Ice Sickles

Catching the Drips on Camera...

Shalom,

Mrs. Smith

First Snow

I had another appointment today and this is what I woke up to. The roads were dry by the time I left and there was no snow on the other side of the pass. It started snowing again on top of the pass just a few miles from home. 

Shalom,

Mrs. Smith

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

A Winter's Tale

I woke up this morning to snow. It was only a couple of inches, but a surprise to say the least. I had to go outside to clean the snow from the solar panels. This task is usually completed by me. I love the snow. It's crisp and clean. It gives a whole new look to the world around us. It changes everything. We change how we go about our day when it snows.

The Sun had already started to melt the snow
 when I decided to take pictures.

Our grass had a good year.

Beautiful Rock

I wrote this poem one day when I was yearning for the heart of winter to arrive. The season was beginning to change and the geese were flying to their winters' home. I was looking forward to the quiet of winter that we get to experience during our time off. The weariness of traveling was beginning to wear on my soul. I wanted to be home were the snow had begun to fall.

A Winter's Tale

The first nip of air

becomes a bite so fast...

The wind strikes without warning

bringing with it a chill that will last...

The sky fills with those seeking

refuge of warmer days gone by...

White tops form on the

Goliaths up high...

The sun tries it's best to melt the snow,

but it's overcome by a frigid blow...

So watch and do not delay

for this Winter's Tale is here to stay...

                                       Tina Smith

Where do all the lost gloves go?

Usually it's missing socks that get the headlines, but I loose more gloves than socks. I started preparing for the winter season by changing out our summer clothes for our winter ones. This involves cleaning out drawers, closets and shoes boxes. I carefully lay out the sets matching them to coats or sweaters that we will wear to protect ourselves from the biting wind this winter. I do the same in the summer, but in reverse. I also take care to put every item up in it's proper place, so I can find everything with ease. It also saves space and that means a lot when you live in a small home.
Last year I lost one of my favorite mittens. I found it this year, but lost a glove. Will I find it next year and loose another one? The glove I lost was out of my set  that matched the ski coat I bought this summer at a Columbia outlet for $5 bucks. This reminds me of a childhood rhyme that I love.

Three little kittens they lost their mittens, and they began to cry,
"Oh mother dear, we sadly fear that we have lost our mittens."
"What! Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie."
"Meeow, meeow, meeow, now we shall have no pie."
The three little kittens they found their mittens,
And they began to cry,
"Oh mother dear, see here, see here
For we have found our mittens."
"Put on your mittens, you silly kittens
And you shall have some pie"
"Meeow, meeow, meeow,
Now let us have some pie."
The three little kittens put on their mittens
And soon ate up the pie,
"Oh mother dear, we greatly fear
That we have soiled our mittens."
"What! soiled you mittens, you naughty kittens!"
Then they began to cry, "Meeow, meeow, meeow"
Then they began to sigh.
The three little kittens they washed their mittens
And hung them out to dry,
"Oh mother dear, do you not hear
That we have washed our mittens."
"What! washed your mittens, you are good kittens."
But I smell a rat close by,
"Meeow, meeow, meeow" we smell a rat close by...

Set with lost glove

My dear dad and mom sent us lots of gloves, hats, tights and clothes last year. What a blessing they have been! It was like Christmas every other month or so. We are stocked up on warm clothes now. Thanks to Dad and Mom!

This is just a small sample of the hats, gloves ect...

Preparing for bad weather

                    There are many things to do on the ranch before the long winter months take hold. Our roof took first place on our list of things to get done.  We have had our roof repaired once before, but it just wasn't enough to hold back the wind and blowing snow. Today we had the roof repaired for the second and finale time.(Hopefully) The repairs were postponed on Monday til today. Just in time too, we have a storm with high winds coming through tonight through Sunday.
                     Weather forecast: DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

IT WILL BE DRY AND WARM TODAY WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING TO AROUND
60 THIS AFTERNOON.  VERY STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP IN AND NEAR THE
FOOTHILLS LATE TONIGHT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM. STRONG
WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 75 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER MIDNIGHT OVER
THE MOUNTAINS

IN THE MOUNTAINS...SNOW WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND HEAVIER
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING.  NEAR
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE AS A PERIOD OF HEAVY SNOWFALL
LATE IN THE DAY COMBINES WITH VERY STRONG WINDS.  WHILE A BRIEF LULL
IN THE STORM IS EXPECTED LATE SATURDAY NIGHT...ANOTHER ROUND OF
HEAVIER SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SUNDAY.

                       We have to go to town to pick up some inventory and today is the last day we can get it done. While we are out we will haul water back to the ranch and we will make whatever stops needed to keep from making unnecessary trips to town to save money. We do not have a well yet, so we keep our cistern as full as possible. We believe it holds about 1800 gallons. We use a little more than 350 gallons a week. Our water transfer tank fits in the back of the truck and holds about 350 gallons.       


Ridge cap prepping



Almost done

Hot lunch for a job well done

Filling transfer tank