FEBRUARY 2022

Welcome to February 2022.

Tomorrow is Groundhog's Day. Let's cover up his escape route and keep him from seeing his shadow. I am sooo ready for warmer weather with no ice on the ground!

Hi everyone, our weather is supposed to get rainy later, but over all it has been glorious.

As for the ground hog, superstitions run deep.

Terry's memorial service was great, lots of tributes and laughter.

No more news here...........

Ark, there is a "performance fiber" they are using on furniture now.  It is guaranteed to be impervious to almost everything.  My neighbors have it on their sectional sofa where both the dog and the pig like to be.  It won't stain or tear and if something is spilled on it, it just wipes up clean.  After several months of both the animals being on it, there is no damage at all.  I gave it serious consideration, but ultimately chose the leather one.
If I had kids or pets, I would definitely get the miracle fiber.

It's a good day. Popeye's Chicken has opened after most of a year of building. The line of cars went all the way around the building and out onto the street. Apparently, I'm not the only one who was excited about them opening. I completely enjoyed my lunch.

Enjoy your Popeye's ELLEN, because from the sound of the weather report it will be a while before you are able to get out. It sounds like you're going to get quite a bit more than we are and we're suppose to get plenty.

I would like to see the miracle fabric that would hold up being Sparkle's scratching post. She's pretty good about using her scratching post, but occasionally she slips and uses the sofa or the recliner and both have the battle scars to prove it.

I left the horses outside last night because it wasn't suppose to get terribly cold. But the rain did come and the snow has started. The horse pen was a sloppy slushy mess this morning when I went out to feed and the horses were jumping and bucking and farting around. Silly horses. I left them in the barn eating hay for the day as were to get a lot more snow and the temps are suppose to drop and they are wet from the rain. They weren't thrilled with having to stay in their stalls. Every time I went into a stall to deliver either hay or water I had to make sure the door closed behind me or they tried to go outside. They should be all dried out and able to be let back out tonight.

GRAYMARE, glad to hear Terry's memorial was a success.

ARK, I'm happy to hear little Kumquat is getting better.

The rain turned to snow about daylight this morning. It has snowed all day, but very small flakes that take a lot to pile up. As of dark this evening, we have about 3 to 4 inches. It looks like the snow will stop in a few hours, but there is another big patch of snow following this one.
Travis has already been out with the snowplow on the ATV and cleared part of my driveway, mostly where the county snowplow piled it up along the road. I haven't ventured out, so I don't know the condition of the main roads. There has been very little traffic going past here today, maybe 4 or 5 cars, including the mail truck.
Indy, it looks like you are getting as much snow as we are, or more.

This will be short. I cut my index finger tonight and it hurts like
mad.................not a bad cut by any means, just in my way.

I'm glad Kumquat is coming around and feeling better.

I called my friend to wish her happy birthday and she was
hysterically crying..............she was waiting for her friend to
come pick her up to take her to her vet to euthanize her dog.
Talk about bad timing. I then tried to make small talk while
waiting as she wanted me to stay on the phone with her.
The dog was 12 1/2 and barely breathing, had cancer and she
said she waited too long to take her back to the vet.

I felt really bad for her
as nothing could be done. And there were no words. I told her to
stay strong in her faith and it would work out.

As it turned out, the dog died on the way to the vet. Peacefully
at least. I was rattled the rest of the day.

Awwww. I am so sorry for all of that, your friend's dog and your cut finger. Not a good day.

Snow yesterday was about 8 inches. Today's forecast is for light snow showers but windy. So our snow will be drifting. When I let the horses into the barn this morning for breakfast Sophie was missing. Very unusual, she's always the first in line. After getting the others locked in their stalls I went to the barn door to call for her. I was afraid her feet were bothering her as I know extreme weather can trigger laminitis. Instead I look out and see her in the front yard.
I figure another tree branch has come down on the fence because of the weight of the rain that we had with the snow on top of that. I go to unlock the gate between the horse pen and the back yard and the latch is frozen. After I get that open I go to open the gate between the front yard and the back yard and that latch is frozen, and now Sophie is missing? Where'd she go? I get that gate open and start calling for her and she had run down the road to the neighbors. She heard me calling for her and she came running back. She then quietly walked with me back to the barn. I closed off the area where she got out and called it done. I'll deal with actually fixing it when the weather is better. Might be spring.

Stay safe everyone!

Hi everyone. I'm happy to report my boo-boo on my finger is good now. I hate deep paper cuts and
it's healed enough now so it doesn't bother.

How is it in the snow world? Is it really snow or is it mixed with sleet and freezing rain? I'm really glad to
to read Sophie is alright. I can't keep track where the storm really is as it is so vast and spread out. It's
chilly for here today but lovely sunshine. I think it's going to be 35-38 F tonight.

My friend is fine today but sad. She had to see the dog which kept her upset last night. Once she got home she
talked with her daughter for a long time and settled down. Her daughter came up today from
Tucson and they were together. I wasn't present but I hope they comfort one another.

I did more thank you today and I'm tired. I will eventually get finished.

Everyone have a good evening. Power outages are very bad and flight cancellations are everywhere.
I wonder how the area of Kentucky that was so badly damaged in the tornados is.........I pray
the people have shelter and warmth. The snow storm is bad, but people still have their homes.
Prayers for ALL.

Our snow is finally finished. We have about 8 or 10 inches, but some big drifts. The snow was very fine small flakes, but not rain. It was too cold for rain. In this area, no power outages. All is well. Tomorrow will be about digging out.

The big storm missed us but we did get a lot of rain rain and freezing rain. Then flooding from the left over melting snow and a little more snow just to top things off. Winter in PA, always a fun experience.

The stupid groundhog predicted more winter like he almost always does. The only good groundhog around our farm is a dead groundhog. The crazy Punxy people have so much fun with Groundhog day, breaks up the winter time blues.

Things are still rough in our lives, so many "what if's" and "I should have's". Getting the Memorial Service organized was difficult. It won't be until March 19, so our family can drive up from Pittsburgh, and Missy's husband Joel can drive up from Maryland, hopefully the weather will be a little better for the long drives.

Stay safe & healthy...

Woohoooo! I can get out of my garage now. Travis' dad came over with the ATV and blade and cleared some of the snow. My car will handle the rest. I PROBABLY could have gotten out before, but I didn't want to get halfway in or out and not be able to move farther.
It got all the way up to 23° today. Not enough to melt much of anything, even though the sun is shining. The sun does make it prettier.

GRAYMARE:
 So sorry for your friend's loss of her dog.  Pets are such a comfort, it is hard to lose them.   Thanks about Kumquat.  We've had our ups and downs with her reaction to her teeth being pulled.  We have finally gotten thru the antibiotics,  that has been fun,  but she is still having problems eating.  We feed her pureed cat food or baby food three times a day by hand.   As in,  I stick my finger in her mouth with food on it...she still has claws.     She is getting stronger and is in her right mind again, at least.   She climbed up in bed with me the last couple of days, so I think she is forgiving me for what I have put her through.  I hope.  I hope she figures out how to eat soon.  She does drink just fine.

The big snowstorm missed us.  We got about 36 hours of rain with temps in the mid-50s!  I liked the temps, but the mud is pretty deep now.  I was texting my sister yesterday morning about how we didn't get any snow, looked out the window and it was snowing like crazy.   It didn't stick around too long, but it has gotten very cold and windy  now.  Blankets on the horses type cold, single digit windchills.  It will be 40 this afternoon, so we won't have the really bad cold long.  Nice thing about Virginia, usually.  

INDYAPP:
 Wow.  Sophie would have scared me to death.  Horses getting out is one of my biggest nightmares.   Trees tend to fall on interior fences here, thankfully, not the perimeter fences.   One section seems to have a tree fall on it every year.     Sophie sounds like she loves you!  

TRUDY:
 Glad the major part of the storm missed you!  When did we start naming snowstorms?   I keep thinking people are talking about other people when they give snowstorms names.   I have never quite understood Groundhog's Day.  You get six more weeks of winter if he sees his shadow, and it's only 6 weeks until spring if he doesn't.  That is the same thing!   I am glad they have fun with it.  


I have just started doing that "Wordle" game.  It's actually a pretty good one.  Anyone else tried it?

https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/

Ark, I looked at the game but haven't quite figured it out yet. I'll keep working on it.

Until a few minutes ago, the snow on my upper yard was completely clean and undisturbed. That change when three little girls thought it would be a great place to roll down the little hill, and make snow angels, and try to run through it. Now the snow looks the way it should look.

ELLEN:
A green square means the letter is correct and in the right place. A yellow square means the letter is used, but in the wrong place. I just discovered today that letters can be used more than once, like "Shoot" has two "o's". They only put up one puzzle per day. That's probably good in my case. I tend to want to do more of them than I should. I heard the NY Times has bought the rights to the puzzle and it will soon be on their puzzle page in front of the pay wall.


Kumquat has eaten on her own all day today! It will be two weeks on Tuesday since her teeth were pulled. I am not sure what went wrong, but I don't think she should have had so much trouble with this. Our small animal vet retired and sold his business, there are all new people there that I don't know. I may change vets. The old guy was great, a good cat doctor. Not so sure of the new folks.


It was a bright, sunny day here, if kind of cold. Not much wind, no ice or snow....So we lost power for 4 hours starting at sunset. We don't know why we lost it, but it finally came back on at 10 pm. Thank goodness for Kindles! We read by candle light, just like Abe Lincoln.....

Ark, I figured out how to do the game, and I finally got yesterday's word. So far, not successful today.

ELLEN:
Think vowel used twice, not necessarily together.


Kumquat is eating everything in sight! I think she is making up for lost time. I am making chicken for dinner and she 'helped' me by eating tiny little pieces....her old self.


It was 39 degrees today, but it feels so much colder. I think the humidity must be high or something. The horses were happy to get their blankies off, although I left Cactus Jack's on him. Since he is an elder donk, I don't want to chill him. He has gotten used to his blanket, when we first put one on him a few years ago, he stood like his feet were nailed to the ground. Would not move until we took it off. He doesn't complain about it now.

Areion had broken ANOTHER metal latch on her blanket. She is the most destructive beast. I have no idea how she breaks metal latches on the front of her chest, but she has broken both.

Chicken is calling....

I used up all my "tries" and didn't get it. Is "Y" considered a vowel in this one. I got the DER at the end, couldn't get the first two letters.

ELDER


I tried to give you a clue, LOL.

THANK YOU!

Hello all.

Nothing to report. Just wanted to say Hi.

My neighbor's birthday was a week ago today. We had big snow happening and decided another day would be better. Enough of the snow has melted to make it safe for geezers to walk around without a crash and burn. They came over this evening. I fixed shimp cocktail, pork chops with mushroom soup in the Instant Pot, melting potatoes, blistered green beans, biscuits, and key lime cake. Nobody left the table hungry. I sent most of the leftovers home with them.
I do love my Instant Pot. Those chops were fork tender after only 18 minutes of cooking.
It was a nice evening.

Sounds yummy ELLEN, but what are melting potatoes?

Indy, here are the recipe and pictures. The video is there if you'd like to see how she does it.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/katie-lee/melting-potatoes-5513135
It's very easy and VERY good.