Ice Baby Ice!

Our driveway ... even with the new gravel from last year was pure ice Saturday morning!

YakTraks were in order!

So for most of Saturday night and most of the Sunday we were encased in ice and fog with dense fog predicted through Monday forenoon.

I went to get Saturday's mail and was struck by how cool the forest looked.

The tree below is one I followed last year. It is a Hop Hornbeam tree that generally keeps some of its leaves through the winter. This year wicked winds stripped them.

The fog was thick and the road was iced.

It was a fine day to stay off the roads.

I did venture down into our creek bottom and enjoyed some bird watching through the dim light. I walked on the ice as it was easier than walking on the rocks.

Some think cold, damp, and foggy days are awful. I think of it as having Mother Nature is a soft light box.

It is dismal looking in a way. But sometimes one can find beautiful things. 

I am very lucky to be surrounded by an interesting landscape.

The temperatures warmed up quite a bit during the day and some of the ice melted down almost enough for me to be able to drive up the hill if I needed to.

That said, even though it was a pain to so many people. I liked our fog and ice.

Fun in ice

 My wayward son and his girlfriend came to visit on Friday. Of course Emily's little girl Amari was the highlight. I'm just a sucker for little ones...no matter what!

They call her Mari. And pronounce it Mar-eee. For whatever reason, Mari decided I was okay and made her intentions always clear with her hands with the universal 'kid' sign of UP! UP!

Come on, who cannot have their heart melted by a little one like this!

To be sure, she was also fascinated by my Skunk Hat. 

The trail was beaten down into pure ice and we all wore ice cleats except the little one. We took turns carrying her or steering her by her hood. It involved a lot of 2 year old gibberish and sometimes yelling by Mari. I told mom and son to let her holler all she wanted, we were in the 'wild' woods and it didn't bother me at all. 

After all, she has immense energy. Cold fresh air and a hike would be great for her after a 4 hour car ride.

To get into the ice caves/shelters is not easy on a good day. This day it was all ice from the recent rains. Mari has no fear at all. Here is a pre slide check. Emily is down the icy path ready for catching her daughter. Mari loved it.

Here Mari decides to run to me across the slippery ice.

Group shot. I set my little pocket camera on a mini tripod and set the delay for 30 seconds. I slid down the ice formation to the others and scrambled to get in the shot. My son was like: BE Careful Mom! And we all laughed when I slid past them to the dirt.

We ended out trek at Weister Creek's ice formations and headed back to the car.

My youngest, Mari, and I:

and Weister Creek:

I have to admit I had fun. It was a difficult hike with a little one and we did it. 

Next time I told them we'd take an easy trail that we could take a stroller on. Yeah...maybe! 

Iced

I was getting dressed to go outside and do chores when suddenly I heard a downpour of rain outside.

I stepped outside and watched as the rain hit the concrete blocks and the edge of the porch. Instant ice.
About 3 more rounds of rain hit in bursts and any thought of going anywhere was erased.

This is a picture of the yard. I couldn't believe it was so slippery. I made my way out to do chores and half way to the shed I decided that I was an idiot for not looking for my Yak Trax to slip on for traction.

The gravel driveway had turned to one big sheet of ice. So I decided not even to try going anywhere and hope that the town truck would come out eventually and perhaps it would warm enough to melt the ice.
The issue was, the driveway and ground were frozen and even if the temperatures warmed up, the ground would not.

I did the chores and slipped and slid back to the house. I dug out my Yak Trax and went back out to water Lil Richard.
He was still iced!

However, none of the equine were cold as they all were warm under their blankets of ice that had started to melt. Under the fluff, their skin was warm and dry.

Around 11 o'clock the town truck backed down our driveway spreading sand. I'd read on social media that highway 14 was closed due to a semi that couldn't get a grip on the road. There were other multiple incidents that made me feel good about my decision to stay home.

As the temperatures rose the top of the ice melted and made the ice on the lower part of the drive even worse. 

Nothing left to do after chores, breakfast, and dinner prep. So Charlie and I took a walk.

 Yak Trax

Charlie in the Meadow

When we came back up on the ridge, I was surprised at how warm the air was.

Everything had water on it...

But the moss was very cool...

At the end of the day the sun tried to break out as the temperatures began to dip again.

I don't like ice this way.
I really really don't.

What to do on a rainy day

The weather was warm but promised to do nothing but get colder as the day went on.

I'd run my errands to town, ran into someone from CrossFit while shopping.
Then in another isle I ran into one of my neighbors who I had not seen in a while.
He inquired about Rich and how was he doing? Then he said "I should really come over and visit with him."
I answered that he'd like that very much.

I run into people and they inquire. They all then say how they 'should' come and visit. This is the one thing that really can brighten my husband's days and I do mention that.
And yet nobody comes or really calls. I do say that Justin often stops in to talk with Rich when he comes to grab some hay out of the shed or something like a post pounder.

It wasn't turning out to be a very good day.
Some days get to be like that.

I was tired of staying inside and doing 'much of nothing' so I walked out and whistled to Sunshine.

After all Gun Deer Season starts on Saturday and that keeps me from wandering the woods like I love to do.
I decided to ride. Even though it was a bit mucky and it was raining/snowing.


I worked on some graphic art too.

Later on that.

Sunshine and I had a blast. She has come into her own and is surely my go to mule in bad weather and bad footing.
She is a champ, just like her mom was.

Perhaps I should reconsider my thoughts of training Sundance.