February 29, 2016 Eggs & Wind

Ground re-appearing in
the grove.

Saturday 2/27. Today is the first time this winter that it felt like Spring might actually arrive this year.  Our high was 46 and I didn't even need a coat to go outside.  But it wasn't just the warmth, Spring was definitely in the air.

Lots of magazines from the mail and some papers we bought yesterday.  So there was lots to read with breakfast this morning.

I began taking fire wood off the porch today.  We still have a little less than two rows in the wood shed, but I do not want to have to re-stack any of the porch wood in the shed.

The only side effect from this whole colonoscopy situation is that I have become addicted to Ritz crackers.  Will have to stock up on them next time I am Down There, which will hopefully be the end of this week.  All depends on how slushy the road is.

The girls gave us two eggs today!  They may set a record.  They have now given us seven eggs in seven days.

Orion has moved far enough to the west now that we have to look to the south prior to 8:30 pm in order to see it.  Otherwise it is hidden by the trees.  Never noticed the seasonal changes in the heavens until we moved Up Here.

We finished watching the third season of Elementary this evening.  This has to be my favorite series of all of them.

Sunday 2/28. It was 34 and overcast this morning with off and on sprinkles.  Then it was mostly blue sky and sunshine by 11:00 am, until 1:00 pm when the wind picked up and blew in a rain/snow mix.  That kept up for more than an hour with gusts up to 20 mph, until the wind blew those clouds away and the sun shone again.

Today is Jesse's tenth birthday!  He certainly doesn't seem that old.  Hasn't slowed down a bit from when we adopted him in 2009.

I baked a cherry coffee cake this afternoon, using the last of the cherry pie filling that I made with the cherries from Elsie's cherry tree.  So good!

The girls have been pulling out the straw from under half of the nesting boxes, and it had filled the whole space under there.  When I gave them their afternoon corn and checked for eggs, I almost missed the two for today as they were in a nest on the floor where all the straw had been.  Two more today!  That is nine eggs in eight days.

Wind gusts increased to 29 mph late this afternoon and blew in a wall of snow at about 5:00 pm.  We were on the southeast edge of the storm, so it only lasted about 20 minutes.  Long enough to turn the deck and some of the bare ground white.

JB made a delicious fritata for dinner out of some of the eggs from the girls.

By the time we went to bed a little after 9:00 pm, the highest gust was 33 mph.  Since Dinga doesn't pace on a windy night if one of us is sleeping on the couch, that's what I did.  

Monday 2/29. It is 30 and partly cloudy this morning.  JB and Dinga slept well last night, but I sure didn't.  Definitely a day for a nap

Thought for the day: We scientists found that doing a kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being of any exercise we have tested.  Martin Seligman, from Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being.

February 27, 2016 My Colon Gets A Clean Bill of Health

The snow is slowly melting, but we
still have 1 to 2 feet in most areas.

Wednesday 2/24. When I let the dogs out at 4:30 am, Jesse decided to go on an adventure and still wasn't back by 5:30.  JB was very upset with him, so he took his pistol out on the porch and fired off a round.  Within five minutes, Jesse was at the front door.  Rather an expensive way to call him, but it always works.

After feeding the girls and dogs, I went back to bed until 11:00 am.  A good way to pass the time.  Then I spent the rest of the day sorting photos, drinking water and trying not to think of food.  Still subsisting on eggs for breakfast, then Ritz crackers with peanut butter or cheese for the rest of the day.  Having done this before, I know that the less I eat, the easier it will be.

JB worked on organizing his Magic cards and inputting the info into his computer, as he has for the past couple days.

Now that the snow is melting, we can see that the weight of it has broken several railings on the fence.  Will have to replace them, but at least it is good fire wood.

Our high for the day was 38.

Thursday 2/25. It was 30 and clear this morning.  This is my clear liquid day, so before noon we went out to change a fuse in Miss Kitty for the windshield wiper.  I had to do it as JB still cannot use his left hand much (and I won't let him).  The fuse is not easy to reach and I had to lay on my back on Miss Kitty's floor.  I could not figure out how to get both hands up into the small space, and got to laughing so hard I almost wasn't able to do it at all.  I was finally able to do it with one hand, with still no clue how JB gets them both up there.

The birds are coming back with the warming weather.  I heard the song of one that hadn't been here since last fall.  In the almost eight years we have been Up Here, I have not been able to identify the kind of bird it is.

The girls gave us two eggs today!  Two jumbo eggs.  They must be celebrating the longer days and warmer temps.  Our high for today was 40.

At 4:00 pm I had to start drinking the three quarts of special liquid to clean me out.  It might as well have been three gallons.  Not a fun evening.  I put a CD in my portable player, put the earplugs in my ears, and just tried not to think about it.  Then slept on the couch til about 2:00 am.

Friday 2/26. It was 34 and partly cloudy this morning.  I got up at 6:00 am to drink the final four cups of the lovely liquid.  That wasn't bad at all.  I was just so very glad that yesterday was over.

We left for Down There a little after 9:00 am in Miss Kitty and had a very nice ride.  Took us about 40 minutes to get to Larry and Elsie's.  The road is still ice and snow all the way down till just before their place.  

I arrived at the hospital 45 minutes early, but the 10:00 appointment was a no show, so I was able to go right in.  By noon I was all done and JB was there to pick me up.  The doctor gave my colon a clean bill of health, with the comment that the medical community still has no clue as to what causes diverticulitis to act up.  Didn't care at that point.  I was all done.  Woo Hoo!!

JB and I went to a restaurant for lunch to celebrate.  Don't think we have done that for four years or more.  I ordered a chicken, avocado, bacon sandwich.  When I swallowed that first delicious bite, my stomach said, "Ooooh, what was that?  Do it again!"  So I did.

JB had done some grocery shopping while I was having the procedure, but didn't have time to finish.  So I got a latte (nectar of the gods), then we went to Fred Meyer, the post office, and were on our way home.

The girls gave us another egg today.  Wow, two days in a row.  Our high temp was 37.

Didn't realize how uptight I had become over this whole colonoscopy issue until it was over, but I am done!!  Time to get on with life.

Saturday 2/27. It is 37 and mostly clear this morning.  A wonderful day.

Thought for the day: Change your attitude.  Change your life.

February 24, 2016 Miss Kitty Is Finally Back Home!

JB cutting the tree across
the road.

Dinga digging after a
critter under the snow.

Monday 2/22. We decided to walk down our road to see if we thought it would be solid enough to drive Miss Kitty home.  The four of us left about 1:00 pm and had a nice leisurely hike.  This gave us the opportunity to get a good look at all the branches that were broken off by snow or wind, and the many trees that were either topped or toppled.  We also cut the tree that I had been able to drive MAX under.  Miss Kitty would never have made it, but we decided that the road was definitely good enough to bring her home.  There is a lot of wood that will be available for scavenging in the spring and summer.  

I drove Miss Kitty back home with no issues whatsoever.  And now since she is back, I didn't cancel the appointment for my colonoscopy on Friday.  I can at last get that over with.

The dogs had a great time on our adventure.  Since Jesse's paw has been better, he has disappeared for one or two hours at a time.  Sometimes we will see him come back in the opposite direction from which he left.  Sure would like to know where he is going.

It was another beautiful day and our high was 42.

Tuesday 2/23. It was 26 and mostly clear this morning, with a little breeze.  I am subsisting mainly on eggs, Ritz crackers, peanut butter, Swiss cheese, Elsie's home-made apple jelly, tomato soup, M&M's and water.  Lots of water.  In preparing for these three days of a low-fiber diet, I have discovered that Ritz crackers have zero fiber!  But I usually eat so much fresh fruit, nuts, oatmeal, and other foods full of fiber, that I am really starting to miss them after less than two days.  Just one more day of low fiber and then Thursday will be clear liquids only.  Friday is nothing before my appointment other than drinking the last quart of the lovely mixture of a cleansing powder and Gatorade.  I will be so very glad when this is all over.  I thought I might try to keep busy for the next two days sorting our my big box of recipes.  But am rethinking that. . .  Maybe I'll finish sorting my photos.

I cracked open the little egg that one of the girls gave us on Saturday.  There was no yolk!  However, today they gave us TWO eggs to make up for it.  Since the ground is no longer frozen in their pen, their water is really getting dirty.  As if they are washing their feet in it.

We have been getting a wasp or two in the loft every day for the past couple weeks.  But that is nothing compared to years past.

It was another beautiful, sunny day but with an icy breeze.  Our high was only 36.

Wednesday 2/24. It is 30 and overcast this morning.  I do not plan to post on my blog Friday morning.  I will do it Saturday instead.

Thought for the day: I wish I could tell you that it gets better, but it doesn't get better.  You get better.  Joan Rivers

February 22, 2016 A Cold Weekend

Saturday's egg on the left, next to
Thursday's egg.

Friday 2/19. I found it very interesting that there were no comments on my posting for this morning.  My Aunt, however, did send her response to me via email: "Sit down and have another cup of coffee before you have a stroke! There is nothing you can do about it."  She is probably quite right, but I just couldn't keep quiet about the situation.  I figure if I brought just one person to their senses, or made them think about it a little, then I did some good.  At least Sandy, Larry and Elsie liked it.

It was 30 and snowing this morning.  We ended up getting two more inches and most of the bare ground is white again.  The berm on the south side of the house has finally sunk below the bathroom windowsill.  Our high for the day was 36.  

We watched the movie Frozen last night, and began watching the third season of Elementary this evening.

Saturday 2/20. It was 28 and clear this morning.  After feeding the girls and dogs, I went back to bed to try and get rid of another sinus headache.  This is really getting old. . .

The door handle on our front door needed to be replaced as it has become loose.  In fact, the pressure from the wind last Sunday actually blew it open and I had to keep it closed with a bungie cord.  Then about 3:00 this morning, Dinga started going balistic and we discovered that the door had blown open (no bungie cord being used.)  On Monday I had purchased a new handle and we installed it today.  Not an easy job as one of the screws on the old one was stripped, so JB had to use his drill to get the head of it off.  But before he could do that, we had to charge the battery to his drill.  Because of the inverter that we have for the house, we cannot charge any kind of battery off the house electricity, so we had to start up the shop generator to do that.  Finally got the job done, so I think we are good.

With these cold nights, the snow has frozen so that we and the dogs can walk on top of most of it.  The dogs are delighted, as this allows them to go almost anywhere.  In many places the paths are higher than the snow next to them.

The girls gave us a very tiny egg today (see photo above).  Not sure who did that or why.  Our nephew's comment upon seeing the photo was: Just proof that no one works hard on the weekend!

I finished another book today, Twelfth Card by Jeffery Deaver.  Excellent!

Sunday 2/21. It was 23 and overcast this morning, but it cleared up a bit mid afternoon and we had some sunshine.

Went to start MAX and discovered some more issues, so I am going to once again cancel my appointment on 2/26 for a colonoscopy.  It's not that we can't get Down There.  It's that we may not be able to on a specific day.  This time I am going to make the appointment for the end of April.

It really was a beautiful day, with a high of 38.  But these last few days, I am pretty sure that the high for the day has only been for a few minutes or so.  And because we have light so much longer now, we have more power, even if it is cloudy.

Monday 2/22. It is 28 with mostly clear skies this morning, with forecast for a fairly nice week.

Thought for the day: I just can't do adult today.

February 19, 2016 Anger & A Real Fear for Our Country

Wednesday 2/17. When the impostor announced that he would not be attending the funeral of Supreme Court Justice Scalia, I became so furious that I knew I could no longer hold back in my blog.  That act itself is just a reflection of his disdain for America.  The man has no sense of the honor and duty that come with the office of President.  He has defiled that office with his arrogance and set an example that that will have dire consequences for decades to come.  There are duties required of the person sitting at the desk of the oval office that have nothing to do with personal feelings.  Attending the funeral of a Supreme Court Justice is one of them.  It is honoring the office, not specifically the person who filled it.  It is honoring an important part of America.  But the man in the White House simply has neither a concept of honor nor real belief in America and the concepts upon which it was built.

His eight years in office have become, and will be remembered as, the beginning of the end of this incredible free country, and our weak, self-absorbed, greed-ridden Congress has done nothing to stop him.  I am so angry that Americans have become so complacent as to let this happen.  And now many of them are seriously backing a socialist candidate for President.  Do they know nothing about history?!  Tyranny/monarchy and various forms of democracy are the only successful forms of government.  While tyranny can last for centuries, the average life span for a democracy is usually about 250 years.  It lasts until elected officials realize that they can enact laws that will give them anything they want, and in doing so, destroy the very form of government that gave them that freedom.  The following quotes say it much better than I can:

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.  Thomas Jefferson

That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history.  Aldous Huxley

Democracy in itself does not define or guarantee a free society.  History has told many stories of democratic societies that have degenerated into corruption, plunder and tyranny.  Richard M. Ebeling

I hope we once again have reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited.  There's a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as the law of physics: as government expands, liberty contracts.  Ronald Reagan

The true patriot scrutinizes the actions of his own government with unceasing vigilance.  And when his government violates the morality and rightness associated with principles of individual freedom and private property, he immediately rises in opposition to his government.  Jacob G. Hornberger

Nothing can destroy a government more quickly than its failure to observe its own laws, or worse, its disregard of the charter of its own existence.  Justice Tim C. Clark

The budget should be balanced, the treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed, lest Rome become bankrupt.  People must again learn to work instead of living on public assistance.  Cicero, 55 BC - So evidently we have learned nothing in the past 2071 years.

Thought for the day: Elected officials and diapers need to be changed often, and for the same reason.

February 17, 2016 A Heartwarming Adventure

Saturday before the wind. . .

. . .Monday after the wind.

The slide after the bushes
were winched out.

MAX & the tree across
the road.

Monday 2/15. Neither of us got much sleep til after 4:30 am with all the wind and a pacing Dinga, so we overslept.  I didn't get on my way Down There til about 9:30 am.  There were lot of small branches scattered along the road, but just one tree down.  It was angled such that I was able to break off the branches and drive under it with no problem.  All was going well til I was almost in sight of Larry and Elsie's and the right track came off.  I managed to get it on to the seat next to me, but around the next corner I came upon three small slides that I could drive around, and two huge ones that completely covered the road in three to four feet of mud and bushes for about 30 feet.  Lovely.

I got out of MAX and walked down to Larry and Elsie's, catching them just as they were leaving for an appointment and shopping.  They had to go, but agreed to call JB when they had cell service and let him know I would be calling when I got to town a bit later than expected.  They also called Mr. Sixes who had spent the night with all his family at their cabin to let him know the situation.

I walked back up to move MAX out of the way (although no one was going to get up or down until some of that mud was cleared out).  I turned him around and was going back up when the chain came loose or off!  At that point I just took the cooler and box for groceries and the empty gas can down to my Jeep and drove into town.  I could only buy what would fit into the two containers, so I had to be choosy.  I also wanted to get my shopping done as quickly as possible so I could get back up, check out MAX's chain and start shoveling on the small slides.

Gridder was home when I drove back up.  Larry had told him about the slide, so Gridder was going to drive up with his family to check it out and see what he could do.  

When I got back up to MAX, I discovered that the chain had come off, so there was really nothing I could do but start shoveling.  Gridder and his family soon arrived, and he started winching the big bushes out of the slide.  When they were gone, he thought he might be able to just plow his way through with his Jeep.  About that time the Sixes family arrived, coming down from their cabin.  Gridder drove Mrs. Sixes and their children back down to Gridder's where their other car was parked, then came back up.  Meanwhile, Mrs. Gridder, Mr. Sixes and I were shoveling.  

Gridder did manage to plow through the mud and snow, very slowly.  Back and forth, back and forth.  We were trying to figure out how to get MAX's chain and track back on when Larry and Elsie arrived home.  To make this story as short as possible, the three guys managed to get MAX's chain on by winching MAX to turn the wheels.  Then they moved MAX in such a way so as to get two jacks under him.  With two of them holding MAX, and Larry and I working on the track, we actually got it back on without having to take the air out of the tires.  MAX doesn't seem so formidable in the face of three big, strong men. . .  It's amazing what you can get done with a lot of muscle and some beer.

Larry brought up my boxes of groceries in his 4X4.  Put them in Gridder's Jeep.  Then both Gridder in his Jeep and Mr. Sixes in his Jeep, with Larry and Gridder's family riding along, followed me up to my turn-off.  We loaded up MAX and I was off, and home by 4:30 with no other problems.  The rest of them drove up to the Sixes' cabin which is less than 1/4 mile up from our turn-off.  

Good neighbors, who have become such good friends, made for a great time.  I loved it, but I am really getting tired of having to ask for help so often this winter.  I swore I wasn't going back down til April or May, but I will house-sit overnight for Larry and Elsie the first weekend in March.  By then I should be able to drive Miss Kitty down the main road.

The sky remained mostly overcast for the day, with a few sun breaks.  Our high was 43, so it really wasn't too cold for all the goings on.  Needless to say, I slept soundly.

Tuesday 2/16. It was 39 with a light partial overcast this morning.  We read mail and magazines, and did not do much more than dishes, laundry and daily chores.  I had to wash my jacket and pants from yesterday as they were pretty muddy.  It seemed as though every bone and muscle in my body was aching today, so I just needed to rest and recuperate.

The sun managed to shine through the overcast most of the day, and our high was 48.  After all that wind Sunday night, the ground is showing under most of the trees.  It is bare in the grove.  Most of the bushes, stumps, rocks and logs have re-appeared, along with the bird bath.

Wednesday 2/17. It is 36 with a heavy overcast this morning.  Going to have to check out the refrigerator today, as it seems to be working too hard.

Thought for the day: Blood makes you relatives.  Loyalty makes you family.

February 15, 2016 Snow, Visitors & Wind

Interesting cloud formation
to the south.

Friday 2/12. Our paths were very crunchy today, but the snow level has fallen more than I realized.  The sign at the path to the north ridge is completely above the snow now, as is some of its post.

There was still a lot of snow on the wood shed roof that had slid down, so I shoveled as much as I could reach.  I could hear the header board begin to move back into place as the weight came off.

A breeze picked up around 1:00 pm and blew in a short rain squall which cleared out the fog.  By the time we left on our afternoon walk, we could see a little blue sky on the western horizon.  By 4:30 all the cloud cover had moved on to the east towards Idaho and Randy.  Our high for the day was 40.

Saturday 2/13. It was 32, clear and breezy first thing this morning, but clouds had moved in by noon.  I fed the dogs and girls, then went back to bed to get rid of a nasty sinus headache.

After lunch we went out to check the oil in the generator, and added some.  Then we took the ash bucket and kitchen compost to the outdoor compost pile.  I haven't been shoveling that path, so we both post-holed all the way.

Later in the afternoon I baked Rose's World Famous Gluton-Free Oatmeal/Chocolate Chip cookies.  They are literally "world famous" from when our neighbors had their friends from Austria Up Here and they loved the cookies.

Snow began falling at 3:00 pm and continued until around 8:00.  We only received about 1/4" and it was gone by morning.  During the evening, the breeze had increased to a wind gusting to 18 mph.  

We are both very sad to hear that Supreme Court Justice Scalia passed away today.  I'm not really paranoid, but I hope they do an autopsy. . .

Sunday 2/14. Valentine's Day on the mountain began with a temp of 36, overcast sky and wind gusting to 23 mph.  By noon the clouds began to part and the sun was able to shine most of the afternoon.  Our high for the day was 44.

Larry and Elsie drove up in the SnoCat this afternoon for a nice, long visit.  I should have no problem getting down and back up in MAX tomorrow.  Elsie brought up the Valentine's package from Nene.  My goodness!  That aunt of mine really does spoil us.  She sent a beautiful hand-made fleece pillow with elk, moose and bears on it, along with a chocolate moose pillow-pet.  And, of course, money for candy which I will spend tomorrow.

Monday 2/15. It is 40, mostly clear and windy this morning.  The wind blew all night, gusting to 41.  A very noisy and sleepless night.  The wind has pared the snow down significantly and littered it with pine cones and small branches.  And I am not looking forward to my drive Down There. . .

Thought for the day: We never said protests are the answer, but protests create space for the answer.  Protest is disruption.  Protest is confrontation. Protest is the end of silence, and what protest does is it creates space for the other work to happen. Deray McKesson

February 12, 2016 A Warming Trend With Rain

JB and the dogs on their
morning walk.

How the snow has weighted
down the roof of the wood shed.

Wednesday 2/10. Our frog is serenading us again.  It is so odd that he has been doing this off and on all winter long.  Just cracks me up every time I hear him.

This was a very domestic day for me: washing dishes, hanging laundry, baking bread.  Two loaves and four rolls that turned out excellent!  But then I had to dig out one of our ladders that was laying next to the house on the north side.  I could see it, but I still had to dig through three feet of snow and ice - mainly ice - to get it out.  The last big chunk of snow from the west peak of the roof slid off a couple days ago and took the cap off the air pipe to the toilet.  So after digging out the ladder, I had to lift it up on the deck so I could use it to climb up and put the cap back on.  Fortunately the pipe runs down through the wall, so it is just two feet in from the edge of the roof.

I am still doing all the physical work Up Here as I will not let JB doing anything he cannot do with one hand.  He over did it twice and paid the price.

In talking to Larry this evening, he is hopeful that he and Elsie will be able to drive up in the Snocat this weekend.  With the snow so heavy and wet, don't know how much he will be able to plow, but we should be able to get MAX, or possibly Miss Kitty, down to their place and my Jeep on Monday.

Our high for the day was 48, and it was still 40 when we checked at 10:00 pm.

Still watching and enjoying the eighth season of Bones.

Thursday 2/11. It was a warm 36 and overcast this morning.  A short rain squall passed through at about 9:00 am.  The sky remained heavily overcast and by 3:00 pm we had heavy rain that continued until after 7:00 pm.  Our high for the day was 40.

I finished a book by Dean Koontz today, The Good Guy.  So very good!  I love the way he writes, and always about incredible good against incredible evil.  Then I started one by John Connelly, The Black Angel.  Looks to be a dark one.

Things are really melting now, as the temp has not been down to freezing for about 48 hours.  I worked on shoveling off the roof of the wood shed, and all the snow left on it should be able to slide right off.  Also took off as much snow as I could reach from the recycle shed roof, which was only about a foot in.

The girls gave us an egg today, but it looked as though it had been stepped on before it completely hardened.  Had to throw it away.  That hurt.

Colder temps are forecast for the weekend.  If they arrive, everything will be a sheet of ice.

Friday 2/12. It is 34 and foggy this morning.  I thought all that rain would have made a bigger difference in the snow than it did.  It will be interesting to see how it is walking around in it.

Thought for the day: Too many folks go through life running from something that isn't after them.

February 10, 2016 Slowly Warming & Melting

A flannel sheet drying
out in the winter sun.

Monday 2/8. It was another beautiful day on the mountain with a high of 43.  The sun shone brightly and the snow is obviously, but slowly, melting.  So nice that I hung a couple sheets outside to dry.  Oh, I have missed that incredibly fresh smell!

I vacuumed today and sucked up only a little over one canister full of dirt and dog hair.  The very first time I used my new vacuum, I ended up with a full canister four times!  The second time, I ended up filling it a little over two times.  With the other two vacuums I have had Up Here, I must have been just taking off the top layer of the dirt and moving the rest around. . .

I shoveled snow off the battery and wood shed roofs to relieve them of some of the weight.  And, at the same time, take off some of my weight. . .

Tuesday 2/9. It was 30 and another beautiful morning.  Some of the stumps are beginning to re-appear, and we can actually see some small areas of ground on the south slope down from the south ridge.  I am sure it will be at least another month before we see any ground on our north slope where we live.  All the paths are at least six to 12 inches above the ground, and they will be the last areas to melt.

My shoveling project for today was the hen house/run roof.  Using the small shovel, I got quite a bit cleared off and it was not physically tiring.  I had to take my coat off because the sun was so warm.  Our high for the day was 48!

Since all the snow has melted off the porch, I have been putting a bed out there for Dinga during the day and she loves it.  Even when the temperature is in the low 30's, she is out there.  She even took a bone out there to chew on today.

Talked to Randy and he is enjoying the sun also.  His SUV is fixed, so he has been to town a couple times in the past few days.  He is much more social than I am. . .

Wednesday 2/10. It is 32 and overcast this morning.  Another melty day.

Thought for the day: Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world.  Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.  Rumi

February 8, 2016 MAX Is Back!

Much easier to tilt
the panels when you
are two feet higher.

Looking to the beginning
of the chute for the
firewood sled. . .

. . . and on down to the porch.

Friday 2/5. JB's wrist has improved dramatically in the past few days.  Just hope he isn't using it too much now.  He baked another loaf of French bread today that turned out a better.  Seems he had misread the recipe last time and used too much apple cider vinegar.

I baked Toll House pan cookies, and then we hiked up to tilt the solar panels half-way up.  JB didn't have to reach up in order to loosen the bolt as he was standing on about two feet of snow!  In many places now, we do not sink in more than 4 or 5 inches, instead of 2 or 3 feet.

I made a birthday card for my friend who will turn 100 years old on 2/20!  I will send it down with Gridder tomorrow and ask Elsie to mail it for me.

The path to the wood shed is now the perfect chute for the firewood sled.  I give it a push at the gate and it slides all the way down to the porch by itself.  I may just have to try it with me on the sled. . .

The skies remained mostly overcast all day and our high was 38.  This nice and slow melting is just right.  A wind picked up in the evening, gusting to 23 mph.

Larry and Elsie haven't been able to catch sight of the egg thief on their game cam, but they did get an egg today for the first time since the bobcat episode.  Larry thinks whatever the thief was may have choked on the golf ball it stole!

We watched the movie, It's Complicated, this evening and will start another series tomorrow.

Saturday 2/6. It was 30 this morning with mostly cloudy skies, and the wind was still gusting.  Gridder arrived on the snowmobile a little after 10:30 am to help us with MAX.  He also brought up our mail and some other items.  Elsie had picked up a prescription for Dinga and some yogurt for me.  And she sent up a really cool chocolate bar, too!

It seems that MAX's throttle must have frozen, but by this morning it was working again.  Gridder and JB dug out MAX's tracks but were having a problem driving him up the driveway, so JB called me to come down.  I couldn't get him up either.  Then Gridder suggested that he might be able to if he drove it very slowly instead of gunning it.  And up he went!  To celebrate we all went inside and had cookies and a nice visit.

I thought I might try to go Down There tomorrow.  We'll see.

Our high for the day was 40 and it remained mostly cloudy, but the wind died down by early afternoon.

The girls gave us another egg today, so it looks like we may be back to getting one every other day.

We started watching the eighth season of Bones this evening.  Yes, we are way behind, but still enjoying it.

Sunday 2/7. It was 28 and partly cloudy this morning.  JB talked me out of going Down There today.  If I got stuck somewhere, we would really be in deep doodoo, and there is nothing we really need.  I'll wait til next Monday as we are supposed to get some warmer weather at the end of the week which may melt more of the snow on the road.

Unfortunately JB's wrist is really hurting him today.  Must have tried to do too much yesterday with MAX.

We had a nice, quiet day on the mountain reading mail and magazines.  The new Countryside magazine is excellent, as always.

I have been trying to decide which situation affects our life the most: being off the grid or being on the mountain.  I really think it is a draw.  Of course the weather determines how we use our electricity, but it also determines how we do or do not get to town, and pretty much everything else we do.  Actually being on the mountain may the biggest factor on how we live because of the weather.  Either way, it is an adventuresome life that I wouldn't trade for any other.

Our high for the day was 38 and the skies were mostly clear.  More slow melting.

Monday 2/8. It is 28 and partly cloudy this morning.  No specific plans for today.

Thought for the day: The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see.  Robert Holden Ph.D.

February 5, 2016 More Snow, More Melting & A Thief

JB wearing a shirt I gave
him for Christmas.

One of the photos I took after
post-holing to the north ridge.
I love the white and brown.

Wednesday 2/3. Valley fog again today, as in most days.  It usually starts out just over the rivers, then grows during the day.

We worked on the snow blower today, pouring hot water on the impeller to melt the ice.  Then the motor wouldn't start, but that was because it was out of gas.  Put gas in, but still couldn't get it started.  Will try again later.

Made some chocolate/peanut butter Chex mix that turned out pretty good.  Like crunchy Reese's Pieces.  Then I reorganized our long-term storage canned goods.  Found a can of gluten-free french bread mix that I kept out.  JB will make a loaf tomorrow.

After a few false starts, the predicted light snow began falling at 2:00 pm, almost as if it kept checking the time.  It was still coming down when we went to bed at 9:30

In talking to Elsie this evening, it seems that their chickens may have been laying eggs all along.  In keeping with the theory that if you put a plastic egg in the nest, they may take the hint, she put in a golf ball last night.  Today it was gone!  So they are going to install a game cam in the hen house, put in another golf ball, and see what happens.  A weasel?  A pack rat?  I guess we'll find out.

Thursday 2/4.  Forty-one years ago this morning, I gave birth to our son in Burlingame, CA.  Such a difference place, such a different time, and such a great kid.

It was 30 and mostly overcast this morning, but we soon had a lot of blue sky and sunshine.  All that snowing yesterday, and we only got one inch.

There was an explosion of activity when JB let the dogs out at 6:00 am.  Some four-footed critter(s) was down by the hen house and the dogs chased it away and away and away.  Jesse was gone for about an hour.  

I checked out all the tracks when I fed the girls at 8:30.  There were trails through the snow everywhere, but I really couldn't tell what it might have been.  Coyotes?  I did see some deer tracks around, but they didn't make most of the tracks.  One of the critters was light enough that it was able to walk on top of the snow.  The dogs can do that up on the south ridge, but not by the house.

JB baked a loaf of the French bread, but it didn't rise quite like it should have.  He will try again tomorrow.  I shoveled off the one- to two-foot overhang on the battery shed that was melting and sliding off.  Our high for the day was 39.  Almost didn't need a coat.  And we got another egg, from Blondie this time.

We watched the last two episodes of the second season of Blacklist this evening.  What a great program!

Friday 2/5. It is 30 and mostly overcast this morning with high valley fog covering all the valleys and canyons.  JB is not in a good mood.  Jesse stayed out for an hour when he let them out at 6:00 am. . .

Thought for the day. Anybody that wants the Presidency so much that he'll spend two years organizing and campaigning for it is not to be trusted with the office.  Henry Grady Weaver

February 3, 2016 Clueless as to MAX's Problem

Working on MAX with Dinga's
help, of course.

Monday 2/1. Back down to MAX this morning and got no closer to figuring out what is wrong with him.  We do know that his tracks are frozen into the snow, so dealing with that will be fun.  So we just trudged back up the driveway to take care of daily chores.

It was another beautiful day with a high of 38.  The snow around the sign to the north ridge has sunk so much that almost the whole sign is visible again.

Tuesday 2/2. This morning was a very chilly 22 with a partly cloudy sky.  We decided to take a respite from MAX and everything else.  It was a sunny but cold day with a high of only 28.

Sandy called this morning.  It has been a while since we talked, so there was lots to catch up on.  Lots of politics to rant about, including an interview she heard with a "man on the street."  Asked who he was going to vote for, he said he couldn't decide between Sanders or Trump!  Like I've said before, voters should have to take an IQ test before they are allowed to vote. . .

I vacuumed this morning and actually looked forward to doing it.  It's very rewarding when the results are so very obvious.  And it is so easy to do.  Other than that, we read books and were on our computers.  A very nice, relaxing day.

Gridder has offered to come up this weekend and help us fix MAX.  Pretty sure he will be able to determine the problem.

It was Candlemas to today which was described in the Farmer's Almanac as when the good goose lays an egg.  AND our girls gave us one!

I have talked so much about Downton Abbey in the past that Randy rented the first two seasons.  He binged on it, has rented season three and is halfway through that already!  And, yes, he loves it and the Dowager Countess.

Wednesday 2/3. It is 20 this morning and mostly overcast.  Way overslept, but it felt so good.

In response to the comment about the wheel also being science fiction when I was in high school - that sounds like something from my brother-in-law. . .

Thought for the day: Some days I amaze myself.  Other days I put the laundry in the oven.  mymommymanual.com

February 1, 2016 More Snow & Fixing MAX

Coming back up the driveway, almost home.

Friday 1/29. Snow fell until after 1:00 pm, so we did not hike down to work on MAX.  We received 4-1/4" which puts us over the 8 ft. mark.

JB has been working on the voice recognition software on his computer for the past few days so he doesn't have to type one-handed.  When I was in high school, that was pure science fiction.  The way it's going with his computer, it may still be. . .

Our high for the day was 32 and the wind continued blowing all day, knocking the snow off the trees and causing white-outs.  Did some shoveling on the paths after the snow stopped falling.

Saturday 1/30. It was 28 and mostly clear this morning.  We hiked down to MAX about 10:00 am to get the old part out and put the new one in.  I got three of the four screws out, but that last one just wouldn't budge.  By then my hands and toes were frozen, so we sprayed it real well with something to loosen it and let it set over night.  

It was a beautiful day, but the wind made our high of 38 seem much colder.

Still thoroughly enjoying the second season of Blacklist.  It is so well written and James Spader is superb.

By 9:30 pm, this time of year, we can see Orion's Belt (and all of Orion) directly out of our bathroom window.  Was never really interested in the stars until we moved Up Here.  Maybe that's because we can actually see them now.

Sunday 1/31.  It was 24 and mostly cloudy this morning and remained that way all day, although the sun managed to shine through most of the time.  Our high for the day was 34, but there was no wind.  Not at all sorry to say goodbye to January, during which we received 40-3/4" of snow.

We were on our way down to MAX at 10:00 am again, and after trying various scenarios, I was finally able to get that last screw out and put the new part in.  That felt so good, until we tried to start MAX and the battery was dead.  That was really weird because he started right up just a couple days ago.  Fortunately there is a pull start.  Unfortunately there seemed to be an issue with the throttle.  At that point we just put the seat back in and the tarp over MAX, and said we'll be back to deal with it tomorrow.

Funny how hiking up our steep driveway is so much easier when I haven't already hiked (slogged) more than three miles. . .

Monday 2/1. We have clear skies and a temp of 24 this morning.  Hopefully we can get MAX fixed and back up to Rose Camp today.

Thought for the day: We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.