Home Sweet Home…
…is where I’ll be all weekend.
It has been said that there is a major storm in store for us this weekend. Small snow pellets have been falling all morning and it’s at least 10 to 15 degrees cooler since I got up at daylight to check cows. The roads were good yesterday so I went out to get necessities to stock the pantry and wine rack. Looks like I’ll be sipping and baking for the next couple of days.
Have a great weekend sweet friends!
The Standoff
Our horses had a standoff with the horses next door the other day. I was sitting by the river when I heard weird grunting noises and hooves hitting the snow. They weren’t very friendly with one another and they didn’t stick around long. Alice led the pack away and they joined the cows on hay that was rolled out for them earlier. Knuckleheads.
Frozen Fog
Yesterday morning we awoke to a thick, frozen fog lingering over us. It was beautiful.
The cows didn’t think it was all that great as their coats were covered in said frozen fog.
A bald eagle took off from the trees but flew pretty low. I don’t think they fly very well when there is a heavy freeze and moisture in the air.
I looked to the east hoping I’d see the sun rising but all I saw was barely a glow.
When I looked to the west, the sky was trying to come through the haze. It didn’t clear out until noon when the wind came up and blew the snow into drifts. But do not fear my friends, it started to snow again today.
*Sigh*
I’ll tell Winter what Rachel told Joey on the TV show Friends. “Oh honey, at least you’re pretty.”
Tilda Tuesday: All Curled Up
Matilda is all curled up and under the covers.
I envision us exiting the house in a couple of months like Dorothy and Toto; eyes wide and jaws dropped when we finally see the world in color. But for now, it’s just white snow on the ground and gray skies up above.
About that Jackrabbit Yesterday
The jackrabbit is built for speed.
When this guy jumped out from the brush in front of me, I almost tripped.
Alert ears and elbows was all I could see.
He stopped to see if I was following him. I didn’t have a chance of catching up so I stood still and just followed him with my lens.
He was completely airborne with every hop.
He stayed along the fence line…
And down the rabbit hole he dove!
What a Difference the Night Makes
Yesterday the snow fell like rain; only moisture and the ground was mud. This morning we are under a snow blanket with small flakes still falling. I made my morning rounds through the cattle with my eyelashes caked in snowflakes. It is so peaceful and quiet out here. I almost tripped over a jackrabbit.
Sentiments of Summer’s Past
skeletons of last summer’s sunflowers
As the snow begins to fall again today, I’m feeling sure that I am ready for spring and summer. And so are the sunflowers!
Snow Puddles
The heavy snow has melted and we have puddles all over the meadow. This morning I started my daily rounds of checking the ladies. They are in their last trimester and calves will start landing next month. We have two heifers (first time mothers) and I have to keep an even closer eye on them. The cattle are good about coming to me because they think I’m there to feed them. It gives me a good chance to count them, walk through them and just basically look them over. I can tell when they are close to calving just by looking at them as they walk away.
Once Patrick finishes the fence surrounding our house, we will bring them closer to the house so that I can check them easily. Plus, they tend to cross the river to have their calf and that becomes dangerous for the calf when she decides to cross the river back into the meadow to graze. Therefore, I like to keep them close.
This is our first year calving at our place and my first year of doing it mostly alone. Since Patrick has a day job, it’s up to me to monitor the process. I thankfully have a call list if I have problems and Patrick can’t get here. Time to break out the shoulder-high gloves and chains. (just kidding)
The pressure is on so wish me luck!
Tilda Tuesday: Window Sculpture
“There’s no need for a piece of sculpture in a home that has a cat.” -Wesley Bates
There is often a sculpture on the sunny window ledge behind the curtain. She’s orange and fuzzy and wear’s a smile when she’s there.
Courage to Dream
My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth.
-Abraham Lincoln
In honor of Presidents Day, I tell you this is my dream as well.
Under the Tangle of Cottonwoods
I love the peace and quiet of five inches of snow under the tangle of cottonwood trees.
Strong winds have melted it mostly all away by this morning. Even though I love a good snow, I’ve got cabin fever something fierce and I look forward to it being easier to get around.
Snow-packed Road Home
On Monday, I finally made it out of our place to meet an 11 day old precious baby girl and provide her first photo shoot. I drove 140 miles round trip on slick but mostly dry interstate. Easy. And the shoot went very well.
It was this half mile jaunt home that was most difficult. My little Honda Civic wasn’t too happy about the snow-packed road. But she got me to our entrance and I took the ATV the rest of the way home. Of course, I’m sure it didn’t help that I stopped the car to shoot this image. I probably should have kept the momentum going but I’m glad I took the risk. The sun was setting on such a gorgeous day, it had to be recorded.
P.S. Here is the same shot (a little further down the road) at sunset last fall.
Tilda Tuesday: the Best Seat in the House
“If you want the best seat in the house, you’ll have to move the cat.”
When the temperature was below zero many days last week, Matilda took up residence right up against the wood stove. I can’t blame her though. I stood there a few times myself.
Today the snow is blowing and melting at a fast pace and it looks like we will have warmer temperatures this week.
Have a happy Tilda Tuesday!
Snowy Flight
A Golden Eagle took off from the trees and into the falling snow while we fed the cows this weekend.
The Dinner Bell
This is what happens when we ring the dinner bell (me hollering “come and get it girls, woohooo!”).
You betta get out of her way!!
A Long Walk
The horses are usually across the meadow when we come down to feed. It’s a long walk to the hay buffet.
You may or may not be able to make out ole Gray running in the background. He blends very well but he’s way back there kicking up snow behind the bay horse. (between the far trees and the dark brown horse) I didn’t even see him until he was right up on us. I picked icicles off his coat while Patrick cut the strings off the hay bale.
“The Air Hurts My Face.”
“Why do I live somewhere where the air hurts my face.”
A friend posted a meme on Facebook yesterday with that saying and it couldn’t be more appropriate. Our temperatures have maintained a steady below zero temp for days now. It is sooo cold. I’m not complaining because I know there are places in the world much colder but after we came in from feeding the cows, the hair that was exposed from underneath my hat was frozen. Solid. Like I could have just broken it in half. And my face hurt.
Don’t let this bull and his harem intimidate you. I’ve got something they want and they are waiting patiently for the rest of the group to join us before we spread out the cake.
We rolled out a bail and Patrick pitched out even more. There is only one pitch fork down there so I told him I’d take pictures while he pitched hay. It’s only fair. 😉
Most of the river is frozen. As always it’s tempting to skate across it but…I’m smarter than that.
I’m not sure when this extreme winter spell will break but I’ve got photo shoots and a printer workshop lined up this month. I’m very much hoping for some nicer weather in the coming weeks. Frozen fingers are crossed!
Hello Stranger
Something called ‘sun’ made a brief appearance during this winter storm we are currently experiencing. It happened on Sunday and the land was all a’glitter.
A Cottonwood leaf leftover from fall.
Frozen flowers dreaming of spring.
Snowy shadows from my favorite Cottonwood.
Tilda Tuesday: Bella
“You stay out there, I stay in here. We’ll get along better that way.”- Matilda, 2013
I shot this last May when we were in our temporary home in the hills after moving from the ranch. May 1st we had a gazillion inches of snow on the ground. Well, it felt like a gazillion. It was up to my waist in some spots. Anyway, this is Bella, the Pyrenees watch dog. She watches over the chickens, ducks, and goats of this homestead and she could not figure out why there was a cat inside and why couldn’t she get to it through that glass. It took a couple weeks for Bella to stop throwing herself against the glass barking trying to get Matilda.
And before you get all “awe poor Bella, she should be let inside from the cold.” This girl has a coat on her thicker than anything you can buy in a sporting goods store and she would be so miserable if she had to be indoors. She frolics through the snow like it’s not even there. She’s happiest in cold temps. Plus, she has to a job to do.
Feels like we are getting a zillion inches of snow today. It’s been snowing since early morning, before the sun came up, and it’s still coming down.
Happy Tilda Tuesday everyone. She is under the covers and will most likely not come out until June. 🙂
All Bundled Up
The wind finally died down and snow started to stick Thursday evening. When Patrick got home, we went out to feed the cows. They get so excited when they here the crumpling sound of the cake sack.
As you can probably tell, they NEVER miss a meal and Patrick just about got trampled by the excited girls.
Friday and Saturday mornings were overcast and snow squalls blew through several times a day giving us 3 or 4 inches on the ground. Days like these call for bundling up in my snowmobiling coveralls for a wander to the meadows to check on critters.
I got a wink and a smile from Gray. I can tell he’s having fun because he’s covered in mud. Pretty typical for this guy.
Crabby Alice debated on whether or not she wanted to come over and visit with me.
The Bay horse in the background is a bit bashful so he doesn’t get portraits very often. But I’ll get him one day.
Alice needs to wipe her nose. 😉
I love the pattern and chaos of the Cottonwood tree forest that surrounds us.
We celebrated Patrick’s birthday this weekend by chopping firewood, sitting by the river, and enjoying the quiet scenery of home. And of course I demanded a Birthday portrait of us. I used my new trigger remote with the camera on the tripod and my nifty fifty lens.
We have more snow ahead of us this week but the sun came out yesterday and today. Hello February!
Uprooted Magnolia 
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