Weather of a dynamic sort

So much fun with this crazy weather. Sun, sleet, snow, rain. Last weekend we were in Hall visiting Monique's folks. First time taking the truck on a road trip, and it did great. It was good seeing her parents, too, as it had been over a year since I spent time with them.

The electric co-op was by this week to clear trees. Sad to see young and healthy trees felled because one day they'll be tall enough to interfere with power lines. Over the next few years I'll be more vigilant and make sure young 'uns growing in the ditch are transplanted someplace nice and safe.

The wind's been amazing, and giant clumps of snow crash off the roof. Oh, and the turkeys are starting to rap on the windows. We may try cardboard cutouts of foxes propped in the windows to dissuade the goofballs. And think, Franklin wanted the turkey as our national bird. At least, that's what I think I remember from 5th-grade history.

Beautiful Snow

I remember watching breathless Seattle reporters when snow fell. With an inch on the ground, they'd jam a ruler into a lawn and say, with a straight face, "You see here, already four to six inches, and there could be much more in places."

To which I say "nine". From yesterday at noon, through early this morning. Powdery, but not drifted. Nine inches.

We woke up to a glorious morning, and though clouds came through a couple times, blue sky and sunshine dominated, and it was stellar. Yesterday morning there was no snow around here. This morning there was a deep blanket of pure powder.

Between projects at work, I ran around outside like a spastic puppy. Took over 300 pictures today... with white snow in trees, clear blue sky, and a river, it's not a difficult task to take some good ones. I made tracks all over the field, sometimes following a deer path, other times going off on my own.

I remember Spokane, playing at recess at Indian Trail Elementary, throwing snowballs or frozen pinecones into fresh snow-laden trees, trying to get them to dump their snow either on us or our friends. Sledding at Holmberg Park, or on one of the small hills near our house.

Today was cold, invigorating, and completely why we moved here; very little traffic, quiet, beautiful, peaceful, wonderful. Last night while it was snowing hard, we went for a walk. Down this lane and that one, we didn't go far, but snow creates new landscapes and exciting possibilities of exploration. Our lone tree out by the road simply glows with snow on it. LED Christmas lights are beautiful and energy-efficient.

Gotta post some photos on my website... soon!

PJs, Christmas Lights, Peppermint treats and Stars

that is part of my list of things I'm grateful for tonight....(and of course I'm grateful for Bob who was smart enough to put all those things together and suggest that we go for a quick drive over to Bigfork to look at the lights while in our pjs. BEST IDEA EVER...well...ok...but it's got to be close. ;)

Bigfork has done a fine job in showing their holiday spirit with plenty of the big 'old-school' lights hanging from the trees and rafters as well as some of the newer LED lights. My favorite I think was the way they've decorated the old one lane bridge into town...garland and lights and trees with red bows....very classy!

My favorite part of the field trip however, (besides the spontaneous idea and implementation) was having the holiday lights topped by the original Christmas lights already hanging in the sky. The night is clear and dark and the fact that you can tell just how much the Earth has tilted by the new placement of the Milky Way in the night sky is truly awe inspiring.

It was a refreshing night, not only from the frosty temperature....but from the stress of the day having spent most of it at the hospital with my Sister-in-law and my niece. Nicole needed some pretty extensive dental surgery and so they had to do it at the hospital where they could put her under. The surgery took a little over an hour, but with the prep and the waiting...we were there from 9:30 until almost 2:00....Nicole did well considering that she's only three!

So needless to say this evenings jaunt was a blessing and a needed change....Bob and I enjoyed a small peppermint blizzard (thanks to Dairy Queen) and then returned to our warm cabin---which is also nicely lit with four outdoor trees covered in small LED lights and our first Christmas tree here together...it is the perfect size and the perfect fit in our lovely space. Our collection of ornaments are all out and shining nicely and if there was ever any doubt of what time of year it is....doubt no more.

Tomorrow: Karen and Terran are coming for visit so that we can watch Terran's stage debut in the Pied Piper with Missoula Children's Theater and so that we can make (and I'm sure snack on a few) Christmas cookies.

Blessed.

Settled In for the Night

I found this "stick ice feather" yesterday in the shallows of the river. Patterns in nature fascinate me. From butterfly wings to riverbank shapes, nautilus shells to fractal geometry, beauty is beauty.

A few days ago Monique saw a bald eagle swoop up right over the house; I was outside too, but on the opposite side of the house. Never saw a thing.

I try to pay attention. It focuses my mind, connects me to my imagination, and inspires me to learn about critters. We have a group of ladybugs wintering under the wood pile on the deck, and wild turkeys are visiting regularly. Monique found a beautiful spider egg sack on the underside of a stick yesterday -- it was like a pale yellow polka-dotted candy egg. I'm amazed by teeny insects and fragile-looking deer surviving sub-freezing temperatures.

This photo shows prints on a tenuous thin sheet of ice... I'm pretty sure it's from a feral cat. We've seen a couple different cats around here, but I haven't seen one in the past few weeks. Snow is nature's fingerprinter.

Tomorrow is my dad's birthday -- Happy Birthday, Pop!

Mostly Photos

Roger Smith died today. He was made famous to most of us through Michael Moore's documentary Roger & Me, about GM's massive plant closings in Flint Michigan in the late 1980's, and a few of the real people it affected. Condolences to his family and friends.

Tonight after dinner, we watched Roger and Me. I won't get political or rebellious tonight, so I'll just say Moore, who was much softer in those days, really skewered Smith, GM, and some blind (and/or clueless) supporters like Pat Boone, Miss America^TM© Kay Lani Rea Rafko, and a couple unforgettable mid-level county cogs straight out of Guffman's Blaine, Missouri (great analogy, Monique!).

It got up to 20° today, and for the very brief time the sun was out, I was down by the river taking pictures. The clouds chased the sun it as rose, eventually catching and overtaking it.

Frozen droplets

Steam and frost
Very cold water acting like hot springs...
Rocks in IceMorning Serenity

Chilly Morning

Cold, clear, moonlight spills in the windows. Baby, it's cold outside! The forecast said a low of 5°F (-15°C); what it actually is, I don't know.

The stars are absolutely brilliant this morning, and the waning moon is high. Last night, before the moon rose... the stars were stunning. When I was in Seattle in October, we attended Strawberry Theater Workshop's "The Life of Galileo," which I liked for three reasons:

1. Our friend Andrew Litzky was in it, and dangit, he's good.
2. It's uncomfortably and unfortunately relevant to today's struggle between science -- and sometimes plain common sense -- and the increasingly co-mingled church-run government. In Galileo's day, the church was the government... you see my point.
3. I've always loved imagining what a place was like before electricity. Imagine the world before incandescent lights. Imagine what the stars, and more importantly, the moon and the sun, meant to people.
   

And the cold reminds me of the first season of "West Wing", the Christmas episode, "In Excelsis Deo." The main story is, a homeless person dies in the cold, Toby is contacted by the police because the man was wearing an overcoat Toby had donated, and Toby discovers who the homeless man. It was the first "West Wing" I ever saw, I've now seen them all, and that one is still my favorite.

Cold is good when one is protected from it. We are, and I'm very grateful.

New Additions

(Bob) We have a wood-burning stove, firewood, and many matches. We have warm clothes, hats, boots, and an endless supply of pinecones to fend off potential wildlife attacks. And now we have a truck.

A 4WD Ford F-150 joined our ranks today. It's the same color as the Honda, and about seven times bigger.

It feels good having a four-wheel-drive vehicle for the winter, and something we can use for hauling, hiking, camping, and maybe someday, towing.

Last night the forecast was 100% chance of snow. Outstanding, we thought. This morning we awoke to find it had snowed -- about 1/8 of an inch. This afternoon it came a little more steady, and it's so beautiful. Kalispell has almost no snow, and while we don't have much, it's sticking here, probably owing to our proximity to the mountains.

Buying big-ticket items has always been hard for me. Cars, stereos, cameras, ... I simply don't spend money freely. Never have. The truck -- our truck! -- was a good price, we feel good about the seller, Monique's brother gave his mechanic blessing, and we definitely needed a winter vehicle. With all that, my natural inclination is procrastination and (to cut myself a break) frugality.

Our Christmas decorations are out, but the house isn't quite fully festooned yet. We've put lights on a few trees outside, and they look so good! Literally, there are no other lights visible from our cabin, one of the best things about living here.

Thanksgiving in Spokane was great. We had a good time with my family, despite a scary (and a completely happy ending) MIA episode with Silas (Mr. November on flickr). The Dinner was incredible as always, and the day-after shopping went well and quickly.