JANUARY 2024

LOL, good one ELLEN.........................

Brrr it's cold out. Cold spell started Friday night and hasn't let up since. It's currently 3 degrees at 9:30 p.m. It got as high as 7 degrees today. Woo Hoo! The horses and I agree to disagree if they should be inside or out. I made them stay in Friday night when they came in to eat and they all had icicles hanging from them. Saturday morning they were all dried off and wanted out so I let them out for the day and they were happy campers even though it was super cold. Saturday night temps were to drop to the negative numbers with wind chill at negative double digits so I kept them all in the barn overnight. Sunday morning was super cold so I made them stay in. They were not happy. They wanted out! I kept them in until early afternoon then let them out for a couple hours then back in for Sunday night. Today I let them out after taking Dan to the Dr and the first thing Monster did was roll in the snow. He was sooo happy to be outside. I let them stay out overnight tonight because they insisted. I did give them extra hay. They are dry, they have plenty to eat, warm water to drink, they can go into the woods for shelter and they are happy.

Two days ago, the lake froze over completely. It had been cold enough for a while, but the wind was keeping it from freezing. That night, the wind died down a little bit and within about 4 hours the whole lake was frozen. Last evening, I could hear the ice "talking" as it made new ice. There are cracks all over where the ice "swelled" and popped. Yesterday, there was a small ice fishing tent across the lake; it was near the shore and over shallow water. I would have been a little reluctant to be out on the ice yet. Another couple of days it will be safe to walk on and then Travis will be checking it for snowmobile thickness.

I don't know about talking ice on the lake, but I do know that I left a plate of beef and noodles w/mashed potatoes in my car while I was at work yesterday and by the time I got to my brother's at about 5:00 p.m. it was frozen solid.

Indy, I hope it thawed out well in the microwave. At 7° everything freezes solid QUICK.

When lake ice is forming, it will pop and groan and make all kinds of sounds that make one very hesitant to walk out on it even when it is plenty thick enough. It mostly happens when new ice is forming.

ELLEN: Good one...My friend Shirley to moved to FL many years ago sent me a text about how she had to break out her PA winter clothes cause it's so cold in FL, 47 degrees. I told her to come up and visit me if she wants to experience COLD weather it was 10 yesterday, with the wild chill ZERO. Now that is COLD.

I canceled all our appointments and we are just staying here on the farm. We just don't drive on bad roads unless really necessary. Gone are the days when I would put snow tires on my Trans AM and drive on snow covered roads. Can hardly believe I even did that...Young and dumb but I never did get stuck.
It's snowing again this morning. Our road is a mess, the main roads are clear but ours never gets taken care of. No important people live out here. A friend stopped out yesterday and he said "all the roads are cleared but yours." I warned him when he called to say he was stopping out. Next week a warm up to 35. YAY

Stay warm everyone....

Years ago, there were very few permanent residents around here, so the road was never plowed. It just had to wait until spring to be clear. Now that there are more permanent people here with kids, the school buses run past here. So, the road gets plowed. If there is enough snow to delay or cancel schools, our road is one of the last to get plowed. When ours gets cleared, I know that the main roads are easily drivable.
I'm well stocked on food, so I won't need to go out for anything until Monday when the temperatures will come up into the 30s.

Too cold. I am over winter now, thanks. We have enough snow to keep us from taking the lawn tractor down to the barn, so trudging thru the ice and snow is our life. Donnie slipped and landed on his hiney a couple of days ago, but is okay. We've been keeping the horses close to the barn so they don't slip on the slope of the pasture. Daisy has decided she wants to live in her stall, something she usually wants out of. It was 5 degrees yesterday morning with an ungodly windchill. BUT!!! It is supposed to be 60 degrees next Thursday and Friday! With rain....



So we've been hunkered down, cleaning up frozen crapola at the barn, and basically trying to stay on our feet all week.


ELLEN:
I didn't know lakes talked! Kind of spooky, I bet! Thanks for the funnies, I will post a couple in a minute.....

INDYAPP:
Wow, I hope the microwave was working! How is your brother doing at home?

TRUDY:
I am with you. We aren't going anywhere for awhile. Kroger's is our big destination for the week.

GRAYMARE:
Hope it's warmed up for you. How are you doing?


Donnie and I have been binge watching "Bones" recently. We find a series and get into it. Bones is pretty good, but I can't watch it and eat anything. We are also lining up Northern Exposure and Pickett Fences for the next series.

Posting for ELLEN!  

Ark, I'm glad you posted those pictures. Humor is good.

ARK:  I loved the Harley photo.  I sent it to my son who is trading in his Low Rider for a Bagger.  A Bagger is a Harley for old guys.  Sending you another one that I sent to my son.  He didn't find any humor in the photos.  LOL LOL  I called his Bagger an open air small car.  It has everything you can think of, just like a car.

Our weather is heading upward in the temps and 50 by Friday.  WHEW it was a tough couple of weeks.  It was 10 yesterday.  Yesteryear we could actually see the road...YAY

We left the house and went to the Veterans Food Bank at our church.  Always good to see the Vets hanging out, being taken care.  

Have a blessed week everyone.

Our temperatures are coming up, but we are getting rain also. Prediction is for freezing rain by 4:00. There is already a winter weather advisory warning out until 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. I predict more broken tree branches. Hopefully none will land on the fences. Horses will be kept in tonight to get them dried out. They will not be happy campers. I also hope we don't lose any power. pfffttt.

Dan is doing well at home much to my surprise. We have to figure out a more efficient way for him to have hot meals, but so far it's working out. I spent a lot of time on Saturday blowing snow off his driveway and sidewalks. One of the last things I need is for the city to fine us for not clearing the sidewalks. He lives on a corner so he has a lot of sidewalk. He has a little snowblower that for its size does a really good job. I just kept pushing too hard and stalling it. I'm use to my big one.

Indy, have you investigated Meal on Wheels? I've heard a lot of good things about that, for a lot of years. That would give your brother at least one good meal every day.
Does he have a microwave that he can use? There are lots of frozen meals that can be heated in a few minutes. My dad used to use the Stouffers meals quite a bit.

We are supposed to get freezing rain tonight too, lasting until about noon tomorrow. Up to a quarter inch of ice. At least the temperatures are slowly coming up.

Another great picture, Trudy. LOL

Rain...............boo.

I'm tired to it.

INDYAPP:
Glad to hear Dan is doing better than expected!! I keep seeing ads on tv about meals delivered that just need microwaving. Not sure of the names, but the food looks good. I suspect it costs about what a restaurant meal might cost, though.
Donnie loves his snowblower, but love it more when we don't have to use it. So far this winter we've only had 2 or 3 inches of snow and haven't used it.


ELLEN:
Those were cute memes! My favorite is the little girl fixing the world with bandaids, . Cute!

TRUDY:
Haha! That is a cute cartoon, too!


We had 47 degrees and SUNSHINE today! Did I get to do anything horsey besides cleaning up after them? No. I had a dentist appointment at 1:30 and then a blood drive appointment at 5 pm. Got home after dark. Tomorrow is supposed to be 52, but cloudy. Maybe I can do something horsey then. I haven't had the first ride so far this year.

We took the blankets off our horses today. They were so nice and clean after several days of wearing the blankets. Areion decided to have a nap in the mud in front of the barn a couple of hours later....

Our new neighbors across the road, who I still haven't managed to meet, have added two more horses to their herd. They don't have a lot of space. I suspect they are going to learn the joys of picking up horsey doo very soon.

This will keep you entertained for a while. Most people have some difficulty managing one horse at a time. This guy organizes 12 at a time, while standing on two of them. It's an older video but good.
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=Lorenzo+the+Flying+Frenchman&&mid=B021B8E6D40380A9F51AB021B8E6D40380A9F51A&&FORM=VRDGAR

That's beautiful ELLEN. Thank you.

It's hard to imagine how much time it takes to teach 12 horses how to follow remote directions. How many years? How many hours a day? How many falls of the rider? (I noticed it appeared that he had on a flak vest. For very good reason.)
Drill teams riders don't do as well.

Sad news....My brother Ted went to be with Jesus yesterday afternoon. I'm so broken-hearted. Ted passed quietly at his home surrounded by family. Soon as things are in order I'll be off to Pittsburgh again and this time the results won't be as good as my last trip home. Stacy will be driving me home, George can't make the 4 hour trip. Thanks for all the prayers for my family.

Trudy, I'm so sorry you lost Ted. Be comforted knowing he is with Jesus now.

I'm. sorry too Trudy............He is at peace with the Lord.

TRUDY:
I am so sorry. Big hugs.....

Trudy:

I'm sorry to hear of Ted's passing. Cherish your memories and try to find peace.

The snow is all gone, but now we have fog. Boy, do we have fog! There is still ice on the lake, but I doubt it will last much longer.

We've had lots of rain. Flood warnings issued for the area and lots of mud make it all so fun. We aren't in a flood plain at the house, and so far as I know, the lower hayfield hasn't been flooded in at least 50 years. We've seen the creek go over its banks a few times, but not into the field.

My horses are all mudballs. We took Areion and Daisy to get their trims looking like very dirty paints. At least it wasn't snowing that day.

I rode Ivan for a few minutes the other day to remind him he does have a job occasionally. He was good.

My son Stacy drove me home to my brothers funeral on Thursday. Spent the weekend in Pittsburgh area. the weather was beautiful for the service. Friday it was 66 degrees and sunny. Crazy PA weather. It was old home week for me. I visited with friends and family who I haven't seen in 25 years,my childhood friends showed up at the funeral home for support. Gotta love old friends!!!!! The service was wonderful. 21 gun salute for a great soldier!!!! Taps (that song tears my heart out) And the folding of the flag from the casket. At the very end of the service as we were putting roses on the casket, Ted's wife was in a wheelchair and the boys were carrying her in the chair to the casket (there was mud everywhere) as she bent forward the 3 spent shell casings (at a military funeral, they give 3 spent shell casings, wrapped together, one for God, family and country) the casings fell off her lap into the open grave. Everyone went wild...as usually Teddy had the last word...he wanted those casings...a final tribute to a great man. Just as he would have wanted. Laughter not tears...

Then a dinner at the church of wonderful Pittsburgh food items and Lady Lock Cookies (of course). Stac & I started the long 4 hours drive home, arrived home right before dark.

Thanks for the prayers...