December 15, 2017 Sun, A Trip Down There & More Fog

Wednesday morning's blue sky
looking west from the loft.

Wednesday 12/13. I was on my way Down There by 9:00 am on a glorious, sunny morning!  Amazing, the sun on all the rimed landscape.  It was a beautiful but cold trip with ten stops on my list.  I got everything done and was home by 3:00 pm.  Of course, in the winter there is always the time-consuming job of getting everything out of Miss Kitty and into the Jeep.  Then getting more of everything out of the Jeep and into Miss Kitty.  Today my list included filling three 5-gallon containers of non-ethanol gas, which was my last stop.  My first stop was at the post office where I mailed all our Christmas cards and packages to the tune of $66!  One of the items on my list was to stop in and visit Larry and Elsie, which was the best stop of the day.  

Each day we were in the fog/clouds, the rime continued to build on all available surfaces.  Am sure it created more than another inch of "snow" on top of the snow.  A friend of Larry & Elsie's who lives on the other side of the Columbia River on Badger Mountain, told them that he has so much rime that he was going frost-mobiling today!

By the time I left for town, our temperature was already up to 28.  Our high for the day was 34.  When I arrived back home, much of the rime had disappeared from the trees.

Since we bought several TV series that we had wanted, we are going to alternate nights with Boston Legal and Castle Season 6, which we started this evening. We might even throw in a movie or two.

Thursday 12/14. It was 24 this morning and the fog was back.  A very fine snow fell for about an hour mid morning.  The fog receded and we were in between the low clouds and the high valley fog for a while.  Until the fog returned.

Larry and Elsie were going their grandson's school play this evening and wouldn't be home til late, so I drove down about 2:30 pm to put another fire in each of their two stoves.  Played with the dog and cats, and stay about 1-1/2 hours to be sure the fires were going well.

The fog and clouds can be so weird.  Driving down, I was in the fog/clouds until about 100 yards from their house.  Driving back up, there was no fog at all until I got home, and as I looked back down it was as though the fog had followed me almost all the way up.

Friday 12/15.  It is 24 and once again, we are fogged in.  Well, that's okay because it's only ten days til Christmas!

Thought for the day: Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on far too long.  Ogden Nash

December 13, 2017 Fog, Christmas Decorating & Sleeping

It's beginning to look a lot
like Christmas!

Monday 12/11. Fog. Fog. Fog. And it is really getting old!  Yesterday I drove Miss Kitty down to pick up the mail and send some birthday cards.  Stopped in to see the Gridders and Larry and Elsie.  Nice, short visits.  They were all underneath the low clouds.

Today I finally got out the Christmas decorations and put some up.  Am putting fewer up this year, just because.  I did put a few more outside than usual.

JB baked two beautiful, delicious loaves of pumpkin bread.  Yum!

My decision to stop eating or drinking anything but water by 8:00 pm was the perfect one for better sleep.  I am getting more sleep than I have in years!  Even though I have to set the alarm for 1:30 am, in order to get up and put in another fire on these frigid nights.

Our foggy high for today was 22 again.

These moonless, foggy nights are really dark.  Feels so cozy to be inside with a fire going.

Tuesday 12/12.  The temp was down to 16 this morning, and we were still surrounded by fog, or clouds, or whatever.

I got all the Christmas packages and cards ready to mail when I go Down There tomorrow.  Well, everyone's except Sandy's, because she opens everything the day she receives it.

The tree and rose-bush branches are sagging under the weight of the rime which continues to build up each day.  Many of the wild flower stalks are almost on the ground.  The fog and low clouds cleared away just before 4:00 pm and we could see the high clouds and small patches of blue sky beyond.  All this just in time for sunset.  Mother Nature is such a tease.

Our high for the day was 22 again.

Wednesday 12/13. We have BLUE SKY this morning!  Woo Hoo!!  Them temp is 21 with a forecast high in town of 30.  I hope to be on my way Down There by 9:00 am.

Thought for the day: Each moment you choose love over fear is a miracle. . . When you choose to perceive love over fear, life begins to flow.  Gabrielle Bernstein

December 11, 2017 Rime At Rose Camp

Rimed rose hips.

Even our dream is
rimed.

Rime on a spider's
web.

Rime on the clothesline &
a forgotten clothes pin.

Rime on the goose.

Rime on the bushes.

The weekend of 12/9 & 12/10. Our morning temps were 16 and our highs for the day were 22.  Always in the fog or low clouds.  Our landscape is like a scene from Dr. Zhivago.

Thought for the day: To be continually happy, you've got to know when to be blind, when to be deaf, and when to be dumb.

December 8, 2017 Eggs & Pogonip

Rime on the moose.

Wednesday 12/6. There was very low valley fog this morning that crept slowly up from the rivers, until when I left a little after noon to drive down and pick up the mail in Miss Kitty, it had worked its way up to the gate just below Larry and Elsie's.  However, by the time I got there, it was slipping back down.  I picked up the mail and was home in about an hour and a half.  A beautiful, but chilly ride.  There were a LOT more deer tracks on our road and some large cat tracks on our road down by the spring.

I mentioned that we only received 15 eggs in the whole month of November, but now it is only December 6 and we already have nine eggs for the month!

JB baked two loaves of delicious banana bread.

Our high for the day was 34.

Thursday 12/7. Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day began with a frigid 20 and we were ensconced in pogonip (frozen fog).  By noon, most outside surfaces were covered in rime.  Beautiful, but icy cold.

The fog did its normal wafting in and out, but today it was mostly in.  Our high for the day was only 22.

No outside projects other than normal chores and two walks.  I worked a couple hours on our son's Christmas present and, like JB, read a book.

The generator would not start again this evening.  I think it is just being ornery.  We watched Boston Legal on my computer again.

Friday 12/8. It is again 20 this morning and we are still in the pogonip.

Thought for the day: If animals have moody days, they handle them better than humans do.  Betty White

December 6, 2017 Beautiful Sunny Days

Daily preparation to
stay warm.

Whoa! Runaway firewood sled!

Monday 12/4. I had a nice long chat with Sandy this morning.  Always such a great start to my day.

After laundry, dishes and breakfast, I packed the Christmas gifts in preparation for mailing.  Still working on the one for our son and daughter-in-law, but I am way ahead of where I usually am this time of the season.  Will start getting decorations up by the weekend.

Since we don't have enough snow on the ground to make sides for a run for the firewood sled, it often gets away from me and runs for its freedom.  It made it almost to the tractor this morning (see above).

JB used the snowblower to clear in front of the house a bit, to Dinga's delight.  Not sure who enjoys it more, JB or Dinga.

I tried a new recipe today for bourbon brownies.  Yummmmm!

The clouds had pretty much disappeared by noon and we had another sunny day, with a high of 28.

Tuesday 12/5. It was 28 and clear this morning.  Still working on our son's Christmas gift, then I have two more to make.

I have been taking melatonin to help me sleep for more than a year now, and realized that I have been just taking it way too often.  So for the past several nights I have been trying the advice of not eating too late.  We love to nibble on snacks while watching our evening programs, but you really shouldn't eat two hours before you go to bed.  Well, I made 8:00 pm my cut-off time (about 1-1/2 hours before crawling between the sheets), and it seems to be working.  Wasn't sure I could do it because I do love to eat, but the promise of a good night's sleep was motivation enough.

Another wonderous day on the mountain, with a high of 37.

Wednesday 12/6. It is 28 and clear again this morning with air stagnation warnings for the rest of the week.  I plan to drive Miss Kitty down to pick up the mail today.  Won't be going to town for another week.

Thought for the day: Anything that is in the world when you are born is normal and ordinary, just a natural part of the way the world works.  Anything that's invented between when you're 15 and 35 is new and exciting and revolutionary.  Anything invented after you're 35 is against the natural order of things.  Douglas Adams

December 4, 2017 More Snow & More Eggs

Valley fog to the west on
Friday.

View off the north ridge
Saturday afternoon.

Our Sunday afternoon
visitor.

Friday 12/1. I was on my way Down There by 9:00 am and back home by 1:30 pm.  There were lots of rabbit and deer tracks along our road, and often close together.  Bambi and Thumper?  It was a quick trip with just a few stops on my list, so I had time to drop in and visit Larry and Elsie.  I had pictures developed at Costco and decided to wait for them.  While browsing, I found and extendable snow wiper that is perfect for Miss Kitty.  Having looked for women's snow pants at a reasonable price for several weeks with no luck, both in stores and on line, I finally decided to buy a pair of men's size small at Costco.  Great price and when I got home and tried them on, they fit perfectly.  Well, maybe an inch or so too long, but not a problem with snow boots on.

We had blue sky and sunshine Up Here, while everyone below about 3000 ft. had a very overcast day.  Our high was 37.

It is almost a full moon, and moonlight on a snowy landscape is absolutely magical.  I turn off the light in the bathroom while brushing my teeth at night and see the magic, as opposed to watching myself in the bathroom mirror.  I love it.

Saturday 12/2. It was 30 and overcast this morning with valley fog.  Tiny patches of blue sky began to appear mid morning and the sun peeked through, but all it managed to do was pull the fog up to Rose Camp.  The predicted snowfall began around 10:30 as JB and the dogs were on their walk.  By 3:30 we had 2" at the end of our afternoon walk, and by 5:30 the snow had all but stopped and we had received a total of 4".  Our high for the day was 24.

I spent most of the day inside wrapping gifts and addressing cards.

Egg production was down in November and we only received 15 eggs, one every other day.  However, yesterday we got 1 egg and today they gave us two!

The generator would not turn on this evening to power up the batteries, so we watched two episodes of Boston Legal on my computer.

Sunday 12/3. It was 27 with clear skies and a light breeze this morning.  An icy light breeze.
After breakfast I started the snow blower for JB and he spent about an hour clearing paths around our house and the hen house.  I cleaned off the vehicles and ran my Jeep and the tractor for a while.  Also drove MAX up and around the south ridge.  

By then it was time for our morning walk.  Such a glorious day to be walking on the mountain!  

After lunch JB checked out the generator.  Everything looked good and it started right up.  Vapor lock?  Then I shoveled off the deck with the new snow shovel from Costco.  It is bigger and lighter, and I was done in minutes instead of an hour.  It always helps to use the right tool for the job, and not wait til the snow is two feet deep. . .

The girls gave us two more eggs today.  Looks like our egg production is getting back on track.

Both the dogs were inside when they spotted a doe just across the driveway.  We didn't let them out, just so we could watch her.  She just wandered from bush to bush eating rose hips and twigs.  She was almost to the top of the south ridge when we finally let the dogs out.  They couldn't see her and just sniffed out her tracks from the direction she had come.  She didn't move, just kept on eating and watching the dogs.  Jesse came in and then Dinga finally spotted her and ran in her direction.  Again, the doe just watched and Dinga stayed about 20 yards away.  I guess if they don't run, Dinga won't chase.  Meanwhile, Jesse was inside and didn't have a clue.

A light overcast formed by 3:00 pm and our high for the day was 32.

Monday 12/4. It is 22 and partly cloudy, I think, this morning.  A bit hard to tell as the sun is not up yet.  However, the full moon is still up and riding high in the west.

Thought for the day: It's all good and working out like it should.  Angels watching over me.  (A little ditty I often sing in my head, and sometimes out loud.)

December 1, 2017 Getting Ready For Christmas!

Late afternoon sun through
clouds & fog.

Valley fog to the south.

Wednesday 11/29. The sun broke through the clouds and shone most of the day.  Our high was 37.

I printed out the first batch of Christmas cards, decorated and addressed them.  Looking pretty good, I think.  Then I wrapped gifts and got them into boxes for shipping.

I bought some carrots yesterday for the deer.  I cut them into large chunks along with some apples and trudged up the east slope to put them on a stump.  Sure hope the deer find them soon.

Larry and Elsie found huge cougar tracks on the road by the gate.  So now there are at least two of them in the canyon right now.

We started watching the second season of Boston Legal last night and will watch the entire series now.  Love this show!

Thursday 11/30. This last day of November began with a chilly 26 and we were in the fog.  Snow fell for four hours today, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, but we only received 1/2".

JB was outside for a bit doing chores: putting oil in Miss Kitty, checking the oil in the generator, etc.  I stayed inside and finished wrapping Christmas presents.  Only 24 more days until Christmas Eve!  Whoo Hoo!!

Fog rolled back in after the snow stopped falling, but began to clear a bit as we went on our afternoon walk, although it was still thick in the canyons and valleys.  Our high for the day was 32.

Friday 12/1. It is 28 and mostly overcast this morning with valley fog.  I am going Down There again, mainly to pick up mail and packages.

Thought for the day: Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday and all is well.  Guideposts magazine, November 2017.