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| last night as it began...snow and sleet mixed |
Well it has happened. That 4 letter word- S.N.O.W.
We have been trying to get ready for winter, it has been such a very busy summer and fall around here and with family --things that have taken us away from working here on the farm. So now here we are beginning winter, and were about 10 working weeks behind! Oh well...life will go on!
We worked last week to re-side the chicken house and the little shed close to that. We decided to 'fill' in the space between by adding boards and a roof to ex tend the length of the sheds. After residing all of them, we added the wooden boards that we have so they are up and done. (we will design a special old west theme in the spring).
Toys and children's chairs are tucked away and the area our grandchildren call Keeslar park-it is ready now for winter. Lawn chairs, lawn swings and summer items are all stored away. This year I was able to get the gardens cleaned out this fall! That is a first for me-usually I am pulling old weeds in the spring.
We continued to work to get things done around here. Had to dig a new trench for replacing the electricity from the garage to the barn, I really do not like digging. It took a few hours to dig and then we had to put the electric wire into that black tube to keep it safe under the ground. That took about 3 hours to stuff that thru...we wanted it to be whole and not cut the black tube thing like we did the first time --to help feed it the wire thru. I think that is why the first one quit working in the first place. So we got that done. Buried the tube and moved onto the next project.
Monday after work, Scott picked up a ton of lime stone for the driveway to fill in the speed bumps we had develop over the past 6 months. We unloaded that in the rain. Then last night the second ton and we unloaded that in the sleet. But 2 tons into the speed bumps and they are finally almost filled in. We will still need about another ton to finish the ones by the beginning of the driveway...and out by the barn.
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| Scott scraping snow off of the car (why did we not take the 4x4 truck in this weather I never will know!) |
Then last night, sleet and snow. We had to go to a doctor appointment for Scott that was scheduled at 5 pm and we sat there for an hour before being seen. All the while the snow falling outside. The normal 20 minute drive took us a half an hour to get there.
We left the appointment about 6:30 and did not get home until 7:30. Scott got the blade on the tractor to be ready for plowing in the morning and just as he was getting done-the power went off in the house!
We really are not ready in this society for no power~! I got what water I could get from the faucet before the water quit which was a whole 4 cups. I guess I need some jugs of water to sit back just in case for power outages. We have 2 huge water troughs filled but then in the winter they would freeze without a heater plugged in! I think we need a solar heater for those-do they make them?
Out came the candles and flash lights. Scott came in and ate his supper (very very late to be eating, but he was hungry and we did not get to eat earlier) The stove still works, but had to light it with a match, with no electricity it does not light auto.
I also thought, gotta get that outhouse built again.
Then for drinking water in an emergency-there would always be snow to melt, heat it first-to kill the yuk in it from our atmosphere, and put it away in a clean container, sit it out side to cool and we have water to drink!
Frig items-well you can set them in a cooler out side in the winter and that works to keep stuff cold!
Lots to plan to keep stuff ok and going. At least heat-our gas heaters do not relay on electricity. that is good and if we ever get our wood stove in (on the list of things to do before winter...)
So our house can survive the heat and food part if the power goes out, but no water unless there is snow-we got to do something about that. Cant have animals getting thirsty or us!
Stay warm everyone!
Enjoy some photos of our property in the winter!
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| interesting view of something covered in snow looks like a lambs head resting .... |
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| view out our back door |
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| one of scotts ladders resting on the edge of the hand rail and covered in snow |
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| a tree in the chicken coop |
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| an important tool for winter |
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| sunrise thru the branches |
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| pasture view over the top of the trailer |
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| view of the pine trees on the west side of the property |
