What to do when Snowed In

Banter:

"Honey, I'm your answer to a slow Day!"

Bake.

Spend too much time on the computer.

Read a good book.

Shovel snow so you aren't snowed in.

Go snowshoeing.

Work on garden plans.

Sew.

Clean house.

(The above are in no particular order, LOL!)

Kathleen

Moon up about 8:00 P.M. .. five below .. coyotes coming into our nine acre .. $18,000 set aside .. not farmed but irrigated with $250 of water every eight days all summer .. pheasant pasture. It is 10:00 P.M. now and they are back for the second time.

My neighbor drove by and spotted for them and I am up hunting them .. keeping them off about seven young hens and their Mom and three roosters that hatched this year. We hope to end up with at least three that will have broods this spring.

I have neighbors that also watch me on the weekends when I go to town and run over and illegally hunt these acres. Alerted him to this and he will watch for them also and call FG.

I have two Boer's that will drop in a month and a half. Will turn my cutting horse mare in with them. Nothing will get past her.

Two years ago we had one wolf hunting with this six pack .. he didn't show since. (Fish and Game told me .. they eat coyotes, they don't hunt with them) Suits me. Turn them and a few Griz loose in Grand Central Park and watch the action. My grand daughter when she was eighteen lead seven millionaire children on a ride onto Gallatin National Park, MT. They rode into a valley with six fresh killed elk and had two foot long bear tracks under them filling with muddy water .. had to back out a quarter mile without turning tail and running .. a Griz can out run a quarter horse in the first quarter mile.

Those kids, their fourth summer with Tori .. stayed calm and backed .. made it out .. the Griz they could not see .. was seeing them .. count on it. Squawk both sides of this for a rowe.

Kathleen it is close to 300 yards out to the road with three foot drifts .. I'm 73 .. tractor will not start with starting fluid .. will wait for 30 degree temps in about three days.

I'm studying Hebrew and starting Aramaic or Chaldee with a displaced Christian Iraqi Interpreter from the local college. That ought to be fun. He doesn't know how to read or write it, just speaks it. Whew, all that squiggly long hand backwards would be a trip on top of Hebrew .. consonants with jots and tittles for vowels .. one word with prefixes and suffixes is equal to an entire sentence in English .. each word can mean a consortium of ideas .. not one idea like in English. Besides, I baked oatmeal cookies the first day. Nancy is doing better.

Take a moment to appreciate where you are, the beauty that surrounds......
Listen to the snowflakes fall    Admire the frost patterns on the window... try to sketch them! Enjoy life....

Feral .. Kathleen

You are what the Doctor ordered for me. I flip flop between my "brand" of sanity and outer space all the time. When you are a care giver with no help in sight it is like being a Dairyman without cows .. always milking to be done.

I would add one item to the list .. exercise. I am snowed out of finishing my loafing shed to keep two Sun Valley 25 year old pets out of the weather. I have six huge 6x6 pressure treated posts in the ground with the 2x8 skirting ring shanked every two feet up to a height of 7 1/2 feet. Then I put 4x8's up and that wind break meant 32 degrees less wind chill three days ago .. but the stress .. worrying about every thing .. Nancy .. a addition to my fire place .. coyotes and poachers breaking my fences and hunting illegally every time I turn my back.

Exercise .. after age 55 your wheels start to go .. your legs .. deny it and play like I don't know what I'm talking about .. they go. Nancy bought a Total Gym years ago and I have put new cables on it once. You lift your own body weight on a sled of adjustable inclines .. and it works your legs, stomach and arms out very well. If I have a building project .. energy bars, Yerba Mate green tea with 160 know beneficial compounds in it and exercise is a must for me .. along with figuring out the building plans, materials list and working all this into the unknown weather patterns .. yet to come .. the Jet Stream http://squall.sfsu.edu/scripts/namjetstream_modelsml.html .. is a complete fantasy game this year .. I keep track of it here.

Just thought I'd throw the exercise thing in here.

Yes, I was thinking later that I should have added exercise to the list.  I have dairy goats, chickens, and a few rabbits that have to be cared for, so I have to get outside and exercise whether I want to or not, and that's a good thing.  I'm a caregiver also, for my daughter's lifetime, although thankfully she's fairly healthy (with medication -- she has lupus), so I understand about that.  You have to have something of your own to do, and that's what my animals are for me.  Right now, while my grandmother is able to babysit, I'm also working part-time and teaching a couple of Good News Clubs in public schools.  Eventually I won't be able to do that without taking my daughter with me, which I have done but she gets tired of going to work with me and makes things difficult (she's autistic). 

Kathleen

re: Trespassers/Idaho....

Wow, whatever happened to the good ol' days? I grew up in Idaho and we used to just shoot em.

Seriously as a child, I remember seeing tons of signs which very clearly stated that "Trespassers will be shot"

One of my families fav places to spend an afternoon was in Yellowstone Park, the part that's in Idaho. In order to get there, we had to cross through a rancher's property (one of the most beautiful places on earth... and as a child, my goal was to grow up to own that ranch...sigh....) The rancher didn't mind, so long as people closed the gate. The gate was one of those barbed wire/post things. Just inside the gate was a grave like mound of stones, complete with wooden marker and boot toes poking out. On the wooden marker was clearly painted "Here lies the last man who forgot to close the gate".  My dad would stop and get out to open the gate, I would jump out and play, quickly pick a few wild flowers to put on the grave. I always felt badly that the person had to die for being so disrespectful and lazy. When I was 10 or 11, I finally said something about it to my family--who in a fit of laughter were more than happy to inform me that there wasn't a body under the stones... and they were surprised that I hadn't noticed that someone put changed the boots every spring   But ya know what??? I NEVER would have left that gate open and I never found it open. Last visited there about 5 years ago... grave was gone. That made me sad... it's kind of part of the Idaho that I really treasured.

Dealing with trespasser's is tough. We've had two "situations" in Washington this year where landowners finally had enough, lost their tempers and were pretty misbehaved. I suspect both will do jail time, one is an avid hunter, he threatened to shoot some people, I read that if he were to be found guilty of whatever they charged him with, he'll lose the right to possess firearms.

I live remotely, and although I don't hunt, the wildlife is abundant. They are trying to keep it hush-hush, but they removed a bunch of deer from town last spring (I think 80 head or there abouts), now are getting ready to do an in town hunt to cull them--I believe that the goal is 40 head. During hunting season it's like being invaded by aliens, everywhere you look you see camo, big 4wheelers. People travel from all around to get to my county. That amazes me that they can manage to travel so far and find it as they obviously can't read. They see a sign that says "No Trespassing" and interpret it as the marker for the starting of their private hunting grounds. Because of the location of my property... and the quality of the wildlife that lives there, my problem isn't with the people who have traveled.... it's with the locals! I was told that my property is the "best hunting" in the county!
First year I lived here it was pretty ugly, nearly lost a dog who just happened to be similar in color to a white tail. Had to figure out a way to get along, keep people off... so I decided the best way is to put them in charge and let them make their own decisions about what they want to do    The choice they get to make is how they leave my property--the options are: With the Sheriff or with the coroner. Since it really infuriates me that people walk right by my signs, I can issue these choices in a very meaningful tone of voice. The second year, I started telling people what their choices were, then would let them know that since they obviously didn't mean to trespass (yeah... right), I was going to let them off with just a warning, the one and only time.  Word got around town pretty quickly, occasionally I have to give someone the boot off my property, but usually when the find out that I'm that "lady who gives choices", people tend to leave real fast!  Because it's a small town and everyone always minds everyone else's business, I used to have to deal with people asking if I was married.... my reply (true confession--I practiced in front of a mirror so I can say it with out laughing): "Yup, but I have to keep my hubby locked up. The last place we lived a bunch of people disappeared and they never found the bodies". Quite honestly, I don't think our sheriff's department would make an arrest based on trespassing.

re: Caregiving... how right you are.. and it can be so exhausting! I don't know your circumstances, but sometimes there are "respite care" programs which can give the caregiver a break 3 or 4 times a year.

re: Exercise... exercise is good. I never worry about it during the winter though. Without fail my pickup will get snowed in, stuck, break down and I will spend a good deal of time snowshoeing and walking. I'm a year older now than last year but it feels like a whole lot more. I'm hoping I can manage it this year! I figured out once that I spend at least 7 days out of every year with my vehicle stuck in either snow or mud.

put a pot of beans on the stove and some baking potatoes in the oven (wood). Straighten up, sweep off the porch, shovel a path to the chicken house,  to the barn.  Make sure the critters are well and comfortable.  Light a candle and fix some nice tea.  dig through my recordings for some really nice music I have not listened to in a long time.  Call the neighbors.  Hear how the roads are, who went out and agree it is best to stay put.  Stand outside and watch as the evening comes. Be thankful for the roof over my head and my warm bed. Be thankful the firewood is stacked in the dry close to the house.  shovel a path to the compost pile to empty the buckets.  oh heck, make hot chocolate. the goats give way more milk than we need anyway.  curl up on the sofa with seed catalogs. 

Kathleen .......... I really feel for you, my Mom died of Lupus (the word for pain in Greek) and it wasn't even diagnosed until five years before she passed away at 87. My Dad cared for her. She never saw the insides of a care facility. I hope this blog turns into a help for those who give constant care .. without divorce, abandonment or disappearing on a trip to the store to get cigarettes.

I find myself smiling at children and adults in wheelchairs and starting a conversation with those pushing .. I'm sorry to say I use to be one of those who make such a sight .. disappear through non caring eyes.

My home run .. yes I have one .. I mentored a class of 4th through 6th graders in God Squad after school on Tuesdays. The Church asked and I said let me think about it. Yes, but on my terms .. those kids already have me in Sunday School and then an hour of preaching.

I am a Alexander the Great freak. I taught them the good parts about him .. we followed his story on a map and they learned all the countries involved, the architecture, mythologies, customs, battles, the Greek alfa bet and then words. And, ...... out of that class Judge Redman's daughter became a Fulbright Scholar .. my daughter that I fought with toe to toe from the 7th grade through college .. refused an invitation to join the Cheer Leaders .. told them she would rather be out on the field .. took State in the 440 relay, State in Debate, Coaches Choice team for Southern Idaho Girls Volleyball .. when the football team heard she had turned down the Cheerleading thing .. as a voting block voted her Freshman and Sophomore Home Coming whatever and then Home Coming Queen her Senior Year .. today she is a millionaire and runs a huge store .. built three mega grocery stores in S. Cal that today do over a million dollars a day in business.

I also have several Sunday School kids that are in jail and one was found hanging in a tree.

I wonder where the jail birds would have been without your influence? It could be a whole lot worse. Also... their lives aren't over yet.. lots of potential for great things! I hope that they realize that.

I've been reading some of The Cuban Guy's books and thoughts (Andres Lara) it helps my attitude and sometimes with a better outlook, problems just seem to disappear (in other words, I imagine things to be problems that really aren't or that haven't happened yet).

Read.

Practice yoga.

Draw pictures of stuff we want to make. 

Design a better way.

Cook something fun.  Maybe can or ferment something. 

Call my little sister.

Organize the garage.....

Go for a snowshoe hike.  (hardly ever "snowed in" with snowshoes)

I had Sunday School classes in two quite different churches.

At the church where the parents brought their children .. good results for the children .. reserved observations for the parents in some cases. In an adult SS class where I cooled my heels after burn out in another church, I noted they were MD's, Lawyers, Nurses, Bankers and School Teachers. One Sunday no one had done their SS reading before coming to class.

The teacher, a USPS route delivery person slammed her Bible shut and quietly scream, " I want every head bowed and every eye closed. Raise your hand if .. were you to die tonight .. you know you would go to heaven?"

Of course inquisitive me looked up with my eyes open. Not one hand up. I locked eyes with the teacher and we just shook our heads.

This is the church that let me teach Alexander the Great and the Greek language.

The other church, where the Pastor ran off with the congregation and made it his private money machine .. the children who came there did so to get something to eat, a safe place, the word of God, and for the gang member older set .. a body exchange. From this group we had two suicides from incest and drug dealing .. and students getting locked up for various infractions.

There are a million games played in the naked city .. and a few are in church.

Not quite snowed in here yet, as we only have about an inch with a lot of feathery stuff falling, but..still staying inside a good bit of the time.

Well, I'm reevaluating paper here..I just threw out a bunch of old notes and journals, and am tossing some magazines and clippings (do I really need two file cabinets of clippigngs?? nope)

Also reevaluating my TO DO list for 2011, as my husband no longer has the will or ability to help at all, so some things will either have to be hired done, or won't ever get done..some priorities are giong to  need to be examined and decisions made about what has to stay on the  list of things to do and what things just will never get done..if I can't do them alone.

speaking of hired done, with what good looks, I have no money.

may have to think through how to BARTER for work getting done, maybe trade fruit for painting eaves?? 

will spend a lot of time this winter introspectively deciding what is important and what is not. 

Brenda, for what it's worth .. I've about killed my self using the front end loader clearing the snow for a Pediatrics Nurse .. just to get her fresh peach and strawberry pies with real whipped cream toppings during the summer .. Mennonite and to die for.

Bake .. add value to your crop .. there is a pie shop and orchard outside Yuba City, CA that bakes all their crop .. and you should see the line out the door on Sat. afternoons. People drive from Sacramento etc. Hope you live in a good area .. or bake them up and go to a city's farmer's market.

Now, I've learned to sew and mend, cook, do the books, shop (and get hit on), clean house, deal with medical insurance, doctors .. plus do the farming, feeding, repairing. The thing that gets most farm women or singles on the farm is changing the equipment. I know one lady that bought three tractors just to get around this equipment issue.

Drop the phobias and if something on your list is important .. consider doing it yourself.

Yes, you can even build a shed. Go in and ask the people at the lumber company and they will do flip flops to help you plan, purchase and do the job right. Just ask a ton of questions .. even dumb questions.

Get your boy and girls cross trained in elementary school. No job is just for one sex and they will sooner or later need to .. know how to do a great variety of "thangs" .. including to have a sense of humor.

It thawed all of yesterday .. temps above 32 .. and the gable end of our roof had 9+ inches of wet heavy wind blown snow on it.

For evening feeding, I stepped out on the porch knowing I was "running the gauntlet" and I prayed and was told to go ahead and I did. Two minutes later it let loose and I had to climb over the rubble to get back into the house.

The roof area that slid was 12x30 time five pounds per sq. ft. equals 1,800 pounds of snow. Divide that by 30 and multiply by two and that represents the weight of the two feet that would have struck me doing what .. 10 mph .. 120 pounds. Survivable but not pretty.

DustyTrails wrote:
It thawed all of yesterday .. temps above 32 .. and the gable end of our roof had 9+ inches of wet heavy wind blown snow on it.

For evening feeding, I stepped out on the porch knowing I was "running the gauntlet" and I prayed and was told to go ahead and I did. Two minutes later it let loose and I had to climb over the rubble to get back into the house.

The roof area that slid was 12x30 time five pounds per sq. ft. equals 1,800 pounds of snow. Divide that by 30 and multiply by two and that represents the weight of the two feet that would have struck me doing what .. 10 mph .. 120 pounds. Survivable but not pretty.

Actually, it would have been less than that, because the snow would have been sliding off the roof.  If it had been dumped from a helicopter, yeah, but when sliding off a surface, no.  It takes time to slide off, even if it's a short time; and it broke up as it slid off the edge.  (I'm assuming it didn't land as one mass and form a new wall.) 

So instead of being hit at once by one lump of snow with the effective weight of 120 lbs, you would have been hit by much smaller lumps with much lower effective weights -- like being caught in a snowball fight.

What are the roof angles where you live? We are talking a metal roof also, not asphalt or wooden shingles. One sheet .. its up there and then it isn't.

We are 3 to 1 and it comes off in the blink of an eye. It covered about three feet on the ground and was 12 foot long on the roof. It started hitting the ground about five feet out from the house. It would be like a 120 pound .. three foot long dog ..  jumping on your back .. with an awful cold nose.