In a Fog

For ten days we have had low temperatures and damp, freezing fog.

The temperatures at night have dropped into the teens and it barely reaches freezing during the day.  Our driveway has been one long sheet of ice making my morning walk with Hank impossible. 

Our rural road is rarely treated for ice (or snow).  J and C must navigate their way on ice to the local highway before reaching treated roads, not fun.

The wind chime remains quiet waiting for a fresh breeze to arrive and scour out the fog.

Outside there is a silence similar to when it snows.  Even the birds are quiet (probably frozen to a tree).

The freezing fog sticks to everything.  Its moisture sneaks into the corners of my winter clothes as I do the evening feed.  When I finish and return to the house I find it sticking to the outside of my clothes.

So although it's pretty to look at, I'm ready for this weather to make its exit.  Rain and wind never sounded so good!

Good to Go!

Last week was Prince's second shoeing since I brought him home nine weeks ago.

We had record rains in December and Prince has been looking pretty wet and muddy as he recovered and just got to 'be a horse'.

While I waited I decided to give him a good grooming session.  He's filled out nicely - no more bones sticking out!

All of his open wounds have totally healed.  Even his feet are now in great shape.

The shoer, who had first seen Prince only a few days after I brought him home couldn't believe Prince was the same horse and suggested I now start working with him to develop muscle tone (instead of flab).

Prince must have known what that meant because as I released him after he got his new shoes he took off bucking like a young colt!

Prince is good to go!

Lots of Work but So Much Fun!

Going to the cabin:

Best to start early, it's going to be a long day.

The roads can be a challenge.

Upon arrival you have to determine where your cabin is.

How do you get into your cabin?  You dig and dig and dig until you break through and find your front porch.  Once you've enlarged your hole and can see down into the porch, you sit down, grab the roof (inches above your head) and slide down into the front porch (kind of fun).


You will need to dig out 'escape' windows as well as your chimney and power mast  However, it's best to first dig some steps to get back up out of the front porch (sliding down once or twice is fun but getting back out isn't).

Your first day at the cabin revolves around a shovel and snow.  However, once you've finished with the shovel, hauled your stuff in, have the cabin warming up and have changed out of your sweaty clothes and into some dry ones, it's time to play.

Lots of work but so much fun!

Sleep well!

Vacation(?) at the Cabin

My husband's shovel and gloves, taken from the roof at the cabin...

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Our adventure on Christmas Eve really shook J and I up.

There we were all stressed about getting to town and the grocery store before it got (more) crowded so we could hurry back home to finish wrapping when we'd come upon our neighbor, on the other side of our road/fence line, trapped underneath his Rhino.

The neighbor, without a shirt, only in sweats and slippers, had jumped into his rig to go check the mail at the end of his road which is down 10 acres on the other side of his property.  I'm sure he thought he'd only be gone for a few minutes.

While backing up he'd turned too quickly and the rig had gone over.  His leg had been pinned and seriously broken.  It will require surgery in the upcoming week.

While we'd been cozy in our home wrapping packages and looking at the rain/snow mix outside, he'd been out in the weather, trapped and unable to move.  We only came upon him as we drove down our road to the store.  J happened to look out across the fence line to the neighbor's house and see the rig turned over.  That was over two hours after he'd flipped it.

The day took on a different color after our experience.  Getting to the store and beating it back to finish wrapping wasn't important after fire/aid arrived and we left the scene.  And because we'd had a good dose of reality, the rest of the day and every day since have been like a golden miracle we are grateful to have.

Both of us have noted that we initially had some trouble sleeping afterwards.  We've discussed the event often as it still pings around in our heads.  But one thing that stands out since that day is, don't sweat the small stuff. 

And we don't.

Santa Was Listening

Look what I got for Christmas...

The Buffalo Purse I wrote about a few Posts back - Santa was listening!!  :)

Hope you and yours have a Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Eve - A Change In Perspective

Christmas Eve and a change in perspective...It wasn't supposed to be a Post I'd write today.

I got up early today, trying to be calm and unstressed because I put off wrapping a single present and here it was, Christmas Eve.  I found myself very focused on every move I made.  No time to waste movements today!

I wrapped until early afternoon but still wasn't finished.  Yet I had to stop.  I told my husband that we must go to town NOW, to the grocery store before it got crazier than it probably already was (it was).

As we headed down our private road J suddenly stopped the car, jumped out and started running.  I was immediately irritated as in, "What the HECK are you doing?!!!  We NEED TO GET TO THE GROCERY STORE NOW".

And then I heard the screams....

Our neighbor across the fence line was screaming out to us in agony.  He had flipped his Rhino and was trapped underneath.  He was soaking wet and in shock.  Home alone, he had been there for hours in the 38 degree rain.

I grabbed my phone and ran after my husband.  The neighbor's foot was trapped under his rig.  My husband, a big guy, was able to lift the rig up and free the leg but we didn't have the manpower to push the rig upright.

As I ran to the scene I pulled off my cozy fleece jacket and we got it on the neighbor.  Unfortunately, as I did so the neighbor's dog thought I was being aggressive and bit me in the rear.

Fire arrived and with my husband's help they got the rig upright.  Medics took it from there and with my jacket still on him we returned to the house to get me another one. 

Finally we were off to the grocery store but suddenly it wasn't a big deal.  We found ourselves deflated and going with the flow for the rest of the day.  A day which turned out to be lovely.

The neighbor's family brought my jacket back tonight with mighty thanks for our coming upon their son, who has a broken leg.

Evening and dinner were spent with C and the Christmas tree in the "new" living room, listening to music, talking and relaxing.  Our event today sure turned our entire day around...not that I'd like to have that happen again soon!