April 16, 2018 Wet, Wet, Wet

Yellow bells on the south ridge Friday,
and there are more blooming every day.

Thursday's snow on our geese.

Friday 4/13. It was snowing at Mission Ridge on our morning walk, with a few flakes drifting our way.  The cloud cover was thinning, but by the time we returned to the house, a light snow was falling.  It didn't stick, but lasted about an hour before it turned to rain.  So, for the day, we had overcast sky, blue sky, snow, rain and sunshine - another typical April day with a high of 44.

Various little green sprouts are popping up all over with the promise of May flowers.  The first sprout, several weeks ago, that I thought might be bear grass is actually yellow bells.  They are now blooming in a few places on the south ridge.

JB moved the last few rounds to the splitter with the tractor, but first we had to put air in both the large tires.  One of Miss Kitty's back tires needed air also.

We watched Thor Ragnarock once again this evening.  So much fun!  I plan to return it and Jumanji to the Gridders tomorrow when I go down for the mail.

Saturday 4/14. It was 38 and partly cloudy this morning.  The girls are really enjoying their breakfast of cabbage and bananas after a winter of hot oatmeal.

I drove Miss Kitty down to get the mail around noon.  Had a nice long chat with Mr and Mrs Gridder, too.  The snow and ice on our road has receded to about four long patches.  We may be able to get JB's Jeep Up Here by the end of next week.

Rain began to fall just as I was walking back to Miss Kitty from getting the mail.  It was a light sprinkle all the way home until just after I parked and covered Miss Kitty with the tarp.  As I walked in the house, the real rain arrived and came down off and on all afternoon.  Our high for the day was 49.

Looks like we are not getting any more snow-melt water in the cistern now.  But even when we start pumping in fresh water, it will take a while for the murkiness to disappear.  We have a Katadyn filter that we are using and it is excellent.

Sunday 4/15. It was 36 and mostly cloudy this morning, but the few blue patches soon disappeared.

I gathered a large bag of small kindling from the south ridge after lunch, then baked peanut butter/chocolate chip cookies.  I was thinking about going Down There tomorrow, but I think I will wait til Thursday when the rain has passed and the Costco coupons kick in.

I have been having a hard time getting to sleep again.  That suggestion of not eating after 8:00 pm worked for quite a while, until it didn't.  But I have discovered that if I read for a bit and don't go to bed before 10:00,  I get to sleep fairly quickly.  I have always needed at least eight hours of sleep, if not ten, but maybe, as I get older, my body is changing to needing less.

I don't know about anyone else, but that old adage of "If you lose something, buy a new one and you will find the old one" usually works for me.  We had a nice long plastic funnel for putting oil in Miss Kitty, but after taking it out to her when she was parked at the end of our road, we lost it.  The small ones we had were a real pain to use, so last Monday a bought a new metal funnel.  JB used it last week and liked it, even though he couldn't see through it.  Then yesterday when I drove down to get the mail, there was the old one in it's white bag near where our road meets the main canyon road.  The snow had finally melted enough to see it. . .

After threatening all day, the rain finally moved in around 3:00 pm, stayed and gave us 1/4".  Our high for the day was 48.  Cookies always make a dreary day like today so much easier to endure. . .

Monday 4/16. It is 32 this morning with snow blowing in almost horizontally.  Not sticking - yet.  It is snowing at Stevens Pass as it has every day for the past week.

Thought for the day: You know you're getting older when happy hour is a nap.