December 16, 2011

Rimed spider web
on pine drops



Rimed grass





















We were fogged in all day Wednesday, then Thursday's sun shone on all the rimed forest and grass.  Even the spider web on the pine drops I have on the porch was frosted.  So beautiful!  So cold!  We only had a high of 10 yesterday in the fog, and the sunny day before was only 12, so bundle up Laramie!  It's on the way.

If the dogs stayed out more than 10 minutes on Wednesday, they came back with all their eyebrows and whiskers rimed.  It was so cute, but I didn't manage to get a picture of them.

Thanks so much for your feedback, Randy.  Glad you are enjoying my blog.  In answer to your question about getting on the internet, we have a wireless MiFi 2200 device from Verizon and a Wilson Electronics wireless cellular amplifier attached to an antenna on our roof.  Weather doesn't seem to effect it at all.  We have great Verizon coverage in this area.

In compiling information for my index, I was unable to find where I had written about the rattlesnake vaccination for dogs.  Maybe I only thought I wrote about it. . .  Anyway, when we first adopted our dogs the vet told us that a rattlesnake bite for a dog (or anyone) is extremely painful and it would cost several thousand dollars to save the dog.  But a vaccine has been developed that protects a dog so if they are bitten there is very little pain or damage.  As an example, he told us that one owner brought his dog in thinking it had sprained or fractured his leg, but when the area was shaved they discovered the dog had been bitten.  A simple antibiotic was prescribed and the dog was fine.  We had both our dogs vaccinated which initially consists of two inoculations a month apart, and then a yearly booster after that.  Well worth the $35 per shot.

I also want to explain about the catalytic combuster in our wood stove.  We have a thermometer made especially for top of the stove that sits on top of it.  When it reaches 250 degrees (which means it is 500 inside the stove), we flip a lever which sends all the smoke and fumes through the combuster.  It re burns everything creating even more heat, and less much pollution, much like the catalytic converter in a car.  No smoke comes out of the chimney, just heat.

JB drove Down There Wednesday to do his Christmas shopping (for me).  He was again able to drive his Jeep down the road as there has really been no change for about three weeks.  He parked at Larry and Elsie's, and took my Jeep into town, as it needed to be used.  While he was gone, I finally put up the Christmas decorations.  I always think I'll just put up a few, but once I get started I can't stop.  I even put out all the presents.  I LOVE Christmas!  Was going to bake more cookies yesterday, but just got too late of a start to the day.  Will bake some today.

JB cleaned my gun for me yesterday (since he's the one who used it) and I got "high" on the smell of Hoppe's gun cleaning fluid.  Something about that smell.  And I can picture my Dad cleaning his guns as I watched entranced. 

Thought for the day:  You can have my gun when you pry it out of my cold, dead fingers.   All Free Men