Snow, snowfall, Frank the Plow Guy

Saturday morning. We had 4 inches by 
chore time. 
How can I tell?
It was chest high on Charlie.

He is a reliable measuring 

dog.

Sundance during the 

storm.

We ended up with about 7 inches depending on where the wind blew. 
 

I stressed all morning wondering if Frank the Plow guy was still plowing this year and if he remembered to put me on his list.

ALL morning. I paced, I cleaned the house, I dusted, I must have put on  quite a few steps pacing.

I cleaned up my Lego Medieval Village and considered starting to take out my Christmas Legos. I paced some more and moved a large cabinet to clean behind it.

[I texted him and asked if he was still plowing this year and if he was, please not to forget me. He never really checks his texts, he is an old fashioned farmer/earth moving guy who has a gravel pit.]

He is just Frank. 

Around 1PM I gave up pacing and got dressed to go out and shovel another walk way. 

I heard the rumble of his ancient red pickup. There he was just a grinning away. We spent a few minutes discussing the weather and the passing of his brother and his father this past year.

With a big smile on his face [and one on mine] he continued to plow that long driveway hill of mine and I felt a peace come over me.

When I came back inside I announced, "Frank was back!" I knew the house was empty, but I also knew that I was telling this to my hubby.

A friend suggested I purchase a side by side and a plow and do it myself. I weighed the cost vs. paying Frank and decided I would never spend the price of a UTV in plow fees.

I just have to be patient because as Frank said. "Oh, I'll get to you eventually!"

Now to get out and enjoy some snow scenes and shovel an area for Charlie to do his business. The snow comes up to his nose.

Gun season ends at sundown.

Goodbye November.

A fun snow day ~ Great neighbors

Text: Hey, that snow looks awesome. Wish we could hike today but I'm afraid of widowmaker trees falling down on us in the woods. [because so many trees and branches had fallen down]

My reply: Why don't we walk around the field then? 

Her reply: Okay, meet me at noon on the dot!

My reply: 👍😁

As the noon whistle blew in Readstown over 3 miles away, I stepped into her mud room.

She opened the door and we decided to walk up the road and then come back through the fields. The air was fresh and cold and we headed out.

This is a view across the cropland on the ridge looking west from the cropland we were going to walk on next to the woods.

Charlie wasn't with us. When we walk from her house, we take her husband's dog Barnes, when we hike from my house, we take Charlie. We hope eventually that we can have both dogs with us but Charlie is a bit intimidated by the big brawny cattle dog mix at this time.

The view along our road. When it is cold and windy, this is not the place to be! I prefer the valleys and the deep woods. But this will give you an idea of what our roads look like. Anything that isn't dark brown, is pretty much compacted snow and under that, Ice.

We entered the fields and started to wade through the fresh wet snow and of course it was just two women walking and talking. Yak, Yak, Yak about nothing in particular. Kids, eyes, cross country skis, the snow, and the amazing views.

Over the past week, my new neighbors have walked down twice to say hello and once delivered a plate of cookies! Olive brought cookies too! Talk about a nice place to live with new folks on our ridge.

We are spread out, but our mixed age of folks are all super nice folks.

I was lucky enough to catch this shot of Barnes as he ran towards us through a small trail in the tree line....

Right after I took this photo, he stopped and rolled in something divinely nasty. I guess he was getting a bath after our walk!

My cell phone rang and it was Rich. He was in a snit. Frank was at our place plowing the driveway, WHERE was I? And I needed to be there right now.

I was 1 mile away in a field next to the woods. I just told Rich that I'd text or call Frank and deal with paying him for plowing, not to worry.

As it happened, when we came back up by Olive's house, Frank was coming from our place and I ran out on the road and flagged him down. Frank said our place would be about 11 or noon on his schedule when plowing needed to be done and we worked out pricing and payment. We are sort of neighbors as the crow flies. Another great neighbor.

I got my fresh eggs, and headed home to a nicely plowed hill driveway and Frank also did the turn arounds!

I thought about how living in the city would compare to what I'd just experienced in the past year. And since I haven't lived in a city or town in since 1996, it was hard to imagine.

This morning's text was: 
Hey, hubby is away for 2 days. You want to make a trail for cross country skiing? We can pull Aiden in a sled! 

If nothing else, my younger and very adventurous neighbors will help keep me active won't they?

Todays jobs? Check out the newly fallen snow and hopefully get to town for my gym session and old mule feed. Start a pot of chicken soup, and by late afternoon, go snowshoeing. That sounds okay in my book.

Life in the Slow Lane.

I like it.

Snow mules:

Should I?

Wakey Wakey...
to yet
another significant snowfall...

The front open pasture with the bale ring ... view off the porch before I started chores...

The mules. They were moving around to the different hay piles and later, took snow baths.

At 11:30 I walked up the driveway to the neighbor's house to bottle feed Sven. So named because they have a white goat named Elsa. The movie Frozen, seems to have a pattern here this January and February.

Sven is doing wonderfully. I am in current negotiations with the neighbors...well...actually with trying to approach my husband about keeping Sven to do the weed clean up work that Little Richard won't do.

Besides. I think pulling a kid goat and holding him and clearing his airways...and being the first thing he smells in life...may have done something to me..and to him.
Just call it silly, but I feel a special thump in my heart when I see him.

He is small now, but will be a full sized Lamancha [goat with the itty bitty ears]. As he is a male, they will whether him and sell him. They have offered to let me have him for free.

Could you say no?

I've raised goats before and know what a pain in the ___ they can be. And I also know how fun they can be, as well as useful.

Hmmm.

PT appt for Rich today. Our driveway is plowed, but I'll have to do some clean up work later today.
And prepare for the next 6 inch snow fall predicted to come in tomorrow evening through Wednesday.

18" of snow since last week. Well. I guess I could go enjoy a snowshoe adventure this afternoon? Or ski?
Make snow fun while the snow lasts...

Sven.
Hmmmmm.....

Edit....
I don't know if Rich knows that he just agreed to let Sven come and live here or not. I sort of was vague and indicated that Sven would be excellent for clean up of weeds with Lil' Richard. Lil' Richard doesn't it noxious weeds, but Sven will.

Yes to Sven.

Winter Skidsteer Polar Vortex Storm

Well, that should cover just about all of it. At least what I am thinking about this morning.
Winter.
Well there it is. Winter is here. I would have preferred the snows without the storms and predicted subzero temperatures.

It was -25 F and calm yesterday morning. The sunrise was beautiful with purples and pinks. By 9AM it was only 14 below [well, that is what my smarty pants phone said as we no longer have an outdoor thermometer...which I will fix today..]. I did chores and Charlie went with me for part of the time. I must say, he is a sturdy little dog. But he is young too.
Dixie didn't want to come out of her hay bale igloo in the shed. I poked my head in there and it was pretty warm. 

By mid afternoon I got a text from Justin. He said he wanted to come down and put the skid steer tire on. 
Well we got the tire on. However, in order to put the tracks on, we needed to start it and lift it with the bucket and set it down...well, I won't bore you with the details but all of the rest of the work hinged on starting the skidsteer. 

I had it plugged in. It wouldn't start. We figured it was the battery. I'd recalled that Rich had said at one point that he probably would need a new one? Rich didn't recall that. 
His memory is fuzzy about most things these days. The last time he was in the shed he was frustrated because 'something' wasn't there that he had put there. I found the items in his truck later and told him ... well, that didn't go so well either.

[I have to keep recalling that Rich's anger that get's directed at me is not really his normal. It is the frustration, the pain, the feeling of helplessness from all of his illnesses that he can only express his frustration in the tone of anger. He used to be able to stomp out to the shed and fix everything himself. Not any more.]

Anyway.

The conclusion was we'd have to wait for better weather. Justin could open the battery compartment and charge the battery and we could finish the job. But it would be a while. 

Justin promised to plow us out during the next storm. He wouldn't take any payment, relaying that when they needed help, I was always there and I took care of all of their chores when they went on vacations. Even up.

So the skidsteer is stuck right there in the way. I can't get the big old truck out to get small square bales, but I have the monster bales to use.

It looks like a very cold wintry week coming up. 

And the Vortex is coming!

The Skidsteer saga continues. I told Justin at this point I'd rather hire someone to plow this winter. I'd get the skidsteer parked and send it in come spring time to get overhauled or just sell it.

Next Saturday it looks like it may get up close to 30 degrees. That will be the day to start the skid steer, charge the battery and finish putting the tracks back on it. 

For today, I'm getting the usual things in town and then parking the 'Ru in a spot to make it easier for Justin to plow after the storm. 
One day at a time.

I did it. Can't ... Can.

The driveway. I have a love hate relationship with it.

The driveway is steep. That makes it a challenge in the winter time when there is a heavy snow fall or an ice storm.
This shot is from part of the way up the hill.

Below is a shot from a or so ago. You can see my husband driving the skidsteer up the hill.

With the six inches of snow that fell on New Year's Eve, I was faced the next morning with how to approach the delicate subject of getting the driveway cleaned up.
My neighbor Justin had offered to do the hill and I thought I could get Rich to do the flat section.

That conversation did not go as expected.
Rich said emphatically, "No." He was not going to try and get in the skidsteer or go outside.

I asked if I could try.
"No."
Me: But could I try at least?
Him: No. You can't. You don't have the depth perception to do it.
Me: I can be very careful.
Him: No.

We sat in silence for about a half hour. I had another cup of coffee and then stood up.
Me: Well then, I guess I best go unplug your skidsteer. I know Justin will do the steep hill.
Him [not looking at me]: Whatever. Just. Okay, be careful.
Me [big breath]: Okay. I will.

Well.
It took me a long time but I got it done. I filled my face with snow a few times when I raised the bucket and the wind blew. Poof, snow face.
It wasn't as bad as I thought.
And..
I did not
run into anything
or break anything.

I considered it a success. It certainly wasn't the nicest job around, but it got done.

I never thought I could operate a skid steer and a bucket, but I did.

My Grandma used to say there is no such thing as the word *Can't*.
She might be right.

Snow! April is Bizarre!

We had quite the unusual storm for April. These are views of the driveway and then scenes from the top of the ridge where the mailbox is.

Charlie didn't mind the snow until it was over his head. Here he is running and playing. He also was under the impression that he could catch a Robin. Or at the very least chase it.

He gave up later when the snow was over his head. I had to make a trail for him to do his business.

Morning came and the new snow added some beauty to the dull landscape.

Sunlight arrives in our valley about an hour after sunrise.

Charlie threw a fit when I got dressed to walk out and explore the morning light. I let him out with me and we got about 30 yards before he squalled about the snow being over his head.
I stuffed him in my coveralls and took a walk.

Home Sweet Home. Everything seemed more brilliant in the fresh snow fall.

Even the 'Ru looked pretty.

I took Charlie back in and went back out to do chores so that Rich could just concentrate on plowing.

I knew there would be a rapid snow melt but Charlie had a vet appointment for his distemper booster and I had to take care of some MIL business in town.

I thought the snow was stunning.

The Plow Man, however, was not impressed.

And the blue birds weren't either.

Charlie though, thought he had a great place to observe the plowing and cleaning of the Subaru.

We lost most of the snow in one day.

I hope to get back from my errands today to observe and enjoy the snow melt and run off into the creek.

It will be in the 50's again today.
I'm going to take my SIL to check out an Assisted Living place in town.

Enjoy your day. Generally this time of the year I am out in the forest photographing these little beauties....

The snow storm that wasn't.

The forecasters said we'd get 3-6" of snow, or we'd get 8"+, depending on where the snow line went.  Near blizzard conditions could be expected...or maybe not...


We woke up to snowfall with winds blowing from the north east.  When we went outside to do chores I had to force the door open.  Snow had piled up against it.

We were able to hear the winds howl above us on the ridge.

When hubby walked up the driveway to go feed 'the girls' and Eddie in their winter paddock, he had to wade through some mild snow drifts.

Everyone had a blanket of snow on their backs and some were taking 'snow baths'.  

Eddie the donkey looked rather unconcerned about the whole snow situation. He and his pasture mates were able to avoid the wind, they had fresh temperate water and were getting fed good quality hay.

He awaited breakfast to be served along with the others.
It was just another day for him and his friends.

For Morris, it was a delight.  For some reason kids, adults, and animals seem to always enjoy a fresh snow fall.

Except of course if you have to drive in it, plow it, shovel it, or snow blow it.

Hubby even had a smile for me. 

Of course he has a skid steer which he uses to plow our steep driveway.  He complains about having to do it.

But secretly, I think he enjoys doing stuff with the skid steer more than any other chore he has to do.

The driveway is steep.  I think I measured a difference of 150 feet elevation change from the house to the mailbox once with the GPS.

That could explain why I sometimes get 'out of breath' walking up to get the mail.

The snow has already started today again and the weather service has called for heavy snow at times at the rate of one to two inches and hour.  

It is time to dust off the snow shoes and check the trail that Morris and I trimmed two weeks ago.

It will look drastically different, but I'll see if the 'marks' I left for guidance on the trees will help define where I should go.

It helps that this trail is often used by all of the forest animals also.

Perhaps I'll even find an antler shed sticking out of the fresh snow fall.

So we had a snow incident, but I wouldn't call it a storm.

2-5" are expected today.

Finally winter has come to our area!