Getting Ready For Winter And Whatever Else...

The Chickens were trapped on the porch during the rainstorm.
They braved the flood water to find tasty bugs after the storm. I barely got my clean clothes off the line before they were soaked. As you can see my clothes line was still up.

I put the" whatever else" in the title because it is a very strange time in the world. I could list all the crazy events going in right now, but it sounds like a science fiction novel. Every year about this time we get ready for the hard Winter months ahead. We have put in 800 gallons of propane, changed the oil in the generators and topped off the fuel. This is just the beginning of the list of things that need to happen before our world freezes up.

It's time to batten down the hatches. I cleaned out the chicken coop and stowed away 9 bags of feed. Feed has increased by $5 a bag, ouch! I still need to repair some insulation in the coop that has started falling down. I will use the empty feed bags for this chore. It has been so hot that it was better for it to be down to help with airflow. 

Our expenses are really high this time of the year. This year with inflation it could be double or more when it's all said and done. See my propane inflation post:   https://roamingbuffaloranch.blogspot.com/2021/08/sticker-shock-79-inflation-on-propane.html            

I usually have a few extras on hand in case we are snowed in for the duration. But this year with shortages and last year with limits we will just have to make do. It has happened in the past when the plows couldn't keep up and the roads with less people living down them just don't get plowed. We are one of those roads. I have seen folks snowed in for a month and as soon as they got cleared, they rented a U-Haul and fled the state. It is not for everyone. It is tough under regular conditions, but if you are off grid it takes it up several notches. 

Ice sickles with hoar frost...

Add brutal cold to the mix and you could have a frozen water line and a frozen septic system. These are  normal events out here. If you can't get them thawed, your looking at 6 to 8 weeks living like you are on a very long camping trip in the Winter. You have to have alternative plans like melting snow for water or pumping water from the cistern into a 55 gallon barrel stored in your house, so it won't freeze. We have experienced all of this and more. 

I cannot imagine the suffering that is going on in Louisiana and Mississippi right now. I'm not wading in water with alligators, snakes and sewage. My house does not have standing water in it. I have not lost my income. My home has not been destroyed. My business is not gone. I have no idea how you prepare for this kind of an event. It's the same with the massive fires. All you can do is run, if you have the means to do so. Not everyone in big cities have their own cars. A lot of people use public transportation. Some people do not have the money to stay in hotels. There are so many catastrophic events that are happening in our world right now. Please pray for those who are suffering and enduring these crazy events. Reach out and help them if you can. 

Stay safe,

Mrs. Smith