December 30, 2016 Happy New Year!

Wispy fingers of fog in the
canyon to the south of us
Thursday afternoon.

From Sandy!

Wednesday 12/28. JB took the dogs on a morning walk, cleaned the panels, measured another 3" of snow received last night, and cleaned the snow off the porch while I vacuumed.

Last night's wind sculpted our snow and completely obliterated most of MAX's tracks from yesterday.  But this morning's wind died into a light breeze early on and we enjoyed a bright, sunny day with a high of 32.

I love the Entertainment Weekly's double issue with "first looks" at 2017 movies and TV series.  Really looking forward to seeing Blade Runner 2049.

We began watching the third season of Blacklist this evening.  I sure have missed it.

Thursday 12/29. It was 24 and overcast this morning with 1/2" new snow and valley fog.  The sun managed to break through the clouds a few times, but it was generally another gray day, with a high of 30.

We put the chain back on MAX after lunch.  For some reason that chain is too close to the floor and that is what is causing it to pop off.  We can probably fix it but it will have to be during warmer weather.  Meanwhile JB will just drive very carefully.

I ordered two new tires for Miss Kitty today.  Les Schwab could not find them at their approved vendors, so Costco will deliver them directly to Les Schwab to have the one put on the rim.  Hopefully we can pick them up within two weeks.

I finally realized the reason for most of my short-term memory.  I don't focus.  My mind is usually elsewhere while my body is doing things, so I don't remember what it was I did or where I put something or what I heard.  Guess I will just have to be more aware of what I am doing and what is going on around me. . . be in the moment.

Well, 2016 certainly has taken a lot of celebrities from us.  Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, just this week.  I love the Facebook posting that says, "Listen, 2016, if you take Betty White, we will riot!"  And this one, "David Bowie has created an alternate universe and is hand-picking its inhabitants one by one."  It has been a very topsy turvey year in many ways.  One can only hope that 2017 will be much better for everyone, especially in politics for our U.S.A.

Friday 12/30. It is 24 again this morning with mostly clear skies and a breeze.  Looks like we received another 1/2" or so of snow last night.  We are due for another arctic blast beginning on Monday with temps possibly below zero.

Thought for the day: Here's wishing Everyone a Safe and Joyful New Year!

December 28, 2016 More Snow & A Trip Down There

JB on his way Down There
in MAX on Tuesday.

Monday 12/26. The clear sky was soon overcast and it was a very gray day.

Poor Jesse is quite gimpy with an on-going problem with his left hind paw.  Coconut oil and doggie ibuprofen seem to help.

So now that Christmas is over, it is back to laundry, dishes and housework.  And trying to fix our winter vehicles.  We were going to squirt some "slime" into Miss Kitty's flat tire, but JB could not fix the air pump.  So we decided to put the chain back on MAX, which was quite easy.  The hard part is putting MAX up on blocks so we can turn the wheels to get the chain on.  Then, because the air pump was broken, JB used the bicycle pump to put some air into the low tires by hand.  Unfortunately, the tire-pressure gauge broke also. . .

By then it was really too late and we were too tired to deal with Miss Kitty's tire.  So we planned to get outside first thing in the morning and take it off so JB can take it Down There to be fixed.  He will also buy a new air compressor and a couple of good tire-pressure gauges.  It sure would be nice to get through a winter without any such issues.

Snow arrived at about 4:00 pm, but seemed to just fall off and on.  Our high for the day was 26.

We enjoyed the rose wine that the Gridder's gave us with dinner.  It is not a rose (rosay) wine from grapes, but a wine actually made from roses.  Very good!

Our son always gives a several DVD's for Christmas, chosen from a list we give him.  So last night we started watching the X-Files mini-series.  We were avid fans when it was on TV years ago.  Three episodes last night and three tonight.  I must admit, I was very disappointed with the ending.

Tuesday 12/27. It was 24 and partly cloudy this morning with 3/4" of new snow and wind gusting to 14 mph.  I trudged up to the panels to clean them off while JB ate breakfast and got ready to go Down There.  Who would have thought 47 years ago in Berkeley, CA, that we would be celebrating our anniversary in such a way and in such a place!

We finally got the tire off with a lug wrench and small sledge hammer, as the electric pneumatic wrench couldn't do it.  JB was on his way at 9:45 am and we both had our fingers crossed that the chain and the tracks would stay on MAX for his six-mile trip down to his Jeep (3 down and 3 back up).

I did laundry and other chores while he was gone, but was unable to pump water into the cistern.  Yesterday the breaker box for the pump had made a loud, nasty sound that JB was able to resolve, but today it did it again and I had no clue as how to deal with it.  I remember Randy saying something about Mercury being in retrograde for a few weeks. . .

The Les Schwab center was very busy and would not have been able to get to Miss Kitty's tire before 6:00 pm!  So JB left the tire there with instructions for them to call when they had it fixed or had determined it could not be fixed.  Then he went to the auto parts store and bought a new air compressor.  A better one than we had.  One that clamps directly on the the car (or any vehicle) battery.

He was back home by 2:00 pm.  The tracks were still on MAX, but the chain had come off just as he was coming up our drive.  We will get that back on tomorrow.  The Les Schwab center called just after 6:00 pm to advise that the tire could not be fixed, so JB asked them to order a new one.

By 3:30 pm snow was falling again.  The wind had been blowing all day, increasing to 20 mph this afternoon.

We watched Dead Pool this evening.  Wickedly hilarious!  Our son saw it at the theater and said he almost fell off his chair laughing, but he wouldn't let his kids see it until they are married with children.  Now I know why.

Wednesday 12/28. It is 24 this morning with mostly clear skies and a wind gusting to 23 mph.  Another typical winter day Up Here.

Thought for the day: You are not born with a fixed amount of resilience.  Like a muscle, you can build it up, draw on it when you need it.  In that process you will figure out who you really are - and you just might become the very best version of yourself.  Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook

December 26, 2016 Our 47th Wedding Anniversary

The crystallized snow
Christmas Day.

The view from the north ridge
Christmas morning.

Friday 12/23. Star Wars: Rogue One is excellent!  It's been more than eight years since I have been to a movie theater - my, that screen was big!  We are going to have to do this more often. . .

I forgot to mention that we received another 2" of snow Thursday night.  We have received more than two feet now, but there is about 14" on the ground.

As I was leaving the Gridders' to come home, I noticed that Miss Kitty had a flat tire.  Mr. Gridder pumped it full of air and I was home by 3:30 pm.  The road was okay going down, but coming back up was a little dicey, especially through the aspen.  And Rose Camp was not fogged in, but rather we were in the clouds, and our high for the day was 24.

Saturday 12/24. It was 23 and clear this Christmas Eve morning.  We enjoyed Christmas cookies for breakfast with our coffee!

Our morning walk was in an incredibly beautiful landscape.  Bright sun in a clear blue sky shining on sparkling snow.  It doesn't get any better than this.

JB spent the day plowing and doing other outside chores.  Other than feeding the girls, bringing in the fire wood, and going on our walks, I spent most of the day inside.

Clouds moved in during the late afternoon, but, all in all, it was a beautiful day, with a high of 30.

We enjoyed a supper of cheese logs, crackers and several different kind of sausage, most of which was a gift from Sandy, while listening to Christmas music.  Then we watched Holiday Inn with Bing Crosby and Fred Astair, which has become our annual tradition.

Our grandchildren called to thank us for the gifts we gave them.  That was a wonderful gift in itself.

Sunday 12/25. Our ninth Christmas Day Up Here began with a frigid 14 degrees and clear sky.  As soon as the girls and dogs were fed and the coffee made, we opened our gifts.  Nene certainly spoils us each year!

The top of the snow had crystallized overnight and glittered on our morning walk.  Such an incredibly beautiful day!  And a nice, lazy day in which we began reading new books we had received, and took a nap.

I usually get a bit melancholy after the presents are opened, thinking of all those family members who are no longer with us and with whom we spent so many wonderful Christmases.  But this year, I was more thankful for the great memories than sad that those times are gone.  We have new friends and new and reconnected family members with whom to share the joy of the holiday season.  There is always so much for which to be thankful.

The sky remained clear today and the stars twinkled after sunset.  Our high for the day was 24.

Monday 12/26. It is 19 and mostly cloudy with a breeze this morning.  Tomorrow will be our 47th wedding anniversary.  My, how time flies.

Thought for the day: Don't be sad that is it over.  Smile because it happened.

December 23, 2016 Merry Christmas Everyone!

The winter solstice sun
viewed from the south
ridge at 3:30 pm.

My Christmas cookies
for this year.

Thick rime and pine cones.

Wednesday 12/21. JB was on his way Down There by 9:15 on this beautiful winter solstice morning.  This time he got all his shopping done, and bought some groceries too.  But traffic was heavy in town and all the stores were crowded, so it took him most of the day.

It is interesting to watch how the humidity in the house rises and falls with the temps just like it does outside.

After two very windy days, the snow is littered with pine needles and small branches.  And the snow on the south ridge has been sculpted a bit, but not enough to hide all the new deer tracks up there.  Looks like they had quite a party last night.  There are even tracks in the yard, the grove and on the path to the compost pile.

I baked toffee-coconut bars today, and while gathering the ingredients for them, I discovered the maraschino cherries I had been looking for.  All this while JB is buying more cherries.  I will make by favorite cookies with them tomorrow.

A light overcast was forming when JB arrived back home a little before 4:00 pm, but by sundown the sky was clear again.

The big news is that I will be going to see Star Wars': Rogue One on Friday!  Mrs. Gridder and her boys are going and invited me to come along.  Woo Hoo!!

Our high for the day was 34, but the fog moved in after dark and the temp dove down to 22.

Thursday 12/22. Our world was covered in rime this morning and our temp was a chilly 20.  The whitened trees looked like ghosts in the remaining fog that flowed in and out like slow-motion waves on the shore.

We enjoyed a nice, lazy morning reading newspapers and magazines that JB brought up yesterday.  I just love getting the mail this time of the year.  There are always cards from friends and family.

Just as the sun was beginning to win its fight with the fog around noon, the clouds moved in.  But we did have some patches of blue sky and sun during the day, and our high was 28.

JB did errands outside, including putting a new fuse in Miss Kitty for the screen that tells us the mph, gas level, etc.  I baked my favorite Christmas cookies that are from a recipe of JB's Mom's.  They are kind of a cherry-chocolate swirl.  I have baked more cookies this holiday season than I have in more than a decade!

Friday 12/23. It is 20 and foggy again this morning.  But now that the solstice has passed, we are on our way back to the light.

Thought for the day: Wishing you all the joys of Christmas, now and throughout the new year!

December 21, 2016 More Snow, But Warmer Temps

On Monday's drive in MAX.

Tiny tracks coming out
of a hole on the side
of the drive.

Monday 12/19. JB measured 2" of new snow when he trudged up to clean off the solar panels this morning.  The light breeze began growing into a wind, flinging snow bombs and creating white-outs.  It also blew away some of the clouds and the pattern continued with sunshine by mid morning.

We received our first issue of National Geographic's History magazine on Saturday and I am still reading it.  Every word on every page.  It is as least as interesting as Archaeology magazine.  Wonderful!

JB drove MAX, with me on the passenger side, down to the main canyon road to groom and pack down the snow.  It was a very pleasant ride, with no wind on that side of the mountain.  But it had obviously been windy at some point as most of the road had been snow bombed.  Either that or Bigfoot and his family had been out and about.  As has become the norm, we saw the tracks of one cat going down the road, and the tracks of several deer.

Over the weekend, Larry and Elsie caught sight of two bobcats and one cougar near their place.

Our high for the day was 34, and with the temperature that high, the snow and ice began to slip off our roof in loud crashes.  Between the noise of the wind and the crashing snow, Dinga was in quite a state.

And Donald Trump is now officially the President-elect. . .

Tuesday 12/20. It was 33 with a wind gusting to 19 mph this morning.  We received another 2" of snow over night.  Between 8:30 am and 10:00 am, two small storm cells moved through, but then, just this side of the mountains, the clouds soon moved a little to the south and way to the north, and we had sunshine.  But the wind stuck around all day, gusting up to 28 mph.

I figured it was a good morning to catch up on the filing, and start cleaning up my craft area.  I also finally got out on the deck and shoveled off about 1/3 of it.

After lunch we were going to drive MAX down the road to do some more grooming as the wind was sculpting up here and we wanted to be sure it wasn't causing drifts on the road.  However, as JB was backing MAX out, the chain came off. . .  Guess we didn't get that fixed after all.  No problem, we just took Miss Kitty instead.  She did just fine, even through the aspen where someone had driven up and back down without chains.  What a mess!

On our afternoon walk, I saw tiny tracks crossing our road up to the south ridge.  It looks as though a mouse or ground squirrel came out of a hole on one side of the drive and went into a hole on the other.  So cute!

Our high was 34 again, but with the wind chill, nothing is even beginning to melt except a little on the porch.  The snow is getting wetter though, and sinking down a bit.

Google states that today is the first day of winter, but the Farmer's Almanac and calendar state that it is tomorrow.  Whatever.  Winter started Up Here a month ago.

Wednesday 12/21. It is 26 and clear this morning.  JB is going Down There.  It seems he did not finish he Christmas shopping after all.

Thought for the day: Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes. . . including you.  Anne Lamott

December 19, 2016 My Christmas Projects

These large jars. . .

. . . are lamps -

with battery lights!

Friday 12/16. We actually only had 1/2" of new snow this morning.  We can see that deer have been by our propane tank.  Not only from their tracks, but by the fact that all the rose hips are gone from the bushes!

A very light snow began to fall by 8:30 am, but by 10:00 the clouds were gone and the sun was shining brightly on a vivid blue sky.  When the dogs come in from being outside on these frigid days, the cold is clinging to their fur like a heavy blanket.  And every time we go outside, we have to break the ice on the girls' water dish.  When I go to feed them breakfast first thing in the morning, their water is one big, solid ice cube.  They come running for their new dish of water, completely ignoring their breakfast.

The top layer of snow looks as though it has crystallized, and it sparkles in the sun.  But it doesn't crunch when you walk on it so much as it squeaks.

Our son and his family went to a pre-showing of the new Star Wars movie, Rogue One, last night.  He says it was phenomenal!  One of the very best of all of them.  I really want to make a concerted effort to see it in a theater this winter, and not miss out like we did last year.

We started watching first of the four Pirates of the Caribbean movies Wednesday evening.  Haven't seen them for a while and we do so enjoy them.

Our high for the day was just 14.  But it was a beautiful 14.

Saturday 12/17. It was 4 and overcast this morning, but the clouds soon broke up and let the sun through.  And then it was a gorgeous, cloudless day.

I did a perfunctory vacuuming, as, even if the sun shines all day, it is a very short day.  Thank goodness we will start heading back towards the light next week.

About 1:00 pm we headed down the road in Miss Kitty to visit the Gridders, pick up the mail, and let Larry and Elsie's dogs out for a pee break.  I took the gifts i had made and got to play Santa!  They gave us a beautiful bottle of rose wine - just for Rose Camp.  I can hardly wait to taste it on Christmas day.

It was a rather chilly ride down and back up the mountain.  Once again our high for the day was 14.  But we seem to be quite a bit warmer than Larry and Elsie.  This happens quite often during the winter.  We can be 10 or more degrees warmer than them or in town.

Sunday 12/18. It was a balmy 17 this morning.  Patches of blue sky appeared mid morning, but disappeared again mid afternoon.

JB had purchased smaller shackles in order to try to better attach the plow to the tractor bucket, but it just didn't work and the plow still tips down a bit.  He can plow, but doesn't have much control over the plow.

I stayed inside and baked thumbprint cookies.  I tried a new, buttery recipe that was in the newspaper and can be used to make several variations.  I chose the chocolate chip mint.  They turned out quite delicious, but very rich.

Well, tomorrow is Electoral College voting day.  I have seen postings on Facebook urging the members to "do the right thing and vote for Hillary."  So, basically, they are to ignore the Constitution and the will of the people just because the spoiled, liberal democrats are upset.  Give it a rest already!

Our high for the day was 28!  We hardly needed coats. . .

Monday 12/19. It is snowing this morning and 22.  Looks like we have received at least another couple inches, and our arctic blast is finally gone.

Thought for the day: Don't ever mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance, or my kindness for weakness.  Spirit Science (Facebook)

December 16, 2016 Christmas Cookies & More Snow

View from the north ridge
on our Wednesday afternoon walk.

Valley fog to the south on
Thursday afternoon.

Wednesday 12/14. JB got on his way around 10:00 am.  The overcast was thinning and it looked like the sun might break through.  But no such luck, and we had a very gray day with a high of 14.

I had a nice long chat with Randy.  His winter temps are about the same as ours.  He doesn't have as much snow, but he has had a lot more sun.

I was going to bake my favorite Christmas cookies while JB was Down There, but the butter was frozen!  I guess I will have to bake them tomorrow.

I haven't been setting the alarm at night to get up and check the fire.  My bladder seems to wake me up at the right time.  The coldest it has gotten in the house at night is 65, and we keep it around 72 during the day.

JB was home just before 5:30 pm with everything done that he had planned.  No problems on the road.  A light snow began falling shortly after he arrived.

Thursday 12/15. It was 16 and overcast with 2" of new snow this morning.

I got all ready to bake my cookies but couldn't find the one jar of maraschino cherries that my pantry list said I had.  Great.  But I found another couple recipes and made some chocolate zingers.  They have black and red pepper in them and are thin, crunchy, star shaped, semi-sweet chocolate cookie that leaves a zing in your mouth.  Tomorrow JB is going to bake bread, and on Saturday I will make another kind of cookie.

JB put on a big pot of ham and pea soup, then went out to drive MAX around a bit.  The tires on the right side need more air, so we will fill them tomorrow.  When they get low, it is easy for the track to come off, and if they have too much air, it is easy for the track to come off.

Today was another very gray day and our high was 20.  A light snow began to fall around 1:00 pm and didn't let up, but by dark it was barely a trace.  Colder temps are supposed to arrive for the weekend.

Friday 12/16. It is 8 this morning with a light overcast and valley fog.  We have another inch or two of snow, and poor JB is getting tired of having to go out first thing in these frigid temps to clean off the panels.

Thought for the day:  The world is changed by your example, not your opinion.

December 14, 2016 Love My Crafting!

Rimed pine needles.

Monday 12/13. The bad thing about fleece sheets is that it is so difficult to climb out of them on a cold morning.  Actually any morning.  And especially if you know you are going to have to spend some time out in that cold.

It took me longer than usual to get on my way Down There this morning, what with scraping off Miss Kitty and getting everything loaded into her.  The long line at the post office was typical of this time of year.  It took me about 30 minutes to get through and mail all my packages, but I was right behind a lady with a therapy dog in training, so we chatted and the time went by quickly.

Snow was falling when I got out of the post office and, fortunately, that was my last stop.  Except, of course, at Larry and Elsie's to load the groceries into Miss Kitty.  Had a nice chat with Elsie.  She just happened to be getting some scones out of the oven, and sent me home with one.  Yum!

I was home by two and the scone was all gone by 2:15!

Our high for the day was 23.  Snow had begun to fall around 11:00 am and was still doing so by the time we went to bed.

Tuesday 12/13.  Today began with a temp of 16, rimed trees and we were sitting in the clouds.  Another 1/2" of snow had fallen.

I really enjoy the year-end magazines with all the main events of the year, the best movies, TV series, books, etc.  Time magazine did a pretty good job on theirs, considering.  I read most of it except for the article on Hilary.  I read the first two lines and almost threw up.

I finished the Christmas gifts.  I have had so much fun making them.  The world always seems such a better place when I take the time to craft, to create.  It's not like I am making any phenomenal piece of art, but I do think that the things I make are rather clever.  And perhaps they will put a smile on a friend's face.  Unfortunately, I started making these after I had gifts for most of our family and friends, so this year just our grandchildren and canyon friends will receive them.  Now I am going to make a couple of these items for us with some older Christmas decorations that we have.  Since we do not have room for a tree, many of the ornaments are not getting displayed, so I figure this is the perfect way to do it.  

JB is still planning on going Down There tomorrow, despite the cold temps.  His appointment isn't until late in the afternoon, so he will get his Christmas shopping done.  Pretty sure this is the first year in decades that he will have done it before Christmas Eve Day. . .

The sun tried to peek through the cloud cover, but never really succeeded.  The fog disappeared around mid afternoon and our high for the day was 18.  No more snow fell, but according to the forecast, we may wake up to some.  But the sky was clear when we went to bed with just the full "moon on the crest of the new fallen snow."

Wednesday 12/14. It is a frigid 8 degrees this morning with overcast skies.  JB is still determined to go Down There.  At least there is no new snow.

Thought for the day: We all look up at the stars and see such different things.  George R. R. Martin

December 12, 2016 Ready for Christmas

JB & MAX on Friday.

More than a foot of snow
now at Rose Camp.

Friday 12/9. We received another 5" of snow, so it was another morning of plowing and shoveling.  Dinga is acting even wilder than normal with all this snow.  She just wants to run and play!

After lunch we drove down the road to tamp down the snow, JB leading in MAX and me following in Miss Kitty.  We parked MAX where our road meets the main canyon road, and drove Miss Kitty down to pick up the mail and get a couple items out of JB's Jeep.  It took about two hours and was a bit chilly since our high for the day was just 16.

Saturday 12/10. Wow!  It was 20 this morning with blue sky.  Hardly need a jacket. . .  We had received another 3" of snow.

I woke up full of the Christmas spirit.  Put everything else on hold, and decorated the house in the morning.  Another great thing about having a small home, it doesn't take long to decorate or do anything else.  Then I got all the rest of the packages and cards ready for JB to mail on Wednesday when he goes to town for an annual doctor's appointment.

After lunch we did more plowing and shoveling.  A little after 1:00 pm, while I was concerned that the valley fog would creep up from the west and north, it sneaked in from the south.  By 3:30, we were surrounded and the temperature had dropped a good ten degrees.  Our high for the day was 22.

The fog cleared after sundown.  The moon shone brightly on the snow and the stars were brilliant in the night sky.

Sunday 12/11. Even warmer this morning with a temp of 26!  There was valley fog, and clouds were encircling us on the horizons.  We had 1" of new snow and a light breeze that was serving up snow bombs.

I love getting up in the morning and walking out to all the Christmas decorations!  I have really gotten into the spirit of it earlier than most years.

The current issue of Archaeology magazine is excellent, as usual.  Having been instilled with my Dad's love of history and artifacts, I read every page.

Randy called to say they have about 7" of snow, and a bull moose traipsed across their yard today!  It must be so cool to see that.

We had blue sky and lots of sunshine with a high of 32.  By 2:00 pm, there was a huge, white wall to the west obscuring the mountains and slowly moving towards us.  But it broke up and never did get here, dropping the forecast snow in Leavenworth instead of Wenatchee.

And, speaking of forecasts, we are in for extremely cold temps beginning Tuesday evening.  Possibly below zero.  So I am going Down There tomorrow to mail the last of the packages and Christmas cards.  Will also pick up a few perishable groceries and some supplies for my crafting project.  JB may have to cancel his appointment for Wednesday.

It is definitely time for the fleece sheets, so I got them on the bed today.  It is so nice the way they never feel cold against your skin.

Monday 12/12. It is 18 and mostly cloudy this morning.  Not really looking forward to that cold drive. . .

Thought for the day: Nothing is more unreliable than the populace, and nothing more deceptive than the whole electoral system.  Cicero (106-43 BC)

December 9, 2016 More Cold & More Snow

JB plowing around the south
ridge with the tractor.

Dinga watching for critters
from the porch.

Wednesday 12/7. JB had the idea to attach Miss Kitty's plow to the bucket on the tractor and plow around the house, up the drive and around the south ridge.  I wasn't really sure it would work, but we gerry-rigged it with a chain and, lo and behold, it worked just fine!

I stayed inside most of the day finishing the Christmas cards and making more gifts.  I am so very pleased with the way they are turning out.  Just as good or better than the snow-globe tops.  I can't describe or post a photo until after Christmas though.

There is an excellent interview on the last page of the current Time magazine with Kiesha Tippet about "wisdom, debate, downright disagreement - and coming together when things fall apart."  Very well said.

Since it is staying so cold for so long, items in the refrigerator are starting to freeze.  Our high for today was just 16, but this cold snap is supposed to end this weekend, thank goodness.  For every month we don't have the refrigerator running on propane, we will save about $90.  Also our kitchen is much larger.  I love it!

Thursday 12/8. It was 10 and mostly overcast this morning with another inch of new snow.  Very fluffy snow.  Looks almost fake.  The clouds soon disappeared and we had sun and blue sky for a few hours.  But more clouds moved in around noon probably bringing the 1-6 inches more snow that is in the forecast.

Had a nice, long chat with Sandy this morning.  We always get to laughing a lot when we talk.  Being a conservative in California is very difficult for her. . .

JB got MAX going and drove him around a bit.  Everything seems to be okay.  Just cold.

I stayed inside and made more Christmas gifts.  I am having so much fun!

We have some sort of critter around that Jesse was tracking and barking at.  He stayed out for almost an hour a couple times, to the point where we were getting concerned.  When we called him, he wouldn't come.  He would just bark to let us know he was okay.  He spent some time in front of the wood stove when he finally did return.

Friday 12/9. It is a lovely 12 degrees this morning and lightly snowing.  Looks like we got another 6" during the night. And now the forecast is for this cold snap to extend into the end of next week!

Thought for the day: Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions.  George W. Bush

December 7, 2016 Moving Our Jeep for the Winter

The view out the front door
Tuesday morning.

Taking JB's Jeep down the
mountain for the winter.

Monday 12/5. The drive down the mountain wasn't as bad as I thought it might be.  There were lots of turkey tracks just down from the hairpin and again the bobcat or small cougar tracks going down the road.  Got all my errands done except for finding one very necessary item for my Christmas project, and that was after hitting all three craft stores.  I'll just have to modify it a bit.

A light snow began falling in town around 11:00 am, a couple hours after it started at Rose Camp.  The drive back up the mountain was pretty dicey.  At one point I wasn't sure if I was going to make it, but JB's Jeep just kept on going while I drove in 4-low-low gear at 1200 to 1500 rpms.

I knew that a propane refrigerator put out a lot of heat, but now we are finding out just how much!  It is a little harder to heat the house, but then our high for today was only 24.  With the fridge on the porch, it is colder inside of it than when it was in the house.  Liquids aren't freezing, but it is too cold to thaw something frozen.  So I put anything we need thawed in the bedroom by the open (2") window.

Tuesday 12/6. It was 19 and still snowing this morning.  While I swept off the porch, JB trudged up to the panels to clear them off and measured 6-1/2" of new snow.  I called Elsie to ask if it would be okay for us to bring JB's Jeep down for the winter and she said they thought we would be calling today as they received 5" of snow.

This is Dinga's favorite time of the year and she happily ran up to the panels with JB.  Jesse, on the other hand, indicated that he was just fine inside, laying by the wood stove.

JB could not get the snow blower started.  We put some Seafoam in the gas tank and will try again tomorrow.  After lunch we put the ice chains on Miss Kitty, which is my least favorite winter chore.  Then a little after 2:00 pm, we left for Larry and Elsie's with JB driving his Jeep and me driving Miss Kitty.  Also checked the mail while we were down there, and let their dogs out for a potty break and then a treat.  No problems getting down or back up.

The snow stopped falling mid-morning and the sun was out in a blue sky for the rest of the day.  So beautiful!  Our high for the day was just 22.  Lots more snow and low temps in the forecast for this week.  When JB did his nightly check at 9:30, the temp had dropped to 14.

Wednesday 12/7. It is a balmy 12 degrees this morning with overcast skies cutting the tops off of the mountains.  I am definitely staying inside today.

Thought for the day: It's a little embarrassing that after 45 years of research and study, the best advice I can give people is to be a little kinder to each other.  Aldous Huxley

December 5, 2016 Officially Rednecks

My Christmas project.  The
bubble top is a snow globe.

You might be a redneck if. . .

Friday 12/2.  It tried to snow most of the day but just couldn't quite do it.  Our high was 37.

It was an indoor morning and, having stopped in at Hobby Lobby when I was Down There, I spent it using those supplies to make Christmas presents from a video I had seen on Facebook.  The first one turned out great!  There are so many things you can do with Mason jars.

After lunch we went out to cut all the branch wood from the trees we had cut the other day.  We used my little electric chain saw and JB was able to get it all done in two large cradle loads.  Then he moved the cut wood to the porch in the tractor bucket.  I stacked it, and now we have a nice, complete wall around the south end.

Saturday 12/3. The day began with a temp of 32, clear skies and a wind gusting to 24.  A perfect day for staying inside and working on Christmas gifts and cards.

JB put a fire in the stove in the shop and spent some time out there cleaning up after the pack rat.  There was no sign of the rat or its body, so hopefully it is gone.

We watched the last four episodes of season one of The Arrow.  I sure hope our son was able to find season two on sale for our Christmas.  The wind was still howling when we went to bed and snow was being blown around.

Sunday 12/4. When I got up to let Jesse out at 4:00 am, there was a strong smell of ammonia in the great room.  The smell of our refrigerator dying.  So we turned off all the gas so the pilot lights would go out and opened several windows.  Then we went back to bed to deal with it when the sun was up.

At 7:30 am it was 27 outside, 54 inside and we had received just under 2" of snow.  Every west-facing surface was plastered in white.  I fed the chickens and dogs while JB hiked up to clear off the solar panels, then we moved the fridge out on the porch, closed the windows and lit a fire.

With the refrigerator on the porch, we are officially rednecks!  But, as always, Universal timing is perfect.  This is the best time of the year to be without a refrigerator inside, because it is cold enough outside.  We won't get another one until March or April, and then it will be a much smaller one.  I plan to can most foods, rather than use a freezer.  They will last much longer and we won't have to worry about any kind of power problem.

After the morning excitement, I printed the labels for our Christmas cards and got a couple packages ready to mail.  I plan to go Down There tomorrow for a few more craft supplies from Hobby Lobby, mail the cards and packages, and do a few other errands.

The wind that had died down during the early morning hours, popped up again in the late afternoon.  Our high for the day was just 29, and there is much colder weather in the forecast for this week.

Monday 12/5. It is 20 with mostly clear skies this morning.  Really not looking forward to going outside. . .

Thought for the day: Sometimes memories sneak out of my eyes and roll down my cheek.  LessonstaughtbyLife on Facebook

December 2, 2016 Cutting Wood & A Trip Down There

Wednesday's wind-swept
valley fog.

A good start to next
year's fire wood.

Wednesday 11/30. Another cold but clear day, so JB got the chain saw out and we cut up the trees that our son had cut down.  I limbed them and JB also cut one cradle load of branch wood.  He used the tractor to haul the rounds to the splitter in three bucket loads, and I took the cut branch wood to the wood shed.  We have a nice start to our fire wood for next year.  We won't be splitting anything til Spring though, as the splitter doesn't work unless the temperature is at least 40.

I am absolutely amazed at some of the things being posted on Facebook and other online sites about our emperor and his family.  Just goes to prove that you can fool some of the people all the time. . .

Our son has tickets to the new Star Wars' movie already.  They are going to the pre-view on December 15.  I am so envious!!

Today's valley fog never did disappear and by late afternoon it was trying to creep into Rose Camp.  Fortunately the wind was keeping it away.  Our high for the day was 36.

Thursday 12/1.  December began with clear skies and a temp of 28.  Last night Larry asked if I could help at their shop this morning as they were getting a another propane tank delivered and he had to be at home for that.  So I left for Down There at 8:30.  A bit early so I could get to the post office and still have time to buy a latte.

I had been at their shop for less than an hour, and had just finished my latte, when Larry arrived.  He brought iced mochas for all of us!  With all that time in front of me, I did the shopping I had planned to do next week, got our Christmas "card" printed, went to Hobby Lobby to buy supplies for a Christmas project I had just seen on Facebook, and did some Christmas shopping.  Zipping all around town on a caffeine high!

Our road didn't seem too bad going down, but driving back up it was pretty slippery.  By the time I got home JB had compiled November's statistics: 65 eggs and 4" of rain!

Our high for the day was just 34 and, by the time of our afternoon walk, there were some pretty dark clouds hovering about.  We have a cold and snowy weekend in the forecast with temps down to 17 Monday night.  Brrrrr!

Friday 12/2. It is 30 with a mostly overcast sky this morning.  The Christmas spirit has completely overtaken me and I have so much to do!

Thought for the day: Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.  Marilyn Monroe

November 30, 2016 More Turkey & More Snow

A photo from 11/30/15.

Monday 11/28. Today we made our Thanksgiving turkey so we could have leftovers.  A turkey with no legs, wings or giblets, just perfect for the two of us.  Mrs. Gridder had sent home with us homemade cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and pie, so we were set.

It was a beautiful, mostly sunny day with a high of 40, but only a little of our snow melted.

We watched four more episodes of Arrow through our triptophan haze.

Tuesday 11/29.  The day began with a temp of 30 and clear skies.  And we started our day with house cleaning, vacuuming and dishes.

After a fantastic lunch of a turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing sandwich, I drove Miss Kitty down to pick up the mail.  On my way back, I let out Larry and Elsie's dogs for a pee break and a treat.  A perfect day for a drive.  I love seeing all the tracks in the snow.  No bear or Bigfoot today, just deer, cougar and rabbit.

I have all the Christmas gifts wrapped, now I just need to package them for mailing.  I guess I should get some decorations put up, too.

Wednesday 11/30. The sky is clear again this morning with a temp of 30 and about another 1/2" of snow.  There is valley fog that I do hope stays in the valley where it belongs.

Thought for the day: It's not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful. Brother David Steindl-Rast

November 28, 2016 Mice & Another Thanksgiving

The tarp over the girls' run.

Friday 11/25. A nice lazy morning.  Still digesting yesterday's feast.

Our only project for the day was to put a large tarp over part of the girls' run.  This will give them a larger outside area for the winter as they will not
 walk in the snow.

We haven't had mice in the house for at least a year or more, and now suddenly we have had two caught in the traps the last two nights.  Just not sure where they are getting in.  Doesn't make for a good night's sleep. . .

Saturday 11/26. It was 32 and overcast this morning.  And there was another mouse in the trap.

I made pumpkin-apple-streusel muffins to take with us to our second Thanksgiving dinner today.  I think that two dinners is quite appropriate for us as we have so very much for which to be thankful.  We had another wonderful time and again arrived home stuffed like the turkey.  Our high for the day was 40.

We watched The King's Speech this evening.  What a great movie!

Sunday 11/27. This morning was clear and breezy with a temp of 33.  Yesterday's mud was frozen and frosted.  The icy wind blew all day, gusting to 20 mph.  We had about a ten-minute blizzard blow through at 3:00 pm, but that was all snow we received until after dark.  The forecast was for 5 - 6 inches.

Again we had another mouse in the trap, but I think I have plugged up where they are getting in.  We also put some poison under the house.

I spent most of the day inside working on our Christmas card.  JB took the dogs on their two walks, and spent some time sorting and filing magazines.

The wind finally disappeared along with the sun and snow began falling again.  It was still snowing at 9:30 when we checked after watching the first three episodes of the first season of Arrow.  Our high for the day was 38.

Monday 11/28. It is 30 with clear skies this morning and about an inch of snow on the ground.  And another dead mouse in the trap.

Thought for the day: My last words regarding the election:  Good trumped evil!