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