January 15, 2018 Melting Snow, Fixing MAX & Washing Clothes

Melting snow on the grill
in my canning pots.

JB on his way down to groom
the road on MAX.

My hand-turned
clothes washer.

Friday 1/12. We actually had 1/2" of new snow this morning.  The avalanche canon at Mission Ridge was really booming, and making the dogs nervous.

After lunch, JB used the tractor to clear in front of the house, by the vehicles, and the path to the west ridge.  The powder snow that fell yesterday had turned wet and heavy as the temperature warmed today.  Too heavy for the snow blower.  It was a beautiful day with a high of 38.  The snow on the trees melted and rained down.

I spent the afternoon melting snow in my canning pots out on the grill on the porch.  I ended up with about 12 gallons, and will keep it up every day in the big pot on the wood stove inside.  Just wanted to get a jump on the water that we will use for washing dishes and clothes, drinking water for the dogs and girls, flushing the toilet.  We will use the water in the cistern for cooking, coffee, and washing ourselves.  I have two flats of water for drinking.

I love that the days are getting longer.  It is actually still light out when we eat dinner at 5:00 pm, although that doesn't last long.

Saturday 1/13. It was 34 and mostly overcast this morning with valley fog.  We got started early today.  Lots to do.  

I shoveled off the deck, again.  But it didn't take nearly as long this time.  Also brought in the fire wood and shoveled off as much snow as I could from the tarp over the girls' run.  JB worked in the shop to pound rivets out of broken cleats for MAX's tracks.

Then we all went on the morning walk, a little late.  Back in the house, we ate lunch and rested a bit.  

Outside again, we wired the broken cleats onto the one track that had lost them.  Then jacked MAX up and put the track back on, first having to take out the middle tire and suck the air out of the two end ones.  This was probably the fastest we ever got the track on!  Much easier to work when the temperature is 42, than when it is 20.  The clouds disappeared to the south during the afternoon, and by sunset the sky was clear.

While we were busy with everything else, I was melting more snow.  Got about another three gallons.

Sunday 1/14. It was 30 this morning and we were fogbound.  We had left MAX up on blocks overnight in order to wire two cleats on the other track today.  They weren't broken, but the rivets had come out of one end on each of them.  With that done, we lowered MAX back onto the ground and JB drove him up and around the south ridge to see if all our jerry-rigging would hold up.

All looked well, so after lunch JB drove MAX down our road to the main canyon road and back to groom it, which took him about an hour.  One of our neighbors had plowed the main road almost down to the dirt!

While he was gone, I washed a week's worth of my underwear and socks in our small "barrel' washer.  Very easy to use, but I can't wring as much water out of the clothes as the spin cycle on the washer can.  It will just take them a bit longer to dry.

Again today, melted more snow on the wood stove.  This will be a daily chore from now on.

Tomorrow I plan to go Down There to do wash some large items at the laundromat, and pick up a few items at the store, including more bottled water.

Pretty sure we were in the clouds today.  It was very wet and there was no air movement, no moving in and out as the fog does.  Our high for the day was 36.

Monday 1/15. It is 34 with a light drizzle this morning.  I plan to be on my way Down There by 9:30 am.

Thought for the day: If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down.

January 12, 2018 Eggs, Snow & No Well Pump

JB's Irish soda bread!

Melting snow & warming
coffee.

Wednesday 1/10.  Had a nice long chat with Randy this morning.  He is getting waayyyy more snow than we are this winter.  At least so far. . .

Tried to pump water into the cistern after we did laundry, but the well pump is definitely not working.  At least we have all this snow to melt, and there is still about 500-600 gallons in the cistern.

After lunch I shoveled off the deck.  Really let it go too long as there was a very thick, heavy crust of ice on the foot of snow.  Certainly got my cardio workout for the day.

While I was doing that, JB got MAX going and drove it up and around the south ridge a couple times.

We finished watching the fourth season of Game of Thrones this evening.  We are usually done watching two episodes about 8:30 pm and then JB checks the weather and temperature.  It was snowing and our high for the day was 34.

Thursday 1/11. It was 24 and snowing at 8:00 am this morning and we had received 1" of snow overnight.  By 9:30 we had another 1-3/4".

JB slogged up to clean off the solar panels on the morning walk, while I opened the shop and moved things around in order to get the wash tubs out.  Looks like I will be doing the wash by hand with melted snow until I can get down to the laundromat.

I started the snowblower for JB and then collected snow in our largest camping pot.  Ten inches of snow equals one inch of water, so I have a LOT of snow to melt.  I put the pot on the wood stove and kept adding small buckets of snow for most of the day as it melted.  JB cleared snow for about an hour, but by 12:30 pm we had another 3"!  It was coming down at 1" per hour.

In addition to all the snow, it was a 3-egg day!  We have only been getting one or two since way before Thanksgiving.

After lunch and a rest, JB baked a beautiful loaf of Irish soda bread.  So good!

Early in the afternoon, the snow began to let up a bit.  By 3:40 pm, when the dogs and I came back from our afternoon walk, we had received another 1-1/2".  Our high for the day was 28.  In talking with Elsie this evening, we learned that they received at least an inch more than we did.

Friday 1/12. It is 28 this morning with overcast skies and high valley fog.  Looks like we may have another inch of new snow.

Thought for the day: You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.  C.S. Lewis

January 10, 2018 More Warm Weather & A Game Cam

Deer tracks going off the
path to the bitter brush.

Wispy valley fog over the rivers
Tuesday morning.

Monday 1/8. We all went on the morning walk, and hiked all the way up to the peak.  Lots of deer tracks there, where they stepped off the path and to the bitter brush to eat.

The snow is still very crunchy.  This is definitely the winter of fog and ice, during which we are watching the series of fire and ice.  I'll take the fog over the dragons, thank you very much.

Past time to take down the Christmas decorations, which I did today.  Growing up, we would take them down on 12th Night, January 6.  Now I just do it when it feels right.

Our generator started sputtering and backfiring while we were filling the cistern this morning.  Not a good thing, as the pump needs to be turned off before the generator goes off or the pump can "blow."  This happened a couple years ago when the generator quit while the pump was on.  We had to get the generator fixed and a new pump installed.  Don't know if the pump is broken or not, but JB checked out a few things and got the generator going again.  Will find out about the pump when we go to top off the cistern again on Wednesday.

Snow began falling today around 4:00 pm, as it did yesterday.  This time it was still snowing when we went to bed.  Our high for the day was 33.

Tuesday 1/9. It was 30 and mostly overcast this morning with quite a breeze and 1/2" new snow.  Went back to bed after feeding the animals, and when I got up the second time, a little after 10:00, the wind had blown most of the clouds off to the east.  I'd never make it as a spy.  One night of sleep deprivation and I'd spill the beans.

We all went on the morning walk again.  A beautiful walk in sparkling snow, but a chilling breeze.  Off the north ridge we could see some wispy valley fog over the confluence of the Wenatchee and Columbia Rivers.

After lunch we finally put the game cam up outside.  We decided on a tree about half way up the drive, on the west side pointing east.  There is a well-used trail there that the deer use to go up and around Rose Camp.  Hopefully we will get some good shots of other four-footed creatures also.

Our high today was 38, which should have been a very comfortable day, but the strong breeze (8 mph) made it feel much colder.  Snow and ice slid off the roof all day, upsetting Dinga, who spent a lot of her time pacing.

Wednesday 1/10. It is 26 with mostly clear skies and wind this morning.  Snow and stronger winds are due in over the next few days.

Thought for the day: Age is merely the number of years the world has been enjoying you.

January 8, 2018 Warmer Weather & Another Trip Down There

JB moving snow with the tractor
on Saturday.

Friday 1/5. By noon, valley fog had quickly formed and climbed up to Rose Camp.  It rolled in and out for the next several hours, like waves on the shore.

I spent part of the day finally doing two years' worth of filing, which is an indication of how much our necessary paperwork has shrunk since 2008.  And thank goodness!

Several times and in various places over the past few years, I have read that honey and cinnamon are very good for reducing the aches and pains of arthritis.  I finally decided to try it for myself.  For the past week I have been drinking green tea with two tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon,  and I do believe it is working.  The constant ache is gone, so now I am going to halve the dose of glucosamine I have been taking for joint pain.  We'll see how that works.

In talking to Larry this evening, we learned that sleet and frozen rain had been falling at their house most of the day.  Interesting.  I doubt we will ever figure out how the weather works in the canyon.  Our high for the day was 30.

We finished watching the third season of Game of Thrones and will start the fourth tomorrow.

Saturday 1/6. It was 30 and mostly clear with a light breeze this morning and low valley fog.  Some critter was Up Here around 4:00 am and driving the dogs nuts.  JB let them out and in and out and in and out. . . and ended staying up til I got out of bed at 7:30.  Needless to say, as soon as I was up, he went back to bed for a couple hours.

I noticed a cut under Dinga's left eye.  Not too bad, but I cleaned it up.  When we all went on the morning walk, we discovered two patches of blood on the south ridge.  Looks as though she gave better than she got.  Jesse was unscathed.

With the snow that is on the ground, it is difficult to identify tracks.  There is quite a crust on top with powder beneath.  We can only think that the critter was a small cat of some kind.

After lunch we pumped up the one back tire on the tractor that had gone flat again.  Then JB cleaned up some of the snow out front, pushing it across the driveway.  He was quite disappointed that he couldn't find anything else to use it for. . .

It was a warm day with a few thin clouds and a high of 36.

Sunday 1/7. It was 30 and overcast this morning.  Because we still haven't received any more snow, I wanted to go Down There today, but wasn't sure about the last mile of road.  I got all ready to go, then called Larry at 9:30 am to see how it was when they went to work.  Not nearly as slick as it was yesterday, so I was on my way in Miss Kitty a little after 10:00.  

I bought the few items on my list, stopped in to chat with Larry and Elsie, and was back home a little before 3:00 pm.  By 4:00 snow was falling.  Talk about perfect timing!

I made my New Year's resolution to take a photo every Sunday from the north ridge, as I never go to town on Sundays.  So, of course, the first Sunday in January I go Down There. . .  I did remember to take a photo when I got home, though.

Our high for the day was 33, which had dropped to 30 when the snow began.  But all is well and we are set for another couple months at least.  Plenty of time to binge on Game of Thrones.

Monday 1/8. It is 26 and overcast with very low clouds this morning.  Looks as though we didn't get more than 1/4" of new snow, if that.

Thought for the day: Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.

January 5, 2018 A Trip Down There

Weighted down by
the ice.

Looking north to the Columbia
River on Thursday.

Wednesday 1/3. I was on my way down to Elsie's by 9:30 am.  We had a great time together and got everything we needed at all the same places.  Well, I didn't need to go to the Dollar Tree, but Elsie did.  So, obviously, I had to pick up a few books and a couple other items.  We were back to her house by 2:00 pm and I was home by 3:00 pm.  She is so tickled to be almost retired and I am tickled that we can go to town together in the middle of the week!

It was a beautiful and clear but cold day, with a high Up Here of 26.

Thursday 1/4. It was 24 and mostly overcast this morning, but the few small patches of blue sky soon disappeared.  I got up at 7:30 am; fed the animals; went back to bed at 8:00 for another hour of sleep.  My, that was nice. . .

Not really sure where the rest of the day went.  I finished my Dean Koontz book and did chores.  JB made a large pot of pulled pork from thick chops I bought at Costco yesterday.  It has to cook for three hours, and is so very delicious.

There were new deer tracks this morning coming up from the road to the north ridge, up our path to the driveway, and along both roads to the south ridge.  They seem to appreciate our snow-blowing.

Light sleet fell on and off during the afternoon.  The day ended as it had begun, mostly overcast with a few blue patches.  Our high for the day was 28.

Friday 1/5. It is 26 with a thick overcast this morning.  Perhaps we will finally receive the forecast snow today.

Thought for the day: Live your life and forget your age.

January 3, 2018 Visitors & In The Clouds

Ten more rounds of
fire wood.

Monday 1/1. So far this winter we have received only 30" of snow, which is 6" behind this time last winter.  I had forgotten that we got most of our 11' in January and February!

The girls are doing great, even with all the frigid weather.  They gave us 46 eggs in December.

The Gridders arrived a little later than planned as they had to cut a tree that had fallen across the road.  Thank goodness I suggested to them that they bring a saw just in case of such a situation.  They threw the pieces in their vehicle and brought them up to us.  Ten more rounds of fire wood!  We had a great visit before they had to leave in order to get home before dark.

I really love it when we have visitors.  As many times as I have thought about it, I just could NOT become a hermit.  I have become too social in the past couple years.

We started re-watching season three of Game of Thrones since it has been so long since we have seen it.  Then we will go on to seasons four, five and six that I managed to buy on black Friday for $10 each.  We also started season one of The Americans, but decided to finish Game of Thrones season three first.

Tuesday 1/2. It was 14 this morning and we were fog bound.  Actually, according to NOAA, we were in low clouds.  Either way it all looks and feels the same.  When I wake up and see fog outside, all I want to do is turn over and go back to sleep.

After lunch we went out to scrape the ice off Miss Kitty's windshield and get her ready for my trip Down There tomorrow.  Today is Larry and Elsie's first day of semi retirement, as they will be just working weekends for the next six months, then close their shop all together.  When I told Elsie I was going to town, she wanted to come, too!  So I will drive Miss Kitty down to their place, as usual, then we will take her car.  I want to do this before the snow that is due in on Thursday and for a few days after.

The sun almost managed to break through the clouds while we were outside, but then the clouds moved in even thicker.  Meanwhile, it was sunny and 44 on Mission Ridge, while our high for the day was 20.

Wednesday 1/3. It is 19 this morning and the sky looks to be mostly clear.  I plan to be on my way by 9:30.

Thought for the day: ". . .but Jane knew that, instead, life had too much meaning to process, that every minute of life was rich with meaning, crammed full to the top with meaning.  Some of its meaning was as clear and poignant as a needle in the neck, some of such a joyful nature that your buoyant heart seemed capable of lifting you high among the birds, although much of life's most profound meaning lay beyond her understanding, latent and mysterious."  Dean Koontz, The Whispering Room

January 1, 2018 Mini Ice Storm & Happy New Year!

Wild rose bush coated in ice.

Iced fir tree branch.

More than 1/4" solid ice on the solar
panels on Friday.

Friday 12/29. Sleet had been falling most of the night and still was this morning.  Not really "normal" sleet, but more like tiny ice balls.  Everything is covered in ice outside, as if we had a mini ice storm.  Looks quite thick on the trees and bushes, but on the ground I easily break through its crust while walking, as do the dogs.  I had to pound on the iced clasps to the door of the girls' pen in order to open it, and also the latch on the hen house door.  Pretty sure the weight of all that ice is going to break branches and small, leaning trees.

The sleet began turning to snow after 11:00 am, thank goodness.  It fell in a constant cycle of heavy and light, big flakes, little flakes, tiny flakes.  Each time I looked out the window, I saw something different.  It stopped completely a little after 2:00 pm, so JB and the dogs trudged up to the panels to clean them off.  Unfortunately they were covered in more than 1/4" of solid ice that just wasn't going to be scraped off.

I went out in a futile effort to scrape the ice off of Miss Kitty's windshield.  Even with a de-icer, it would not come off.

More snow began to fall around 3:30 pm and we ended up with an inch of snow on top of 1/4"-1/2" of ice.  Our high for the day was 24.

Saturday 12/30. The forecast high-pressure system began moving in around midnight on a noisy wind gusting to 20 mph.  At 7:00 am it was gusting to 21 and the temperature was 30.  One of the tarps covering the wood on the porch was pulled halfway off.  The snow on the ground was sculpted and littered with small branches and fir needles, and most of our pathways had disappeared.  But the sky was clear and we were finally pulling in some power.  By noon the wind had calmed to barely a breeze.

I finished the third row of wood in the wood shed today, two days early, and started on the fourth of seven rows.  We average about one row per month, especially when it is as cold as it has been.

I always like to have our home as clean as possible for the beginning of the New Year, so today I did a thorough vacuuming.  Also, because it was so warm (a high of 36), we didn't need the wood stove going all the time, so I let it cool down and we cleaned it inside and out.

I love when the moon's phase brings it back to us at night.  Moving towards a full moon, it is rising in the east and shining through the trees as we eat dinner.  Living Down There, I really never noticed the moon much unless it was full, but Up Here it is so very obvious, it is hard to miss.  No other night lights other than the stars.

Sunday 12/31.  It was 20 and overcast this morning.  After feeding the dogs and girls, I went back to bed til a little after 10:00 am.  I love my naps, and the freedom to take them just about whenever I want.

We all went on the morning walk.  The dogs and I trudged - and I do mean trudged - up to the peak through more than a foot of snow that the wind had formed on the path.  Still a light crust of ice on it, with powdered snow beneath.

It was overcast all day, and mid afternoon a wall of snow began moving in from the west.  It came right up to the west walls of the canyon, but never arrived at Rose Camp.  The forecast was for cold, dry days til Thursday night.

JB got the snowblower out in order to re-clear our paths, and spent about an hour at it this afternoon.

At 4:00 pm, I watched a live broadcast on BBC Facebook of the New Year's Eve fireworks over London.  It is my very favorite city, and it is where my Mother grew up.

The Gridders are going to try to make it up for a visit tomorrow.  We haven't been on our road since that wind storm, so I hope there are no trees down on it.

I do have a New Year's resolution for a change, something I have wanted to do ever since we moved Up Here.  I want to take a picture from the same place on the south and north ridges each Sunday for the year.  Since January 1 is a Monday, I started today.

Monday 1/1. It is 18 this New Year's morning and we are fogbound in a rimed landscape.  

Thought for the day: From Rose Camp to all the world - we wish you a very Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year!