December 31, 2014 The End of Another Great Year!

JB using Dinga's favorite toy.

The Columbia River from our north ridge.

Monday 12/29. We actually received 10" of snow, so now we have more than a foot on the ground.  There was no leisurely start to the day this morning, more like a leap into it!  Slogged through the snow that came almost up to my knees in places to the hen house to feed the girls.  Again, with all the snow covering their roof, they were still roosting.  Had to wake them up and roust them out.

JB got the snow blower going and cleared a path to the outhouse/henhouse area.  Was coming back when he lost a track off of one side.  We simply could not get it back on and didn't want to take much time on it.  He used Miss Kitty's plow to clear in front of the house a bit, then left to plow the road.

I used the snow shovel to clear around the girls' run, then shoveled a path to the wood shed.  Had to squeeze in the gate and clear most of it before I could get the sled with fire wood out.  Got that all hauled into the house, then wrapped a tarp around the snow blower and took most of the decorations off the hen house.

JB had to make two trips down our road and back to make it passable.  Took him about five hours total.

I hesitated right up until I clicked on "Publish" to include my "spiritual growth spurt" on Monday's blog, but it was simply too great a change in me to leave it just in my journal.  For years now I have known in my mind that "I am a spiritual being having a human experience", but now I know it within the deepest recesses of my heart and have discovered that knowledge within my soul too. And the acknowledgement of the same for every other living being on the planet. . .

It can be very difficult dealing with this human body.  Yesterday I broke a tooth and have an appointment for next Monday to get it pulled.  With no dental insurance and no extra money (thanks again, Wall Street), we have to use our Christmas gift money to pay for it.  But at least that money is there.

We did not clear the snow off the roof of the hen house, opting instead for warmth rather than light with the predicted single-digit temperatures.  And the temperature slowly fell all day until at sunset it was 24.  By the time we went to bed at 9:30 pm, it was 16.  Love those fleece sheets!

Tuesday 12/30. This morning was 7 with blue skies.  JB had planned to go Down There today, but we decided he should wait til Friday when the temperature wouldn't be so frigid.

We managed to get the track back on the snow blower (taking more time and thought), which he used to clear the road behind the house and make a path from the house to the road by the wood shed.  He used Miss Kitty to plow the road around the south ridge, and our afternoon walk was so much easier than the morning one, which we all went on.  The poor dogs were trying to plow through snow past their chests.  

I did some snow shoveling and brought the wood in.  With our big snow boots and layers of clothes, I feel like I am moving in slow motion.

It was a cold, crisp day that was a delight to be out in, and we did spend most of the day outside.  A bright winter sun on bright winter snow.

We plan to spend New Year's Eve with Larry and Elsie at their house.  I doubt we'll stay til midnight, but I know we'll have fun.

Wednesday 12/31. Another frigid morning with 7 degrees (0 on the porch) and a clear blue sky. New Year's Eve.  Lets hope it is a safe and sane one for everyone.

Thought for the day: A coincidence is an earthly reply to a cosmic fax you sent earlier.  Author Unknown

December 29, 2014 Snow & DaVinci & A Spiritual Growth Spurt

JB's "hairy feet" slippers,
from Nene of course!

Everyone is still in the
Christmas spirit.

Friday 12/26. JB and I can be so different in so many ways that I am surprised we will celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary tomorrow.  I know he gets frustrated with my slow mornings.  I had always been an early riser, but not now.  Not Up Here.  I like to sip my coffee with my sudoku and/or crossword puzzles.  Read some of my current book.  Just ease into the day.  JB, on the other hand, likes to get going a bit sooner.  He usually has his day planned out and it often includes me.  So he usually just waits a little longer than he would like to and I usually get going a little sooner than I would like to.

Today he got the vehicles started and drove the tractor and then MAX up and around the south ridge.  Also moved my car a little and re-parked it.  I spent much of yesterday and today reading two of the books he gave me for Christmas that were on my list, Proof of Heaven and The Map of Heaven, both by Eben Alexander.  Should be mandatory reading for the whole planet!

One of the best gifts that Nene gave to me is a clothes-pin apron.  Woo Hoo!  It is just perfect and has a cute little dog on it.

This evening we watched The Cowboys with John Wayne, a movie that JB received in his stocking.

Saturday 12/27. Well, we made it - our 45th wedding anniversary.  We don't often give each other gifts although we do give cards, but this year was almost a non-event.  Just a nice, relaxing day together.

It began with a temp of 27, overcast skies, and snow in this weekend's forecast.  The snow arrived a little before 5:00 pm and by the time it stopped falling at about 6:30 pm, we had 2-1/4".

I am discovering that the See's candy and eggnog have conspired to enlarge my love handles.  Thank goodness the holidays are almost over.  Going to have to be very active this Spring and Summer. . .

Nene and Randy both called to wish us Happy Anniversary.  I had a very nice chat with both of them.

This evening we watched the first two episodes of season one of DaVinci's Demons, which was one of several TV series our son had given us.  Very well done!

Sunday 12/28.  It was 27 and clear this morning, but the clouds slowly drifted in, and by sunset we were overcast.  We are guessing at the outside temperature based on the fact that the gauge on the porch was usually an average of seven degrees colder that recorded by our weather station, before it got stuck at 33.  Our high for the day was 34.

Our landscape is all white again, the brown spots having been covered by last night's snowfall.  Because it was also covering the hen house roof and darkening the inside, the girls were still roosting when I came to give them their breakfast of oatmeal and bananas, and then corn at 8:30 am.

There were some very dark and ominous clouds just to our south this afternoon, but we only received a few small flakes.  We cleared the snow off the hen house roof, and I gave them fresh straw and pine shavings.  The girls love it when I do that and immediately get busy checking it all out and digging around in it.  It is supposed to be very cold for the next few days.

Snow was falling when JB let the dogs out just before we went to bed and it was obvious that it had been falling for a while.  A perfect night to try out our new fleece sheets for the first time.  They are so soft, and so warm that we had to take our comforter off!  Unfortunately this was on of those nights that when I woke up at 2:00 am I put in a fire and so wanted to crawl back into that cozy bed, but my mind just wouldn't stop.  The two books I read by Eben Alexander have opened the floodgates and caused/allowed a spiritual growth spurt which, in my case, is always followed by volumes of writing.  The words must be expressed as them come or they will be lost.  They must be expressed or I cannot sleep.  Put as simply as possible, I now Know without a doubt that "I am a spiritual being having a human experience" and not the other way around.

Monday 12/29. We awoke to 28 and what looks to be a foot of snow. JB will definitely be plowing the road the morning.  I just hope I can find the hen house in order to feed the girls. . .

Thought for the day: You are not a human being having a spiritual experience, but rather a spiritual being having a human experience.

December 26, 2014 Icy Christmas

Santa JB, courtesy of Aunt Nene!

Our snow-blown path to the
north ridge

Wednesday 12/24.  All the slush turned to ice on Monday and has stayed very slick.  No melting yet as the temperature hovers right around freezing.

We made our Christmas visit to Larry and Elsie on Monday, but even on the frozen road, Miss Kitty did great with her ice chains.

Tuesday was a nice lazy day spent mainly reading books, and JB baked scones.  A double batch so he could take some to Elsie on his way Down There on Wednesday.  

JB left about 9:00 am with three gas cans to fill, a few groceries to get for Christmas Eve snacking and some errands to run.  While he was gone I gave the deer their Christmas dinner of alfalfa pellets, as their dish was empty again.  Then baked cookies and just barely had all everything cleaned up by the time JB arrived back home at 2:30.

I grew up opening presents on Christmas Eve and stockings on Christmas morning, but since it is just the two of us Up Here I like to make it last as long as possible.  So Christmas Eve we had a dinner of summer sausage, ham, cheeses and chips, then watched The Lone Ranger.  I love Johnny Depp movies and this was no disappointment, despite the reviews.  Fantastic!!

Thursday 12/25.  Christmas!!  My favorite day of the year and, really, not just because of the presents (I love presents!), but because of the real meaning of the day.  A true celebration of love.

And a beautiful, sunny day it was, too.  The mountains were hiding in the morning and a few clouds floated over to the south, but the sun shone all day.

Friday 12/26. This morning is 28 with an icy blue sky.  Tomorrow is our 45th wedding anniversary.  My how the time flies. . .

Thank you all for the Christmas wishes!!

Thought for the day: The contented man is never poor; the discontented man never rich. George Eliot

December 24, 2014 Merry Christmas from Rose Camp

Merry Christmas from Rose Camp

December 22, 2014 Snow & Rain & Snow & Rain. . .

Friday' sun as seen from
 the south ridge.

Christmas decorations for the girls.

Friday 12/19. We received 1-1/2" of snow last night and the sun is breaking through the clouds this morning.  JB left for Down There about 9:30 to do his Christmas shopping, two loads of laundry and some other errands, which included mailing the last few Christmas cards that I had forgotten to take with me on Tuesday.  I really do need to make a check list of things to be sure to remember when going Down There.

Had to take the plow off Miss Kitty before he left, which is so much easier than putting it on.  Then he forgot to take the gas cans. . .

Great current issues of Countryside and BackWoods Home.  So many good articles.  And I always enjoy the end-of-the-year issues of Time and Entertainment Weekly, as I did with Life when I was growing up.

While JB was gone, I made the most of all the power flowing into our batteries.  After dishes, I vacuumed very thoroughly.  Then I actually dusted - my Christmas/New Year's cleaning.  With that all done, I finished decorating and put out the gifts.

On our morning walk, the trees wept with joy as the sun began to melt the heavy snow and rime on their branches.  I checked the alfalfa pan up on the east slope and it was completely empty.  So glad, as that obviously means the deer have found it.  Filled it back up and I have enough in the bag for one more fill.  The sun was also melting the snow on our roof, causing it to slide off in a thunderous manner most of the morning.

With the laundry and everything else, it was a long day for JB.  He arrived home just as the dogs and I were on our afternoon walk at 3:30 pm.

Saturday 12/20. It was 32 and snowing big, fluffy flakes when we got up.  We had received 4-1/2" by 9:30 am.  The flakes became smaller but continued to fall all day.

I had nice, long chats with Randy and Nene this morning while drinking my coffee.

After breakfast we put the plow back on Miss Kitty and JB plowed our drive up to and around the south ridge.  Then he used the snow blower to clear paths around the house.  Dinga swallows so much snow while trying to catch it all that she has to pee every 15 minutes for a couple hours afterwards.  While he was using Dinga's favorite toy, I decorated the girls' home.

JB came in for a rest and then plowed our road all the way down to the main canyon road.  We had another inch of snow by 3:30 pm and then it stopped for a while, and . . . wait for it. . .the fog moved in.

I fixed moose stew for dinner and just as it was almost time to dish up, the wind picked up and rain began to fall.  We had gusts up to 23 mph most of the night and received more than an inch of rain.

Sunday 12/21.  Last night was one of those nights that I woke up just after midnight with no inclination to go back to sleep.  An hour of cocoa, sudoku and just enjoying the Christmas ambiance did the trick, making my eyelids heavy.

It was 33 and overcast when JB awoke at 7:00 am.  Where he had used the snow blower yesterday, the paths were dark and slushy.  This cycle of snow then rain then more snow then more rain is really beginning to suck!  In talking with Nene yesterday, we agreed that she would keep the rain on her side of the mountains and we would keep the snow on ours.  I think I owe her some snow.

The wind blew in more rain mid morning that was often mixed with snow.  We must have been right at the lowest snow level.  It was windy all day, but we were on the south edge of the storm and the rain had moved off to the northeast by noon.  The sun was able to shine off and on as clouds blew past, and our high was in the high 30's (our weather machine is stuck on 33).

We swept off what was left of the snow on the hen-house roof, then rolled the tarp completely up.  Probably should have done that in October.  Now the girls will get all the available light as long as we keep the snow off at least half of the roof.  I hope this helps with the egg laying, because we have not received any eggs for about a week now.

I had to clear out both main drainage "ditches" of the slush and let those rivers flow.  One goes down the driveway and the other off the side of the west ridge.

Well, today is the shortest day of the year, and now we can begin our journey back to the light and the longest day of the year.

We have been using candles (mostly wax, but some battery) in the evening so we don't have to use any electricity til we want to watch TV around 7:00 pm, after our evening chat on the radio with Larry and Elsie.  We are on our fourth night of the fourth season of Rizzoli & Isles.  Such an entertaining series!

Tonight I added more candles and it was so beautiful with all the Christmas decorations.

Monday 12/22. It is a breezy 33 this morning with clear skies.  As I sit here in the loft, I am watching the dawn arrive on the snow-covered mountains.  Absolutely stunning!  No better way to start the morning.

Thought for the day: Be comforted in the fact that the ache in your heart and and confusion in your soul means that you are still alive, still human, and still open to the beauty of the world. Paul Harding

December 19, 2014 Snow, Fog & Headlines

Our tipi through a rimed & snowy bush

Rose Camp in the mists

Wednesday 12/17. It was 28 and snowing this morning.  Snow fell until noon and then the fog moved in.  Or maybe that was a cloud.  All looks the same.

We put the plow on Miss Kitty after breakfast.  Then JB got out Dinga's favorite toy - the snow blower, and cleared all around the house.  After lunch he plowed the road, which took a couple hours.  I kept the dogs in the house while he went down the road, and we all napped.  A snuggly winter nap.

Our game cam is on the fritz, so JB is going to try to figure out what is wrong and fix it.  Sometimes it just needs to warm up.

I think from now on I am going to add a little dirt to the rinse water when washing my hair.  Ever since our cistern water got murky, my hair has had a lot more body. . .

At the end of every year the Seattle PI asks readers to submit the headlines they would like to see the next year.  Here are my two picks for 2015:  1) Imposter Impeached! He and his wife indicted, convicted of planning to destroy America and sent to prison for life.  2) Chocolate Found to Cure Cancer!

Our high for today was 31 and we received 4" of snow.

Thursday 12/18. It was 28 and foggy this morning.  And the fog stayed around all day, of course.  Our high was 32.

JB's knee was bothering him today, so I did all his chores in addition to mine.  Took the dogs on their morning walk.  Started the generator in the morning for dishes, and again in the evening.  And actually got some Christmas decorations out.  I swore I was going to do that a couple days ago, but just never made it.  With Christmas day just a week away, I figured I better get with it.

JB stayed inside all day and just enjoyed himself.  Although he really doesn't like me to have to do all his chores, so he probably just stewed most of the day.

Am now rinsing the washed dishes in the sink with a Tbs. of bleach in the water, just to be sure there's not a problem with the cistern water.  Will put a cup of bleach in the cistern tomorrow, and then just let the water level get way down before we fill it back up again.

Friday 12/19. It is 33 this morning and partly cloudy with a breeze.  NO fog!  Woo Hoo!

Thought for the day: A day of worries is more exhausting than a day of work. John Lubbock

December 17, 2014 Snow & Another Latte

Handmade gifts from Suzann
and her daughter, Liz

Life can be rough for our dogs. . .

Monday 12/15.  Was mainly an indoor day, just doing our stuff.  Nice to see white on the ground again.  Still getting an egg every other day.

We put ice chains on Miss Kitty's front tires, which was much easier than putting them on the back ones.

Tuesday 12/16.  Snow was falling and the temp was 28 this morning.  I had decided to go Down There to do laundry and a few errands, so I left in Miss Kitty at about 9:00 am.  Took me an hour and a half to get to town.  Of course that included transferring everything into the Jeep.  About a mile down the paved road, the snow turned to rain.

Most of the laundry was the three new sets of sheets that JB's Mom gave us.  Am anxious to try them out.  Sent out the last of the packages, including Sandy's.  Even though I know she will open it as soon as she gets it, I wasn't sure we could get it there by Christmas if I didn't send it today. 

Got a peppermint mocha latte, and this will definitely, most likely be my last one for a while.  Now it is JB's turn to go Down There.

I let Larry and Elsie's dogs out for a romp and a pee on the way home, and noticed that the snow all around their house was covered in bird tracks.  Too large to be the flock of quail they have who come to share the chickens' corn, so must be turkeys.  Whatever it is, there are lots of them.

The trip down and back up the mountain was beautiful and easier than I thought it might be with ice under the snow.  We received about 1-1/2" for the day.

Watched the last three episodes of season five of Castle.  I loved the ending, and am so glad we have season six.

Wednesday 12/17.  It is 28 and snowing again this morning.  Looks like we might have 3-4 inches and it's still coming down.  We may have a white Christmas after all.

Thought for the day: We are so concerned about how things will turn out.  God seems more concerned about how we will turn out.  Philip Yancey, from his book The Question That Never Goes Away

December 15, 2014 Sunshine, Power & Gin-Soaked Raisins!

As they say west of the Cascades:
"Oh, look! The mountains are out!"

Friday 12/12. Having received some misinformation from clerks at the post office, I drove Down There to pick up a package at the Fed Ex Store.  It seems that neither they nor UPS can deliver to the post office unless the addressee has a post office box.  Since I was going to town, I spent most of the morning frantically addressing Christmas cards and writing notes in them.  Got all but five done that needed additional inserts, so now all but those five are in the mail.

This was my first trip down where I drove Miss Kitty to JB's Wrangler parked at Larry and Elsie's, and then drove in to town.  So coming back up, I remembered the package but forgot the mail pouch in the Jeep.

The skies were overcast but there was no fog all day!  Our high for the day was 41 and the ground remains a mucky mud.  Our road has twice as much mud and there is still lots of ice on the main canyon road, but it is melting.  

Using the gasoline generator is not nearly as easy as using the propane one that can be started from inside the house by just pressing a button.  One of us has to go outside to start to start it, and then outside again to turn it off.

I have read in more than one periodical that gin-soaked raisins are good for arthritis.  Sounded like something I might like to try.  Only have to eat 6-8 of them a day.  The problem is that I don't know which is worse - the taste of the raisins or the pain of the arthritis.  Ewwww!

Saturday 12/13.  It was 38 with a clear, blue sky this morning.  No clouds and lots of power all day long!  Woo Hoo!  And with last night's low temp, the mud had hardened, so we didn't squish wherever we walked.

I spent time in the morning printing everything I needed from the past week, including a couple Christmas cards I had forgotten.

With all the dirt getting into the cistern, I thought we should dig down to where the pipe enters the tank to see if there is a break there, like a couple years ago.  The ground was only firm for a few inches down and then it was mud.  It took us almost two hours to dig a 1-1/2' X 2-1/2' hole.  I got so frustrated that I completely lost it and began railing against all the forces causing all this.  Obviously in need of a time out, I went up to the south ridge and sat on my bench for a little while.  In the sun.  Turns out there is no break that we could see.  When the ground gets so saturated from all the snow melt and rain, we usually end up with murky water.  So next summer we are going to dig down to see where it may be seeping in and try to stop it.  It was definitely an ibuprofen night. . .

Sunday 12/14.  It was 30 with bright, blue skies again this morning, and a little fog in the river valleys.  I will never again take those clear skies for granted.  Unfortunately by 2:00 pm the clouds had moved in, and so had some fog, but we were still able to pull in a lot of power and get electricity things done.

I called Sandy and Randy this morning, as I had pretty much been out of communication with all our power issues.  Hadn't even taken time on my computer to check my email.

We both puttered around inside and out, after a nice brunch of eggs and pancakes with vanilla and cinnamon baked in.

Elsie called about 2:00 pm to see if they could come up and play marbles.  Well, of course!  And I asked if they could bring up the forgotten bag of mail.   They got here about 4:00 pm and we had a great time, as usual.  It is amazing how many games come down to just one roll.  This time the guys made it.

In the mail was our gift from my cousin who always makes a Christmas decoration for us.  This year is was a beautiful poinsettia made from toilet paper rolls, a sparkly snowflake made from puzzle pieces and a bag of reindeer noses, six brown and one red.  Okay, now I am officially in the Christmas spirit.  Will be getting the decorations out tomorrow.  Thank you, Suzann!

Monday 12/15. It is 29 and overcast this morning.  Sometime after 5:00 am we received a light dusting of snow.

Thought for the day: Remember, if Christmas isn't found in your heart, you won't find it under the tree.  cherishyourday.com

December 12, 2014 And The Adventure Continues. . .

Our daily view to the south. . .

. . . and to the north.

Wednesday 12/10. Getting a good internet signal in the fog/cloud is like trying to get one under water!  Extremely difficult.

JB called from Down There when he arrived to meet his brother and told me that he had just barely made it down the road and would not be going up again.  So when he called to say he was on his way back, I drove Miss Kitty down to Larry and Elsie's to meet him.  There was still some ice on our road, but the main canyon road was a solid sheet of it.  Good thing we have ice chains on Miss Kitty.  I made it down without any sliding; just took my time.  We loaded everything into the back of Miss Kitty and left JB's Jeep there for the winter.  I drove back up with no problems.

JB said that driving down, just above Larry and Elsie's house, it was the first time that he had ever had to use the emergency brake to stop a vehicle.  He thought he was going to end up in their chicken coup!  Pretty sure he changed his pants when he got home. . .

Things are melting much more slowly down in the canyon that at Rose Camp as we have been warmer Up Here.  Last night, when we talked to Larry on the radio, it was 32 at their place and 43 at ours.

JB's Mother had sent two boxes and two large bags over with his brother!  This included a bag of books for me that she had read.  We enjoy the same kind of reads - mysteries - so she sends over hers when she is done with them.  She also sent us three sets of fleece sheets!  They feel so soft and are so thick that we probably won't need blankets with them.  She also included our Christmas presents and See's Candies.  Oh, goodie!

Our high for the day was 41 and we never did get out of the fog/clouds, of course.

Thursday 12/11.  It was 34 and overcast this morning, but no fog to begin with.  Instead we had rain that tried very hard to be snow, but never made it for more than a few minutes at a time, and kept that up most of the day.  When it wasn't raining, we were just sitting in the cloud.

We turned on the generator to wash the dishes and our hair, then I finished decorating our Christmas cards and began addressing them.

With all this rain, even the cistern is filling up by itself.  When we checked it in the early afternoon, the water was almost to the top.  So we hooked up a hose to the hydrant and drained 20 - 30 gallons so it wouldn't overflow.  There is mud everywhere.  Sloppy, mucky mud.  All I can say is thank goodness for the See's Candies that JB's Mom sent us with her Christmas gifts.

And, speaking of Christmas, with all this mud and fog, I am having a hard time getting into the spirit.  Haven't got any decorations out yet.

Mid-afternoon I drove Miss Kitty down to Larry and Elsie's again.  This time in order to let the dogs out for a romp and pee, then in for a treat.  This so Larry and Elsie could go out to dinner and then to their oldest grandson's school play.  Most of the ice had melted on our road and on the hill just above their place, so the drive was a little easier today.

Every time the dogs go outside, they have to have their paws wiped off when they come back in.  And, when it is raining, they have to be dried off all over.  Needless to say, we have been letting them out as little as possible.

The wind picked up early in the evening, and by the time we went to bed at 9:30 pm, we could see some stars.

Friday 12/12. It is 38 and overcast this morning, but I can actually see the mountains.  No fog!!

Thought for the day: There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. . . One is by the sword, the other by debt.  John Adams, 1826.

December 10 2014 Enough With the Fog Already!!!

Valley fog & mountain sun Tuesday afternoon

Monday 12/8. There was no fog in town, just an 1800 ft ceiling, and Rose Camp is at 3850 ft.  Enough already!  Fog, clouds, whatever!  I really would like to see the sun for more than 30 minutes a day. . .

Got six loads of laundry done, errands & shopping done, and were home a little before 2:00 pm.  Unloaded everything and ate lunch, then Larry arrived to help JB hook up the generator to the inverter.  And thank goodness for him! 

We received our Christmas card from our son and daughter-in-law.  She always creates such beautiful cards with family photos.  It is just very hard watching our grandchildren grow up in pictures and on Facebook. . .

While they were out there working, I was inside working.  Putting all the clothes away and cleaning up a bit.  By 4:30 pm the guys had everything hooked up and the generator going.  We let it run for an hour in order to flush-&-fill (flush the toilet, fill the water jugs and fill the pipes) and power up the batteries.  Then we ate dinner and just flopped on the couch to watch some more Castle.

Our high for the day was 39, all the while engulfed in clouds. . . again.

Tuesday 12/9.  This morning began with 34 degrees, overcast skies with occasional drizzles and, of course, fog.  NOAA can't make up its mind about whether we are going to get rain or snow.  Regardless of their forecast, we ended up with 1/4" of rain and a high of 40.  Lots of the white ground cover is melting, but there is still a lot of ice, so we did not take off our Snow Tracks.

We put a tarp from the roof of the battery room down over the generator so we could run it while it was raining.  Did the dishes, finally. . .  JB worked outside a lot preparing for wiring the gasoline generator into the well pump, etc.  I worked on decorating our Christmas cards.  Don't want to emboss any more as I need to use the heat gun which pulls too much electricity, so I am putting glitzy ribbon on the rest of them.  

We actually saw some blue sky along with the sun this afternoon, and by sundown the sky was fairly clear.  Oh, how nice!  And, yep, we got another egg today.

Wednesday 12/10. It is 37 and foggy this morning.  Rain fell during the night, so the ground has gone from white back to brown.  Mud brown.

JB left for Down There at about 7:45 am.  His Brother has to drive to Quincy today and is going to meet him downtown with the Christmas package and books from their Mom.

Thought for the day: I never knew God was all I needed until God was all I had. Debbie Smith, Guideposts reader.

December 8, 2014 Ice & More Eggs!

RJ's snowy cabin

A rimed leaf

Friday 12/5. The cistern seems to have filled itself a little bit in the past week, but the water isn't as crystal clear as it usually is.  A bit murky.  It may have been roiling up some sediment as coursed down in the depths.  Meanwhile, we are drinking bottled water.

The fog finally succeeded in enveloping us around 11:00 am.  My brother is at his cabin for several days so I drove Miss Kitty down to seem him after lunch and discovered that we are not encased in fog, but rather low clouds.  Had a nice visit and took his Christmas package to him, which saves me a bit of postage.  He was going to come up for breakfast tomorrow morning, but he is so warm and cozy in the cabin, with no urgent outside projects, that he decided to stay where he is and not venture out.

JB did more troubleshooting on the propane generator with the list that was emailed to him, but he is at the point where he has to take the top off and that has turned out to be much more if a project than he anticipated.  So tomorrow we are going to work on getting the gasoline generator from the shop moved up to the battery room and hooked up.  Then we will tackle the lid.

The girls (probably Belinda) gave us another egg today!  We have had one every other day now since Monday.  Hooray!

The whole day was rather dreary sitting up here in the clouds, but that makes it seem all the more cozy inside.  And makes me all the more sleepy. . .

Saturday 12/6. It was 31 and still foggy.  We received a little under an inch of sleet/ice pellets early this morning, so now the ground is really crunchy.  JB and Dinga were out at 7:00 am to clean off the solar panels.

By 11:00 am the sun had managed to burn off the higher fog, but we only saw the sun for about a half an hour.  Then the clouds moved back in front of it.  

After we filled the tires on the gasoline generator, we pulled and pushed it up to the battery room.  Should be able to do laundry tomorrow.  But JB did not have the right type of plug to wire the generator, so he will drive down to Larry's first thing tomorrow to get one.

By 2:00 pm the sun had re-appeared, along with some blue sky and our batteries were sucking in the power.  I washed the dishes and my hair, then vacuum sealed several left-overs for the freezer.

With all this power, we watched Castle this evening.  That last two episodes of season four and the first episode of season five, which I finally was able to find, along with season six, on GoHastings.com for a reasonable price.

Sunday 12/7. It was 28 and still foggy with several back-to-back storms on the way for the week.  The fog/clouds never lifted and by the end of the day we were sitting in a rimed landscape.  Everything is icy.  The ground, the windshields, the porch.  Everything outside.

JB drove Miss Kitty down to Larry's to get the plug for the generator and didn't have too much of a problem, but when he got back he discovered that none of the plugs are the type we need.  JB will drive us both Down There tomorrow so I can catch up on the wash at the laundromat, while he buys some plugs and does other errands.

Our high for the day was 31.  And, for me, it was definitely another indoor day.  I defrosted the fridge and baked some banana-chocolate chip coffee cake.

JB picked up the card from the game cam on his way back up.  There were lots of videos of deer, including the doe and her twins, who are now almost as big as she is.  Also two large buck, with fine sets of antlers.

We had just enough power to watch Castle again.  Forgot how much I enjoyed it.

Monday 12/8.  It was 33 and STILL foggy! My bladder had woken me up at 2:00 am, so after taking care of that, I put in a small fire.  Just as I got back in bed and my head hit the pillow, a screech owl let his presence be know.  If I had not learned to recognize that eerie scream for what it is, I probably would have gotten right back up to see if I could spot the cougar in the grove.

 We left just before 9:00 am and the drive wasn't nearly as slickery as I thought it might be.  And, once again, we were in low clouds not fog.  I was unable to get a good signal for my computer at home, so I am posting my blog from the laundromat, which is why it is so late.

Thought for the day: Winter is on my head, but eternal Spring is in my heart.  Victor Hugo

December 5, 2014 Generator, Batteries & Eggs

Our crystallized snow

Wednesday 12/3. I love my slow mornings.  Slow retirement mornings.  And, even better, slow mornings with a newspaper to read while sipping my eggnog-laced coffee.

After breakfast I cut JB's hair and then he left for Down There to get some parts for the generator connections.  Still cannot get it going.  

The girls gave us an egg on Monday and another on this morning!  Probably because I have finally stopped trying to introduce new food into their diet, like alfalfa pellets and flax seed.  They seem to be a lot like JB - Change is fine as long as nothing is different.

The sky was overcast by mid afternoon and our high was 29.  I kept busy while JB was gone doing what seemed like a zillion little things inside and out.  Not the least of which was cleaning out the girls' pen of frozen poop, and dragging out two large branches that were blown down in the grove during our last big wind storm.  Took them over to the wood cradle.  Seems like every time I was ready to stop, I found something else to do.

And, speaking of the wood cradle, we never did get the new one built this past summer.  I look at our to-do list and see several items not yet crossed out.  It is so easy to sit by a warm stove in the winter and make a long list of things to do in warmer weather.  Just as it is easy to make a list in the summer of little things that can be done inside in the winter.  Of course the budget is often the naysayer for warm-weather projects, like the shed/garage for the tractor, MAX, and Miss Kitty.

When JB returned home, he was still unable to get the generator started.  He called the Onan center in Yakima and they wanted to know if we wanted someone to come out.  They only charge $3.50 per mile and Yakima is about 100 miles from us.  Instead, they e-mailed a list of things for JB to check.  The local dealer they recommended doesn't do house calls. 

On his way back, JB had stopped by Larry and Elsie's to pick up a digital volt meter that Larry left out for him.  He also let the dogs out for a romp and put some more wood in their two stoves.

So no power tonight.  The batteries are fine during the day when the panels are bringing in power, but they are quickly sucked low when no energy is coming in.  Looks like our whole system may need replacing.  The Universe is really going to have a job coming through on this situation.  It is always fascinating to watch the solution unfold.  That being said, I am still learning patience and working on my faith in these matters.  I tend to initially get very irritable, and even downright bitchy.  But I am pleased to say that I am learning to temper my outbursts and offer apologies.  So very many lessons to learn. . . 

Thursday 12/4. This morning was 24 and overcast with an air stagnation warning in effect through Saturday.  Don't know what happened to the snow we were supposed to get.  And the bitch disappeared with a good night's sleep.

If we have many more evenings without electricity, I may be writing reams with each posting.  But depending up how this all goes, I may not be posting on a regular basis.  We will just have to see. 

Today JB tested the batteries with Larry's volt meter and we found that the replacement battery isn't up to snuff.  He also worked on the generator with the list of suggestions that was emailed to him.  He was able to get it started and running, but the power light is blinking.  So tomorrow he will take take the cover off to do some more checking and be sure there isn't some little critter nesting inside.

With the batteries working during the day, even though we didn't have much sunshine, we turned the power on to see if we could get the bare minimum done: fill the water containers; wash my hair; wash two days' worth of dishes.  The inverter let us know that the power was waning just as I was rinsing out the dish pan.  Talk about Universal timing. . .  

In checking the batteries, JB had found a frayed end on one of the cables which he fixed.  Even though one of the batteries is a bit low, this cable could be the main problem.  I guess we will see.

Just before we were done, a short squall of sleet-snow-rain moved through.  Fog tried several time to climb up to Rose Camp but was never quite successful.  Our high for the day was 30.

We kept the power on this evening and had no problems watching a movie, Red2.  Absolutely hilarious!  So very well done.  And, since we did have power, maybe we can limp through for a while longer, until we can replace our battery bank with a different kind of battery.

Tomorrow we will plug the washing machine into the shop generator in order to do the laundry.

Friday 12/5. Once again the morning is 24 and overcast.  A very thick, low overcast that has cut the mountains down low.

Thought for the day: My life has been full of many troubles, most of which never happened.  Unknown

December 3, 2014 A Warming Trend?

A frigid scene

Monday 12/1. I went on the morning walk with JB and the dogs.  Just had to get my patootie outside.  Our high for the day was 8.  Our low for the day was 8.  Like the wind, this is getting old.

Our one inch of snow crunches like it was six inches.  Can't sneak up on anyone in this. . .

We put chains on the rear wheels of Miss Kitty.  Will probably put them on the front also when we need to use the snow plow again, which could be very soon according to NOAA.  Larry got sand in the back of his pickup and put the plow on the front in order to be ready.

The alfalfa pellets I had dumped out near the stump way up on the east ridge were almost gone, so I put out another pan of them.  So glad someone (deer and/or rabbits) is eating them.

The worst part about these cold, cold days is getting up in the morning. . .

Tuesday 12/2. It was 10 with blue skies when I left for Down There this morning.  Drove JB's Jeep in 4-low down to the pavement.  At 5mph, that four miles takes almost an hour, but it is a beautiful drive.  Coming back up doesn't take quite so long.  Our high for the day was 19, and NOAA is calling for more "normal" temps.

Loaded up on books at the Salvation Army store; cataloges at the mail box; some groceries at Costco and Fred Meyer.  Mailed all but two Christmas boxes.  I can't mail Sandy's until late December, as she opens it as soon as she received it!

Depending upon how much of the forecast snow we actually receive, this may have been my last trip for this year.  When it gets to that point, we are going to use JB's Jeep for the winter and leave mine Up Here for a change.

Lots of newspapers and magazines!  I love a newspaper with my morning coffee.  And, speaking of coffee, I had my first eggnog latte of the season this morning.  Yummmm!  Oh, dear! If indeed this is my last trip down this year, then that was also my last eggnog latte.

JB spent a lot of time checking out the batteries today.  We still have issues with losing power too quickly.  He got up for my fire watch last night and his, so I could be sure and get a good night's sleep since I was going Down There today.  By 8:30 pm he couldn't keep his eyes open and hit the sack.  I wasn't far behind.

The moon is in its waxing mode and the snow sparkles in its light.  So beautiful.

Wednesday 12/3. We are at a "toasty" 22 degrees this morning, with mostly clear skies.  There is a dark bank of clouds on the western horizon.  Perhaps the pending snow.

Thought for the day: There is a higher court than the court of justice, and that is the court of conscience.  It supersedes all other courts. Mhatma Gandhi

December 1, 2014 Smoke & A Jury-Rigged Battery

Looking down to our house from
the south ridge.

Our jury-rigged battery

Friday 11/28.  I must say, I am getting very tired of all this wind.  Enough already!  I think our first four seasons Up Here were the only "normal" ones we have had.  A hot Summer; a cool, colorful Fall; a very cold and snowy Winter; a Spring bursting with wildflowers.  Since then we have not had four "normal" seasons in a row.

I worked on finishing Christmas presents this morning and wrapping them, knowing that we would be spending the afternoon working in the battery shed.  We tried everything we could think of to get the bad battery out of the metal rack.  The temperature started falling in the morning and kept steadily at it all day, so finally we just let the project go until tomorrow.  We will just do without electricity for the night.  At least the wind backed off as the air cooled.

We lit lots of candles this evening, and used our neck lights to read books.

Saturday 11/29. It was 17, overcast and foggy this morning.  A light snow began to fall around 9:00 am.  The snow, fog and sun were all intermittent until noon when the snow took over and we ended up with a little more than an inch.  This was to be our warmest day for a while, but even NOAA isn't quite sure exactly what's going to happen.

We ended up jury-rigging the spare battery.  Laid it on some wood facing the bad battery and wired it in that way.  We are up and running, and the battery will probably stay that way until we get warmer weather in the Spring.  It weighs about 75 lbs.

Our high temperature for the day was 29, but that couldn't have been for very long as it had already cooled back down to 15 by the time we went on our afternoon walk at 3:30 pm.  I gave the girls more straw and shavings, and had to break the ice on their water several times during the day.

I finally finished the Christmas gifts and wrapping them.  Also finished printing most of our Christmas cards.

Set the alarm to get up at 2:00 am and check the fire.  It's going to be a cold one tonight.

Sunday 11/30.  It was a frigid 7 degrees this morning with clear skies and no wind.  Yes!  I was still in bed a little before 8:00 am when I heard the dogs barking in the house.  JB would not let them out, and then I heard a gunshot.  Seems there were two coyotes on the east slope.  Haven't seen or heard any in a couple years.  There's nothing like a close gun report to get one out of bed, and to scatter coyotes.

I called Sandy and then Randy this morning.  It is finally raining in California.  Lots of snow in north Idaho and Randy used his leaf blower to get rid of the snow on his porch.  Very clever.

We had decided to take today off and cook our Thanksgiving dinner.  Got the small turkey in at 10:30 am, then JB started all the vehicles and ran them while I brought in fire wood.  I was finally able to do my holiday cleaning, four days after the first holiday of the season.  Just haven't had many clear, sunny days in which to vacuum.

JB saw a lot of rabbit tracks all over, so maybe that's why the coyotes were Up Here. . . 

Frozen glitter was gently pushed off the trees by a soft breeze, making our white landscape a fairyland.  Everything sparkled in the sunlight.

We ate dinner a little after 2:30 pm and got to enjoy Elsie's homemade cranberry chutney a second time, as she had sent some home with us.  The chutney she made the evening before Thanksgiving, wearing her heavy coat.  When they got home from work that evening, their downstairs was so full of smoke that they couldn't see one foot into the house.  They opened the door and the poor dogs and cats came scampering out.  It seems that when they left for work, the downstairs' wood stove was not going strong enough and ended up smoldering and smoking.  Not quite as much smoke upstairs, but they had to open every window in the house and put on fans for several hours.  Brrrrr!

The girls have not been finishing their oatmeal the past few days.  I think my Aunt Nene may have been talking to them.  She hates oatmeal from having to eat so much of it growing up.  Grandma would make her sit at the table until she finished it.  At least I don't do that to the girls.

With all the sleep I didn't get last night, my turkey-tummy overcame my desire for an afternoon walk.  JB and Dinga went for the walk while Jesse and I napped on the couch.  Because of the snow covering their clear hen-house roof, the girls were already roosting for the night when JB went to feed them their afternoon corn coming back home from the walk.  I will have to get that cleaned off tomorrow.

Our high for the day was 15, and it is supposed to be like this for a few more days.

Monday 12/1. It is 8 with clear skies this morning.  Going to be another frigid day.

Thought for the day: For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances, as though they were realities, and are often more influenced by the things that seem than by those that are. Niccola Machiavelli