating.

After spending two weeks stuck indoors and dealing with multiple phone calls to prepare for surgery and after a year of terrible vision...

I shut the door and stepped out.

And the world was a wonder.

Charlie and I just wandered about through our creek bottom and admired the ice. The temperatures were warm but the sun rarely shines in this section of the creek so we were able to enjoy the frozen tundra.

Photo of me, now sporting hubby's fishing shades. Sorry, I'm not so great at selfies. 

Ice formation in the creek:

Hiking the creek:

The meadow:

The Girls, hiding out in the woods, staying in the sun and out of the winds:

The Boss:

Today we are going to traipse about at the Reserve in the areas that no longer have trails on the map.

Charlie and I enjoy being rovers and wandering together. 

I will throw one more word out for fun. 

We will maunder about, just idly exploring, collecting our thoughts, and wandering more or less.

The definition of the word is more explicitly about one who talks on aimlessly or moves about aimlessly...

That fits me also.

New project?

I enjoyed creating the little stick 'fairy house' last weekend. I did some more reading about how to reuse common household items and turn them into more fairy type houses.

One style that I thought was interesting, was putting tiny rocks on a container. Okay. So how does one do that? I mean how can rocks stick to clay or plastic?
I watched some videos and gathered some information. Try double sided heavy duty stick tape to adhere rocks to the plastic. Then spread grout or something similar around it.
Think of tiling but on an object instead of a wall.

I decided to go for a walk yesterday because the weather was just so darned nice! It was 48 degrees. The mules were sleeping in the sun, Rich was napping, so it just seemed like a good idea to wander down to the creek. Charlie had to stay home, the coyotes are really running now during the day time.

And...because I like to do things differently, I took my Infrared Camera to see if I could actually get some interesting shots in the winter.

Yes, it was interesting, the oak leaves did reflect light back and so did the clouds.
I had a filter on that doesn't record color. So I was really going for strict black and white. I'm not sure I like or dislike it. It is just interesting.

When I got to the creek it was obvious that there was a melt going on but it wasn't a gushing gully washer. There would have to be another very warm and sunny day to create that.
It was very slippery so just wandered slowly around and peered at things. Like moss and rocks.

I found some interesting bark that was dry. I peeled it off the branch and dropped it into a plastic bag I always carry with me. I sat down and sorted through some tiny rocks bits too.

I wasn't sure of what exactly I was doing, but an idea was shaping up in my brain.

Later I sorted things out and ...
I wondered how I might attach the interesting bark to the sour cream container. A used pill bottle could be an oversized chimney?

And the rocks?

A tiny rock wall?
A walkway?

Should I make this little house on top of the lid? Then I could take the whole works out to the garden and set it on a planter or a stump.

And there is this styrofoam package that my tree statue came in. I'd seen someone used styrofoam to make 'fake' rocks.

So many possibilities.

The bark didn't work out very well so I used some Gorilla Brand two sided tape. I put the tape on the plastic carton.

The tape works very well and was almost easier than using hot glue. I filled in the cracks with some DAP Kwik Seal Silicon Adhesive Calk. So much for the plumber side of me!

I used some of the super tape on top of the plastic carton, then added the top of a laundry soap container. I'll add clay and acorns to it I think.
The caulk will need some touch ups with acrylic paint.


Now I have to wait for the caulk to dry before I go to the next step.

Just a bit of cabin fever

Pasture View from the front door. The now empty windswept pasture that is not in use right now.

Some days are spent waiting for Rich to wake up and help him either have lunch or some other meal. I ache to get outside and do something other than just chores.

View out the porch door also:

On those really cold days I think up other things.
Like a bit of computer art work to color up my day:

Yesterday I picked up an odd looking piece of 'something' from the floor of the shed. It probably came from hay.

But it struck me with an idea.

Some flat still life work with natural things. The curly things are from a grapevine I passed while walking through the neighbor pasture the other day.
I need a do over for this. Perhaps putting the items in tiny vases would be neat.

This one was just for fun. I found this old rusty odd can in the shed.

I picked up my Grandmother Pearl's old notebook of directions on how to make lace and doilies and ...

And then some messing around...

There is a story behind this pink one eyed bear...I just couldn't resist it.
It was alone on the shelf purchase price... $1.
I felt it needed a good home.

And then a Thank You card for Mr. Farmer ... for all of his help.

So after I get Rich set up for the morning, I'll grab my snowshoes, make a stop to feed the new kid goat and play with him.

Then head out in this latest snow storm. The snow coming down is light fluffy and quite beautiful.

Duck Egg Hike

With two inches of rain in the morning, I thought that it would be fun to go to Duck Egg and see the small creek running high and full of rain water.

What I didn't expect was the incredible barrage of small wild flowers that were so brilliant along the way.

At every turn we found some beautiful late fall wildflowers.

The creek was running high and I go this shot from one of the foot bridges over the creek.

Dennis found some cool fungi along the trail.

We found Maidenhair Fern with raindrops still on them. The fern was beginning to show its fall colors.

We hiked to the muskrat pond ....

and most of the trail was under water so we returned back to the second bridge and took a break and an apple snack.

Our busy day ended up with Grandpa playing catch with Dennis for a bit while Ariel spent time with Siera and Fred.

And our day was ... done....