March 31, 2014 Mud Season

Bird house from Aunt Nene.

Friday 3/28. The falling snow turned to rain about 11:00 am and then stopped shortly thereafter.  The fog moved in.  The temperature rose to 39 and the 1" snow we received began to melt.  But more snow fell through the fog on and off all afternoon, too wet to stick and by 4:00 pm it was raining again.

Rufus is predicting that the next two to three weeks will be wet.  At our altitude, we could get a little snow, but it sounds like mostly rain.  Rufus is actually more accurate that NOAA.  Weather Cafe by Rufus can be found at ovs.com.

It was mostly an indoor day of chores, reading, crossword puzzles, sudoku and computer.  But it was pizza night!  

Saturday 3/29.  The morning began clear at 33 degrees and with some river valley fog.  The dogs woke me up about 6:30 am and I stayed up.  I guess the early morning light is finally getting to me.

The Mission Ridge avalanche canon is really booming today.  Larry says they also use dynamite, and with the explosions so close together, that is probably what they are using today.

I climbed the ladder up to the weather station again and drilled a tiny hole so I could get the second screw in that holds it to the mounting post.  Then we finally put the birdhouse outside that my Aunt Nene had given to us Christmas 2012.  I had been using it as a decoration inside.

Then the dogs and I went tromping about on the east slope and south ridge.  Jesse was tracking something way past the fence to the east.  He came back twice, only to go right back up.  JB finally went out to see where Jesse was going and it occurred to me that he had wanted us to follow him each time he came back.  When they both came back down, JB said he had heard a dog or two (or wolf?) barking and assumed they were feral.  Not coyotes yipping, but dogs barking.  Hmmm.

Our high for the day was 49 with a maximum wind speed of 16 mph.  As usual, the clouds began moving in around mid-morning and by mid-afternoon the sky was mostly overcast with the sun finding a few cracks to peek through.  A little after 3:00 pm a sleet and snow squall moved through and then we had sun and mostly blue sky.

We are going to drive down to Larry and Elsie's tomorrow evening to play some marbles.  Larry asked me if I really liked losing that much, but we'll see what happens.

We watched the last of The Walking Dead season three, and I am sure we will watch it several more times.

Sunday 3/30.  It was 33 and clear this morning with a breeze.  JB made German pancakes this morning, which we haven't had in a while.  Yum!

Before lunch we drove Miss Kitty down to where her snow plow was sitting.  We were able to put it back on her and drive it home.  Sure felt good to get it Up Here.

Living and doing for ourselves Up Here has convinced me that "experts" are over rated.  With experts in every profession, we tend to rely on them instead of ourselves.  I know that is part of what makes a community, but it also compartmentalizes everyone.  My Uncle Jack was a "Jack-of-all-trades."  He was the ultimate handyman and more, and I was so envious.  JB and I did some things for ourselves, and perhaps more than many do, but Up Here we are learning - by necessity - to be more self-sufficient every day.  And it is a very good feeling.  We may not be able to grow a lot of our food, but I think other than medical care, that is our only weakness.

But still, we are part of a small community and everyone needs that.  Being self-reliant doesn't necessarily meaning going it alone.  It also means sharing those abilities with neighbors.  And that's what it is all about.  Even if it is just your friendship.  That in itself is an extremely important ability.  

We left for Larry and Elsie's at 6:30 and didn't get back home until a little after 11:00 pm.  Great visit.  Great competition.  Guys won the first game.  Girls won the second.  The tie breaker came down to whoever rolled a one first, and JB did.  Elsie has her plant starts sitting in windows, and they brought home the chicks on Saturday, who are now in a big box near the wood stove in the living room.  As the weather warms up, they will put them in a small pen near the chicken coop so the other chickens can get used to them before they put the little ones in with the big ones.

Monday 3/31.  It is 30 and clear this morning, and I am slowly waking up.  It's a good thing I wrote most of this last night before we left. . .

Thought for the day: Don't cloud my happy!  Elsie

March 28, 2014 Our Own Weather Station

Wild Rose attaching the weather station
to the pole outside.

Our weather station!

Wednesday 3/26. We finally installed our weather station outside that our son had given us for Christmas.  JB wanted to put it on a really tall pole, so we attached one to the northeast corner of the woodshed pen.  I'm sure he wanted it that high because he knew the smallest and lightest of the two of us would have to climb the ladder to install it.  And I did (see photo above.)  I didn't even breathe, let alone move, while JB was taking that picture and not holding the ladder for me.  It will take two weeks for the forecasting part of it to work correctly, but everything else seems to be doing great.

By the time we were done, it was too late to bake cookies, but I did bake corn bread to go with our chili dinner.  So nice to have an oven again!  And it feels so good to have fixed it ourselves.

JB is going Down There tomorrow to fill our gas cans and run a couple errands, including mailing a birthday card to our Granddaughter who turns seven next week.

After dinner we watched a couple episodes of season four of True Blood.  I think when we finish this season and the one of Vampire Diaries, I'll be done with vampires.  However, I doubt that I will ever tire of zombies and The Walking Dead.

And speaking of eerie, with so much of our snow having melted, the nights are much darker now, especially the moonless ones.

Thursday 3/27. The morning began partly cloudy and 33 (26 on the porch).  I figured the weather station would record warmer temperatures than the gauge on the porch.  The sun doesn't hit the porch much and I'm sure the cold reflects off the metal side of the house.  But what I really like is to be able measure the wind.  Larry says we will probably scare ourselves knowing how strong it is.  We set an alarm for when it hits 70 mph.  If that alarm ever goes off, I am heading straight for the trap door and sliding underneath the house!

JB got about a half and hour later start than he wanted as Jesse was on a long after-breakfast jaunt.  We have to have both dogs in the house or they will follow him.

The sun disappeared behind clouds around noon while I was baking cookies.  Lots of cookies.  JB arrived back home at about 1:30 pm, and as soon as we unloaded everything and JB got into the house, the wind blew in a half-hour snow "storm."  Then it blew the clouds away and we had a sunny rest of the afternoon.

Our weather station can tell us just about everything that is going on outside and keep a history of it.  Our strongest wind gust for the day was 16 mph, and we received .01" of precipitation.  The high temperature for the day was 49 (42 on the porch).

I want to go Down There next Tuesday for some groceries.  JB was surprised that I want to go down so early in the year, but I'm ready.  The road is ready.  And Miss Kitty is ready and able.

Friday 3/28. It was 33 and snowing when we got up.  Small, wet flakes.  And it looks like it's been at it for a while as the ground is already turning white.  NOAA is has a winter storm warning through tomorrow morning for elevations over 3000'.  That would be us. . .

Thought for the day: Almost half of the people over 40 believe they look younger than they are.  This says something important about older Americans: We have terrible eyesight! Dave Barry

March 26, 2014 A Working Oven!

So recently covered with snow. .
(A spot on our north ridge)

Monday 3/24.  We could see blue sky all day through the light overcast and the sun was able to shine through it.  Our high for the day was 38.

The temperature was just 26 when we left at 9:45 to drive Miss Kitty down to Larry and Elsie's.  I got to drive this time and, although there was still quite a bit of ice, Miss Kitty did great with ice chains just on the back wheels.  We had a fun drive and visit.  They had just finished laying a beautiful wood floor in their bedroom yesterday and Larry was working on the finishing touches.  It had  to have been at least 15 degrees warmer at their place.  We put the items from my Jeep that JB could not fit in MAX and drove back home.  Even going uphill in the icy spots was fairly easy.

After lunch we all decided to take a nap, but by the time I got to the bedroom, JB and the dogs were settled in with no room for me.  So I took my nap on the couch. . .

Talked to our son today as I do several times a week and he was telling me about our Granddaughter's love for reading.  (She is 7 years old.)  Unfortunately she reads out loud.  One evening last week, both children had gone to bed but were still reading.  Our son was downstairs listening to his daughter and just dying.  She was reading a book with several characters and giving them all a different voice.  Finally he sneaked up the stairs to try and take a video of her, but by then she had finished the book.  Sure wish we lived closer.

Tuesday 3/25. This morning broke overcast with 30 degrees and NOAA is predicting rain.  This may be the start of mud season, as so far the cool temperatures have kept the mud fairly firm.  A few snow flakes fell about 10:00 am but soon turned to rain drops for a short shower.

I noticed a junco checking out the bird house, but the holes are just too small.  Haven't seen the wren yet.  Just two weeks ago we were solidly in Winter, and now it is definitely Spring!

After lunch our project was to put the new part in the oven.  JB had printed out another customer's how-to description and it turned out to be fairly easy.  The longest part was cleaning the oven. . .  Am definitely going to bake cookies tomorrow, and maybe even some banana coffee cake, as we have one banana left that is quickly browning.

We heard thunder about 3:00 pm and a few moments later the rain arrived.  Turned out to be just another short shower, but not nearly so light.  It smelled so good outside as I was getting the wood and then taking the dogs on their walk.  While I did that, JB was checking out the weather station our son gave to us for Christmas.  We plan to put it up tomorrow, finally.

We watched two episodes of season three of Downton Abbey and right now I am very upset with Mr. Julian Fellows (the writer).

Wednesday 3/26.  It is 25 and overcast with more rain on the way.  I am still quite upset with Mr. Fellows.  If he ever writes Maggie Smith (Granny) out of the series, he will ruin it.  Oh, I will still watch it, but it will be ruined.

Thought for the day: As your faith is strengthened, you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit.  Emmanuel Teney   (This is the only description I have ever seen that expresses my belief system so well. Rose)

March 24, 2014 Spring!!

Turkey tracks on the lower road on the south ridge.
Little arrows pointing in the opposite direction
it was walking.

Friday 3/21. I was looking forward to Spring for so long and thinking it would never get here, that I completely missed its arrival yesterday!  I am usually right on top of the equinoxes and solstices.  But here we are, officially into Spring.  Hurray!  So I celebrated with two oatmeal/raisin cookies for breakfast.  Thank you, Elsie.

On our morning walk, the north ridge and grove were full of birds.  I could see several kinds, including robins and juncos.  JB is much better than I am at identifying the birds and remembering their names.  I could also hear a woodpecker, wild turkey and the blue grouse with his mating call..

I finished the fifth Jason Bourne book and started the sixth.  There are eight so far and I am on a roll.  There's a great line in book five about a PDA.  The guy calls it his "PET: personal electronic thingy."  I love it!

I can see buds on my lilac and nine-bark bushes, when less than two weeks ago they were all completely covered with snow.  You wouldn't even have known they were there.

The dogs and I went hiking about on the east ridge after lunch and then I worked a bit in the wood shed.  The row of kindling was leaning precariously outward, so I re-stacked it.  Also pulled out the really tiny twigs and stacked them separately.  I think we are going to have enough wood left for next winter!

After our afternoon walk and feeding the dogs, I lay down for what turned out to be a delicious two-hour nap.  My, that felt good.

I am often surprised at how much I enjoy writing about our weather, but as I think I mentioned before, I have never lived where I have had such an intimate relationship with it.  Today, like the past several days, started out clear, but clouds began moving in around noon.  There was always some blue sky though, and the sun shone most of the time.  Our high for the day was 31.

I watched the movie, Narnia, this evening.  One of my favorite movies and books.

Saturday 3/22.  I got up at 7:15 am knowing that JB would be calling around 8:00 am when he left Seattle.  It's a good thing I did get up so early as he actually called at 7:30 am, getting an early start.

The morning began clear again, with a temperature of 20.  And again, the clouds began moving across the sky around mid-day.  But it was warmer, with a high of 36.

On our morning walk, the dogs flushed a couple of grouse out at the south ridge.  Dinga is also flushing out the smaller birds that she sees in bushes.  And the birds are everywhere.  They certainly didn't miss Spring's arrival.

JB made good time and after running a few errands Down There, was home at 1:30 pm.  The main canyon road is mainly bare of ice and not yet too muddy, but our road was very icy, so he had to go slow with MAX so the tracks wouldn't come off.  They tend to do that on hard surfaces.  But this will be the last trip down with MAX for sure, as one of JB's errands was to pick up the chains he had ordered for Miss Kitty.

It was so good to have him back.  The dogs thought so too.  JB said that after a week in Seattle in March, he could already feel the webbing between his toes start to grow back.

He brought the mail and lots of newspapers to read, and the most heavenly GF chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting from Trader Joe's.  After dinner we got back on our TV series' schedule and watched two episodes of season three of The Walking Dead.

Sunday 3/23.  Another clear morning with a temperature of 24.  And a big breakfast with newspapers and magazines to read.  So nice!

When doing the dishes, I realized that having JB back for just two meals created about ten times the amount of dishes I would have used. . .

After lunch, JB went out to clear a couple areas of snow with the tractor on the road to the south ridge where it hasn't melted.  I brought in wood, and then we put the chains on Miss Kitty's back tires.  The chains for the front tires have to be cut to fit.  We tried her out with just the back ones on, as most of the ice is soft now.  JB drove her down to the short cut to RJ's and back up again.  The dogs had a nice run and I had a great ride.  Don't think we'll need the second set of chains til next winter.  Tomorrow we will drive Miss Kitty down to my Jeep at Larry and Elsie's to get the few items that JB didn't have room for on MAX.  

Kathleen Jarschke-Schultze's article in the April/May issue of Home Power Magazine is a must-read for anyone planning to live off the grid.  She and her husband have been doing just that for 28 years now and have probably come up against all the challenges such a life affords.  But, like us, they love it and "wouldn't trade it for anything."

Monday 3/24.  It is 24 and clear this morning.  And JJ - the jig is up.

Thought for the day: For every minute you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of potential happiness.  Edna Trammell from Guideposts magazine

March 21, 2014 Cookies & Ice Cream!

The north edge of the storm over us.

A bloom on the south ridge!

Wednesday 3/19.  It tried snowing at about 10:00 am but wasn't too successful, and during our walk at 10:30 am, the sun broke through the clouds.

Dinga spends most of her days outside now, if it isn't windy, rolling in or eating what is left of the snow; barking at critters real or imagined; or lying on her bed on the porch.  If Jesse isn't outside, he is in lying by the fire or sleeping on our bed.  Since JB has been gone, he sleeps on our bed most of the night.  That's nice, but he snores almost as loud and JB, and when he dreams, his kicking really jostles the bed.

Found a tiny cricket in the bathtub.  Now there's a sure sign of Spring.

I started the fifth book in the Jason Bourne series.  Did the laundry and dishes.  Checked the cistern, but it still does not need any water.  It's been that way for more than a week now.

Snow began falling again about 1:00 pm.  The sun was shining from the south, but the wind was blowing in a wall of snow from the west.  The worst of it never arrived though.  We seemed to always just be on the edge of the storm, so just sporadic snow and lots of wind.  Our high for the day was 37.

I don't mind the wind so much in the late Winter and early Spring as at once it both helps to melt the snow and dry the mud.

Thursday 3/20.  18 and clear this morning.  A trace of snow fell during the night.  Just enough to turn the bare ground white again, or at least until the sun hits it.  But clouds started skooting across the sky late in the morning and every little one that passed over us tried dropping a few snow flakes, as if shaking off their dandruff.

I took advantage of the sun and vacuumed right after we got back from our morning walk.  I'd meant to do that yesterday, but didn't get motivated until it was too late and the clouds had moved in.

About 1:30 pm it began snowing in earnest, very tiny flakes.  Again today we are right on the edge of the storm that is playing havoc on the mountain passes.  This shower only lasted about a half an hour, but it continued to snow in fits and spurts throughout the afternoon.  Sometimes flakes, sometimes tiny balls of sleet.  Out high for the day was only 29.

This evening I could see the thick, new coat of snow on the mountains, the clouds obviously having spent most of their load before reaching us.

Larry and Elsie drove/slid up to visit bringing gifts of cookies and ice cream!  How very, very lovely.  We had a good visit, and before they were out of sight, I was enjoying the ice cream. . .

Friday 3/21.  It is 17 and clear out there this morning, and the dogs are out chasing some poor critter.

Okay, JJ.  Are you telling me that the snow melt sinks down through the snow and ice to run off the bottom because of gravity?  Or it melts from the bottom because of gravity?  I can see the snow on top of the ice disappearing, but I can't believe the melt from it is sinking down through the solid ice.  We are talking about snow on a slope here.  If it were strictly gravity, seems to me that the top melt would run off the top because gravity would pull it in the direction of the slope, not down to the ground at an impossible angle. . .  Help me out here.

Thought for the day: Life needs to be taken by the lapel and told, "I'm with you, kid. Lets go!  Maya Angelou

March 19, 2014 Birds & Bugs & Oven Parts

Dinga on our bare south ridge Tuesday morning.

Monday 3/17. My days alone begin very slowly.  Not only is coffee not ready when I get up, but there is no one to talk to.  Well, I talk to the dogs but their only response is a questioning look or a tail wag.  Not the most stimulating conversation.  But JB calls every morning at 9:00 am, and this morning my Aunt Nene called too, so that was very nice.

Am getting a bit more exercise with JB gone, as I have to take the dogs on their morning walk.  He had been hearing turkeys off the south ridge, but I certainly haven't.  They may have moved on.  However I did see one green shoot that promises a flower.

I worked a little in the loft again.  Am getting into my Spring cleaning mode, getting rid of anything we are not using or I am not wearing.  I spent a little time on the computer, and finished the Jason Bourne book.

The breeze blew most of the day and when we took our afternoon walk it was very cold.  Our high for the day was only 32, not counting the wind-chill factor.

I am always fascinated by how the snow seems to melt more from the bottom than the top, from our one to two feet deep on up to glaciers.  The melt doesn't run off the top, it runs out from under the bottom.  Obviously a concept here that I don't completely understand.

Instead of continuing to watch our normal programs in the evening, I am watching the series Firefly, with Nathan Fillion.  Haven't done that for a while and it is so very entertaining.

Tuesday 3/18.  The day began with 21 degrees and a clear, bright sky.  NOAA is still forecasting a 40% chance of snow this evening.  Not a cloud in sight.

I finally heard some turkeys off the south ridge on our walk this morning.  Such a beautiful morning.  No wind, clear sky and all the mountains standing proudly in their white mantles.  Later in the day, I was standing on the west ridge just enjoying being outside when I thought I heard more turkeys.  After listening for a while, I realized it was my stomach protesting the fact that I had not eaten lunch. . .

The one green shoot I saw on the south ridge yesterday has multiplied into many, many shoots!  Can't wait for the flowers!

Randy from SoCal sent an email suggesting some sites where I might find the part for our oven for less expense.  I checked one out and got it for $44 (vs. $200), including 2-3 day freight!  Thank you, Randy!!

The sky remained clear until early afternoon when big, dark clouds started moving in from the southwest.  They came at quite a pace and by 2:00 pm the sky was almost completely grey.  But no snow.  Our high for the day was 37.

I always enjoy our evening conversations on the short-wave radio with Larry and Elsie.  There was a bit of a glitch this evening as Larry kept calling but it was obvious that he could not hear my reply.  So I called him on the phone and he realized that he had turned the volume way down because of so much noise. . .

My brother, RJ, called to see how the road is.  Our nephew has a track meet in Wenatchee this weekend and they want to spend the night at his cabin.  I told him he could make it to his turn off in his Jeep, but I wasn't sure how much further they could get on his road.  They had planned on snow shoeing in anyway.  Don't know if we'll be able to get down there or not, but I hope so.

I didn't watch Firefly this evening.  Tuesday night is Downton Abbey night for us.  I'll just watch those episodes again next week with JB.

Wednesday 3/19.  It is 29 and mostly cloudy this morning.  Haven't listened to the forecast yet, so not sure if snow is still in the forecast.  The birds are flying all about and looking for food on the newly bared ground.  I love their morning songs.

Thought for the day: To have ideas is to gather flowers; to think is to weave them into garlands. Madeline Swetchine

March 17, 2014 Now I Know What to Call It

The re-appearing ground

Friday 3/14. It had been breezy most of the night and continued on into the day, but gusting, not steady, blowing clouds across the sky.  Rain is in the forecast for this afternoon and when JB left for Down There at 9:30 am, I could see it already moving in from the west.  

Some days I am simply unable to figure out medium sudoku puzzles!  Other days they are almost too easy.  On the days I cannot, I wonder what else I should not be doing. . .

I washed the dishes and did the laundry.  Then puttered around cleaning up here and there.  Defrosted the refrigerator and even dusted.  Read my book.  Forced myself to solve some sudoku, the trick being to really focus.

By 10:30 am the wind had really picked up force and the rain had arrived.  Fortunately by then JB was in my Jeep and on his way to town.  However, this proved to be just a little cell that the wind quickly blew on its way.  And suddenly the grey sky was blue again, so after lunch I took full advantage of it and vacuumed.

Despite a mostly sunny day, our high temperature was only 36, with a wind chill factor making it at least a few degrees cooler.  But the snow and ice continued melting, laying bare more dirt and grass.  It always amazes me that the grass is so green underneath the snow.  More birds and bugs were enticed to be out and about.

I watched a deer mosey down the east slope.  The dogs saw it too, but I wouldn't let them out to chase it.

JB arrived home at 3:30 pm, swearing that this was the last time he was taking MAX down the road this winter.  We got everything unloaded and put away, then relaxed with magazines and mail.  No pizza for dinner tonight without our oven working, so we just had leftovers.

Saturday 3/15.  It was 26 and overcast this morning.  Instead of JB's Mom calling like she does every Saturday, it was his sister-in-law who called to tell us that his Mom went to the hospital Thursday night.  The doctors are not yet sure what is causing her to be so dizzy, nauseous and short of breath.  So he is going to Seattle tomorrow to help out.

JB spent the day getting ready to leave for a week and we did chores that needed to be done.  When we went outside, we found deer prints near the house on both sides.  The dogs must have been asleep when they were there.

Jesse won the prize for first tick of the year.  Now I check both of them several times a day.

Sandy sent me an article from her newspaper about shinrin-yoku which is Japanese "forest bathing."  "The practice encourages a deep connection with nature by taking leisurely walks in the forest and "bathing" in the experience: feeling the sunshine or breeze, listening to the insects, birds and wildlife, exploring the darkest shadows, feeling the trees, plants and stones encountered along the way, and always having gratitude for the experience. . . He points to numerous medical studies suggesting the positive effects of shrinrin-yoku: reduced stress, blood pressure and blood cortisol levels, improved vigor, increases in count of natural killer cells that combat disease."  So, as Sandy said, now I know what to call it.  However, it is interesting that people nowadays have to organize to go for a walk and enjoy nature.  When I was growing up, it was a given.  Get outside.  Enjoy nature.  You will feel better for it.  I guess people really have lost touch with nature and that is very sad.

JB's brother called just before dinner to say that the doctors had discovered that his Mom had a bacterial infection.  They filled her full of meds and he was able to bring her home.  JB will still go for a week so he can be at home with her while everyone else is at work.

Sunday 3/16.  The day began with 34 degrees and a light, partial overcast.  JB realized that he really could not chance taking his Jeep down our road yet, so he left at 9:00 am on MAX and drove my Jeep. He had a good but wet trip over as it started raining this side of the pass and continued the rest of the way.

I got to work on the loft, taking my summer clothes out of the trunk up there and putting them in a trunk downstairs, replacing them with blankets.  After lunch I went outside to get the wood in and just walk around a bit.  Then I started up Miss Kitty and drove her around the back of the house and up to the south ridge.  The road was still too mushy, so I cut over to the field and drove her up to the peak.  Then back down around the front of the house and parked her.  It is going to be so nice to finally be able to explore all the roads around here.  We just hadn't wanted to use our Jeeps to do that because of their age.

It was rather a dreary day.  Barely saw the sun.  At least the rain went to the north and south of us until about 6:30 pm, and then it just lasted for about an hour.  Our high for the day was 39.

Monday 3/17.  It is 24 and clear with a wind this morning.  Got a slow start this morning as I never sleep well the first night JB is gone.

Thought for the day: You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. Dr. Seuss

March 14, 2014

Snow and ice in our front yard.

Wednesday 3/12.  The day was mostly sunny with a high of 39.  JB drove us down the road in MAX to where we had left the snow plow for Miss Kitty.  We had hoped to tow it back up resting on a couple old snow boards, but it is just too heavy for us.  We will probably leave it there until the road is firm enough to put it back on Miss Kitty and bring it up.  There are a lot of bare spots on the road, but there are also many places that still have a foot or more of slushy snow.  It was a nice ride and the dogs had a good run.

It's time for JB to go Down There again, so Friday will be the day.  He will take MAX and probably for the last time this year.

More and more birds and bugs out each day now.  And the other night JB saw some bats.  There are also wasps in the loft each day, but only a few.  Definitely an early Spring.

Since I cut my hair, it's been getting shorter almost every day.  That always happens since I have to shape it.  I think I am finally done, now that it's even shorter than JB's.  But I love it!

I have started reading Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Sanction by Eric Van Lustbader on my nook.  It's hard to believe that the movies are so incredibly different from the books.  Both are very good though.

Last night we watched the last two episodes of season two of Downton Abbey and tonight we will begin season three.  Maggie Smith is absolutely the frosting on this cake.  Can hardly wait to see Shirley MacLaine's character.  The more I watch this program, the more I want to use adjectives like horrid, wretched and dreadful when writing my blog. . .  But because of the nature of those words, I would have to be ranting about our wretched government which is something I have not done in a while because it's just too dreadful to think about.

Thursday 3/13.  Another gorgeous Spring day!  It started out at 28 with a light overcast, but soon cleared and we had a high of 41.  I'm sure it was closer to 50 up on the south ridge.  No coats needed today, just hoodies.

The birds were chittering and flittering about, and the warm sun felt so very good.  I really am ready for this winter to end.

I went to fix lunch and discovered that the pilot light for the oven had gone out.  We couldn't get it going again and, upon calling the place where we bought it, found that it needs a $200 part.  Well, we only paid $400 for the range six years ago, so I am going to call Maytag again tomorrow and see if I  can get through to the parts department and get it cheaper directly from them.  If not, we may just have to bite the bullet.  Ranges like ours now cost close to $1000!

We spent the a few hours checking out Miss Kitty, then chopping up ice in the front yard to be sure the water drains well away from the house.  The dogs enjoyed just laying in the sun.

Friday 3/14.  It is 32 and mostly clear this morning.  JB is getting ready to leave for Down There at about 9:00 am.

Thought for the day: A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains. Old Farmer's Almanac

March 12, 2014 Miss Kitty is Home!

The east ridge on March 5 . . 

. . . and on March 11.

Monday 3/10.  I really do detest Daylight Savings Time.  We thought we might just leave our clocks and life on regular time, and just try to remember that everyone else is one hour ahead of us.  But last night we capitulated and reset the clocks.  That's the easy part.  Resetting our internal clocks is another matter.  Spring isn't as bad as Fall though.  I always have a much worse time adjusting to an extra hour.

This morning I washed the dishes and did the laundry while JB drilled a hole near the center vent under the house in which to put the hose through for the water pump.  Then he got the pump and hoses all ready for our project.  After taking the dogs on their morning walk, we had an early lunch and then I got dressed for going down under the house.  And all for naught.  Try as he might, JB simply could not get the pump started.  We will try again tomorrow.  However I did crawl all around under there to see where the water was coming from.  The pit where the pipe comes in is completely dry.  It looks like some water came in from the north end of the porch and on both sides of the back of the house.  I think the earth just got so quickly saturated that it didn't have anywhere else to go.

The one bright spot in all this water is that our cistern is filling by itself.  So last night JB and I both took long, hot showers.  This as opposed to our usual "ship-board" showers.  My, that felt good!

As the snow quickly disappears, I am finally seeing a bit of snow mold in a few places.  But not nearly as much as in past winters.

Larry and Elsie drove up for a visit instead of calling on the radio.  The only difference between their side-by-side Arctic Cat and Miss Kitty is that they have chains on their tires and theirs may be a bit lighter.  Larry said that he didn't have much of a problem at all getting up our road.  But when he got to Miss Kitty, he was afraid he might slide into her trying to drive around her on the road.  So Elsie got out and Larry drove about 30 feet up our east slope and 100 feet around Miss Kitty.  I am sure my jaw was agape as I watched him!  Just plowed right up and around!  Elsie is used to his antics, but I'm not sure I'll be riding with him any time soon. . .

Tuesday 3/11.  We had blue sky and 24 degrees this morning, and most of the slush is ice.  When JB took the dogs on their morning walk, instead of going to the north ridge, he went down to Miss Kitty to start her.  Since the driveway was so frozen, the thought he might be able to drive her all the way up, and, indeed, he did.  So nice to see her sitting right outside.  On his next trip Down There, JB will buy ice chains for her.

After our morning chores and lunch, we got ready to see if we could get the pump started.  But first I checked under the house.  The one puddle right by the trap door had already dried to mud, but the center one needed emptying as a few of the others drain into it.  JB still couldn't get the pump started, so I used a plastic milk bottle with the top cut off to scoop the water into a bucket.  Certainly not the easiest way to do it, but in about 7 or 8 trips and it was done.  Fortunately the largest puddle wasn't far from the trap door.  And even more fortunate than that, I still like to play in the mud.

When we were done, I stripped off my muddy outer garments and went outside into the wonderful sunshine.  Our high was only 39 according to the gauge on our porch, but I am sure it was warmer standing in the sun.  It felt like Spring.  And I am so ready for it.

I started to bring fire wood in off the porch today in an effort to use as much of it as possible.  When I was done with that chore, I took the dogs on a nice leisurely afternoon walk.  There is no snow left on the south side of our south ridge and most of the top of it.  

We listened to a very active woodpecker in the grove most of the day.  The nuthatches were chattering about too.  So nice to hear them again.  The silence of winter is nice, but so is birdsong.

The moon shone brightly this evening, but there is a lot of bare ground now so the night seems darker with less snow to reflect the light.

Wednesday 3/12. Bright blue sky and sunshine greeted us this morning, along with a chilly temperature of 25.  

Thought for the day: To have what we want is riches . . . to be able to do without is power.  G. MacDonald

March 10, 2014 Water, Water Everywhere!

JB moving snow with the tractor.

Friday 3/7.  Our resident frog was serenading us this morning from his home under the southeast corner of the house, which is under our dining table.  He sometimes hops about, but today he stayed there.

With days in the high 20's, and especially up to 40, we don't need a fire in the wood stove all day after the first one in the morning.  But with the days warming up so quickly, it can be hard to adjust, so we are often too warm.  Today the sun shone all afternoon and our high for the day was 40.

After lunch and getting wood, we walked down to start Miss Kitty.  There's just no way we are driving her up the road yet.

There is an excellent article in the latest Countryside Magazine by Jerri Cook entitled "While You Were Celebrating."  It is regarding a change in FDA rules to allow cancer-causing additives and GMO's into our food.  The closing lines say it all, ". . . if anyone believes that Michael Taylor (FDA official who introduced the new rule) has had some sort of epiphany and has decided to abandon his Monsanto pals in order to dance with small-scale farmers, think again.  He came to the dance with Monsanto and that's who he will be leaving with."  A must-read for any American who eats food.

Saturday 3/8.  Another overcast morning with 28 degrees.  And Spring is still trying to march right over the top of winter, but according to the weatherman, winter is not going to meekly step aside.  "After all the green beer has been drunk" winter will show its teeth once more.

This year several counties in Washington, including the one we live in, are going to allow ATV's on roads with a speed limit of 35 or less.  We would just have to get a horn, turn signals and side mirrors installed, and then we could drive Miss Kitty to town for supplies.  How's that for Universal timing?!

JB used the tractor today to move snow to the west and south of the house so when it melted the water would flow down the mountain and not towards the house.  While he was busy with that chore, I brought in wood and then walked down to start Miss Kitty.

This morning's overcast thinned around noon and the sun was able to shine through it, but at 3:30 pm when I took the dogs for their walk, it had just begun to sprinkle.  By 4:00 pm it was raining.  Our high for the day was 35.  Everything is soggy and the ground is quickly re-appearing under the trees.

Sunday 3/9.  This morning was 36 and partly overcast with a light breeze.  The sun broke through and was able to shine on us most of the day, making our high 42.  With more than four feet of snow trying to melt in just a few days, there is water everywhere: under the house, in the outhouse hole, in rivers running down our driveway.  And of course this means the arrival of mud season.  The ground is quickly getting saturated.

JB wanted to try winching Miss Kitty up the driveway, so down we went with the chain and straps.  As I mentioned before, the cable on the winch is only about 5' long but a few times I was able to actually drive her a few feet more.  JB would wrap the strap around a tree and I would wind in the winch.  This went on for more than four hours and we were only able to get her about half way up the drive.  She is going to sit there until we can drive her the rest of the way up.

Tomorrow we will be pumping out the water from under the house.  Not quite sure just where it is coming from.

This was definitely not one of our better days.  I am really tired of either having too much or too little water.  But that's just the way it is Up Here I guess.

This evening we watched two episodes of season two of Downton Abbey to relax, and it worked.

Monday 3/10.  It is 30 and mostly sunny this morning.  Not looking forward to our project for today at all . . .

Thought for the day: Sometimes you're the windshield.  Sometimes you're the bug.

March 7, 2014 Country/Mountain Vehicles

Wild turkey tracks on the north ridge.

The berm on the south side of the
house has turned into the backbone
of a dinosaur!

Wednesday 3/5. The snow has sunk down at least a foot everywhere.  I am sure there must be a river running down the road by Larry and Elsie's.  It was a mostly sunny day with fog continually trying to sneak over the south ridge, but by mid-afternoon the sky was overcast and our high for the day was 40.

Spring is definitely trying to march right in and chase winter away two weeks early, regardless of what the groundhog said.  The birds and bugs are out and about.  The stumps, logs and small bushes are re-appearing.  

We drove MAX down to Miss Kitty again in an attempt get her up the driveway, but her battery was completely dead.  The road was probably too mushy to get her up the hill anyway.

The rest of the huge mass of snow and ice on the roof of the garbage shed had slid off right in front of the door, so I had to shovel that out of the way. And I couldn't get out of shoveling off the deck.  The snow just wasn't melting fast enough.  Certainly got my cardio workout for the day.  Then I walked down to the north ridge and sat on my bench for a while just enjoying the view.  Took a few pictures and discovered a trail of turkey tracks.

A light rain began to fall about 3:30 pm and soon became a steady downpour.  And as the sun set, the fog moved in.  I read my book and took a short nap before cooking dinner.

Larry and Elsie have purchased six new chicks and are keeping them in a back room at their shop for the first few weeks to be sure they are warm enough.  They are waiting for two more of an special breed.  Some of their older chickens died last year and their flock needs a boost.  And, during our even talk on the radio, we were told that there is indeed a river running down the road at their place.  Not an awful lot of damage. . . yet.

Since we bought Miss Kitty, I have had questions about just what vehicles one needs living off the grid and fairly remote.  The trick is to have the fewest and easiest to care for that can do the most tasks.  You have to ask yourself just what do you need done and on what kind of land.  We need to have safe ingress and egress on our 4-mile road during all four seasons.  We need to move rocks and logs; mow a large area of grass and small bushes; plow snow; haul cargo; cut high tree branches; and ride the mountain roads.  Some people may also need to plow a large garden.  MAX was our godsend when we moved Up Here for our main need of getting in and out in the winter.  The tractor was necessary for mowing, moving logs and rocks, cutting high tree branches and even moving loads of cut fire wood.  And I am sure there are many more uses we can find for it.  Miss Kitty is gives us protection against the elements while driving and will hopefully prove to be more maintenance-free than MAX.  The snow plow will be invaluable during the winter and we may be able to drive our Jeep up and down our road for a longer period.  Where we have limited space on MAX for cargo, Miss Kitty had a huge cargo area that can even be dumped.  If we could have afforded it, we would have purchased an Arctic Cat side-by-side when we first moved to Rose Camp.  So basically, you want the least amount of vehicles that can do the most tasks.  And that is the lesson for today.

We watched two more episodes of season two of Downton Abbey.  JB was able to get a really good deal on season three at Hastings when he was in town last time, and we already have season four.  So we are re-watching seasons one and two before we watch the new ones.  I just love this program and do so want to get Upstairs Downstairs.

Thursday 3/6. It was 32 and overcast this morning.  All the snow was still mushy and melting.  I am sure our plans to get Miss Kitty up to the house are giving Mother Nature fits of hysteria.

It seems that the reason Miss Kitty would not start yesterday was because I did not have the gears in neutral.  (Senior moment)  The battery is still charged and she started right up this morning, but to no avail.  The snow is just too deep and too slushy to drive her up.  JB even had a hard time getting MAX back up the driveway.  And, yes, Miss Kitty does have a winch, but there is only about ten feet of cable, as it was purchased just to keep the snow plow on.  So we thought that maybe shoveling would help and after lunch we walked down to do just that.  Basically all we did was to make a river bed for all the melting water flowing down.

After walking back up to the house, we all took a nice, long nap.  Then JB put on a big pot of split pea and ham soup.

Late in the afternoon, the sun popped out and our high for the day was 37.  It is supposed to be this warm for another few days, with rain on Sunday.

We mark days on a calendar, and minutes and hours on a clock.  But in retrospect, time really doesn't have any meaning.  I look back on our almost six years Up Here and it seems like a month or it could be a lifetime.  The time has passed as quickly as a slow month, but the years before being Up Here seem to belong to someone else.  Time is all about perspective and perception, not the minutes ticking by.

Friday 3/7.  This morning is 28 and mostly overcast.  JB's morning walks will be down the driveway to Miss Kitty to start her up each day.  It's back to having spikes on our boots. 

Thought for the day: If you wish to know a man, give him authority.  Proverb

March 5, 2014 Rain!

Ten minutes after JB cleaned the panels
on Monday. . .

Miss Kitty, anxious to climb
up to Rose Camp.

Monday 3/3.  By 7:10 am JB had cleaned the snow off the panels and shoveled most of the paths!  I, on the other hand, had gotten up twice during the night to feed the fire, so I slept in til 8:30 am.  My, that felt good.

I screwed up in writing about the newest issue of Countryside Magazine.  It is actually BackHome Magazine that has the article in the back, "Twenty rules of Country Fashion".  But they are both great issues.  Too many magazines at one time.  The homesteading magazines are all published every other month, but on the same months.  Seems like some of them should alternate. . .

By 10:30 am, when JB took the dogs for a walk up to clear off the panels, the temperature had warmed up to 14 and the snowflakes were getting larger.  The sun peeked out about 11:00 am and snow bombs began falling off the branches.  But the clouds continued to squeeze every last snowflake out before giving in to the blue sky.  At least that's what I thought was going on until I looked out a little later and all the blue has disappeared.  The sun fought on for the rest of the afternoon, but it was a losing battle.

When JB left at 1:15 pm to drive down to Larry's, the day had warmed up to 19 and really big flakes were falling.  Just an hour later the temperature had risen to 26, the wind had picked up, and snow and ice were very noisily sliding off the roof, turning Dinga into a velcro dog.  By the time JB came back home at 3:00 pm, the temperature had continued to climb.  It was 27 and pouring a snow/rain mix.  This warming trend caused major problems on Snoqualamie Pass, which is where highway 90 crosses the Cascades, and the pass was closed for most of the day.

During the past several weeks I have become more and more frustrated with my hair getting in my eyes when I am outside.  Hats, headbands, nothing seemed to keep it back.  So as soon as JB drove off for Larry's, I headed to the bathroom to cut it all off.  Well, maybe not all of it, but I was very tempted to use JB's razor and shave it all off.  It looks and feels so much better!

By 5:00 pm, all the nasty cells seemed to have passed by.  The wind was quiet.  The temperature was 28, which was our high for the day.  And the sky was blue.  The wind had picked back up when we were ready for bed, but it sounded like it was just in the tree tops.  Not very noisy.

Tuesday 3/4.  It was still 28 out with partly cloudy skies and a little breeze.  We got started right after breakfast to drive MAX down to Miss Kitty to get her battery out, but MAX's battery had to be charged.  So while JB did that, the dogs and I hiked down to Miss Kitty to dig her out.  But when we got there, it was obvious that she needed no help.  During the night all the snow on the mountain deflated about 6" and she was sitting on top of the road.  We hiked back up and JB had MAX running.  So back down we all went and took the battery out of Miss Kitty.  Larry had warned us about this job and it was a pisser.  But we got the battery out and took it back up to charge it, since the new one wasn't ready yet.  

After lunch we took the charged battery back down and, after several tries, got it re-installed.  Suffice it to say that we had had enough experience now to get it right the first time, when we install the new battery.  Miss Kitty fired up.  JB drove MAX up the road.  I got in Miss Kitty and drove her right up to our driveway - and no further.  Neither JB nor I could get her up the steep part at the beginning of our driveway.  So that's where she sits for tonight.  Tomorrow we will try to pull her with MAX.  We think that will work, as she just needs a little nudge to get through the deep snow.

It remained sunny all day with small, light clouds racing across the blue sky.  Our high for the day was 36, and the snow is getting quite mushy.  Will probably be ice by tomorrow morning.  Oh, joy. . .

Wednesday 3/5. Sometime during the wee hours of the morning rain began falling, often pouring.  It finally stopped at 8:30 am and the sun broke through.  Now we have blue sky, and valley fog trying to invade us, with 31 degrees.  With more than 50" of snow in the past 32 days, this situation could prove to be nasty. The forecast is for more "warm" precipitation through tomorrow.  On the positive side, I didn't get the deck cleaned off, but if I wait another day, I may not have to. . .

Thought for the day: To have a good neighbor is to find something precious. Chinese proverb

Mar 3, 2014 In Like a Lion. . .

Deer tracks across the north slope
of our south ridge on Friday.

Snow & ice overhang on garbage/recycle
shed.

Friday 2/28.  JB left for Down There at 9:30 and by 11:00 the sun was shining in a mostly blue sky.  I had washed the dishes, hung the laundry and was going to vacuum, since the sun was charging up the batteries.

As I was washing the dishes, looking out the kitchen window, I was once again struck by the contentment I feel Up Here.  It is a deep I-know-I-am-where-I-belong feeling.  Something I have never experienced in any other place I have lived at any other time of my life.  I am pretty sure this feeling is a combination of both place and age, but more so the place.

With the blue sky and sun today, I felt the first whiff of Spring.  Or, perhaps, just the promise of Spring.  Like in mid August when I get a whiff of Autumn.

A couple of years ago I threw out a plea to the Universe for a side-by-side UTV.  One that we could afford, in God's good time.  I have learned through experience that what I think might be the perfect time is obviously not.  What I might think in a panic is the eleventh hour is actually the perfect time on God's part.  My part is "simply" to have the faith that She will make it happen.  "Faith is not the hope that God can, but rather the knowledge that God will."

Today was a very long day for JB.  He didn't arrive back at Rose Camp until 4:30 pm.  He had a long list of things to do and got everything done.  We skipped the pizza for tonight and just made do with leftovers.  Then we finally got to watch the movie, Super 8.  Very well done - like a more dramatic ET.

I had misinterpreted some of JB's notes for February's snowfall.  We actually received 42 inches this month.

Saturday 3/1.  It is 9 degrees and snowing this morning.  A perfect morning to relax with the papers and magazines JB brought up yesterday and have a late breakfast.  By the time JB took the dogs on their morning trudge through the now, the temperature had fallen to 7.  The forecast is for a very cold and snowy weekend, but back to normal on Monday.  I can only hope that the old adage about March will hold true - In like a lion, out like a lamb.

I spent a lot of time on the computer figuring out a spreadsheet for the budget that will give me a running balance for each month as money goes out and comes in.

One item on JB's list yesterday was to buy a new battery for Miss Kitty.  One with 350 cold cranking amps.  It is the priciest one, but will start more easily in the cold weather.

When I let Jesse in after one of his forays into the snow, I noticed a perfect, lacy snowflake on his back.  It wasn't more than 1/4" wide but it was simply beautiful.  Unfortunately it melted before I could get a picture.  Jesse is quite the character in the snow.  He stays on the paths and road whenever possible, but if he smells or sees a critter, he will plow right through it like a tank.

Our early morning temperature of 9 was actually our high for the day.  It was 6 when we went to bed after watching two episodes of The Walking Dead.  I set the alarm for 1:00 am to get up and feed the fire.

Sunday 3/2. The temperature this morning was 2 degrees and snow was still falling.  A light, lazy, fluffy snow.  And we had 3-1/2" more of it.  There is something hypnotizing about watching the snow fall, and I love to sit and do just that.

Between JB's trips Down There on last Monday and Friday, we have received most of our magazines.  Countryside is really amazing this issue, from the letters to the editor to the article on country dress in the back.  The Smithsonian Magazine has a great article on Vikings and an amazing one regarding the solving of the mysterious disappearance of Michael Rockefeller in 1961.  Another subject is the annual return of the sandhill cranes to Nebraska.  They also return to central Washington and there is a festival in Othello next weekend celebrating the event.

JB trudged up to the panels three times today to clean them off.  It snowed all day, just like yesterday.  After lunch I cleaned off the one=foot overhang of snow and ice over the door to the garbage/recycle shed, then shoveled three of our paths.  It was like shoveling feathers.  JB shoveled the other two paths while I brought in three loads of wood.

Tomorrow JB plans to groom our road with MAX and drive down to Larry and Elsie's to pick up the new axle for MAX that Larry had re-drilled so the bolt would fit.

Monday 3/3. Still snowing.  The temperature is 6 and we have four more inches of snow.  I am definitely going to have to clean off the deck today.

Thought for the day: I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.  Because if you do, then you are trying new things, changing yourself.  More importantly, you're Doing Something.  Whatever it is you're scared of doing, do it.  Make your mistakes, next year and forever.  Neil Gaiman