It's the pretty snow that sticks to the trees but doesn't bring down powerlines.
In order for us to get snow, the temperature needed to warm up some. Most of last week the average high temo was about 20 degrees. It wasn't too bad when the wind stayed down but when it kicked up boy it was cold.
This year, due to reasons outside of our control (thanks Chip) we needed to get a new Christmas tree. We decided that we would like to get a live tree this year. This is the first real tree for any of us.
The snow came as kind of a suprise. I was checking out the weather for the week and saw they were predicting about a foot of snow. Nothing like the prediction of a foot of snow later on that day to kick yer butt into high gear. On the way into church we were a bit early so I stopped by the side of the road to take some pictures of one of the tidal rivers that had started to freeze. Tidal rivers are real amazing to me - the amount of water that comes and goes with them every day is huge.
Church was really good this week. Stacy and I got to light the advent candle during the mass. We had a substitute priest this week who gave a really great homily on the need to listen. His hard nosed preaching style reminded me of Father Corapi. After church, we went to Morse farmstand to pick out our tree and then we had to stop and buy a snow shovel - our old one wore itself out. Before the snow would start falling, I needed to hang a window in the barn that needed most of its panes repaired (fortunately I got the glass on Friday and had fixed the window on Saturday), bring in about a dozen stall mats that I had out to get cleaned off, bring in several buckets from the paddocks and fields, etc. By the time I had everything about done, dark set in. (Dark sure does set in early and hard these days - kinda like God throwing the light switch)
In the middle of all this Sunday activity, we had some friends from Oxford stop by for a visit. It sure was nice to see them and sit and visit awhile.
Then early Monday morning (about 2:00AM) the snow started but unfortunately during the afternoon, the snow blower didn't. Good thing I had a nice new shovel to break in. First time I got to move snow with the tractor, too. It's a little tricky to get the hang of but fortunately for me (and the farm) the ground was already frozen so it's less likely to tear up. Moving snow is a balancing act of angle and downward pressure on the bucket. Too much pressure and angle and you tear things up (and can't steer as the front end comes off the ground) and too little and you get a hard packed layer under the bucket. Unless of course you're back blading which has its own set of issues. :-)
Cleo doesn't seem to mind the snow much, except for the fact that it is covering all the grass. She kind of just mills about and occasionally paws the snow off the ground and tries to get a mouthful of grass. Laredo likes the snow, he jumps around in it.
Speaking of Laredo, he has learned a new trick, he's figured out how to open the sliding door. This afternoon I was parking the tractor (more snow cleanup) when I noticed Laredo was out in the paddock with Cleo. I figured someone had taken him out but nope, he just let himself out. First the fridge and now the door.
No paperwork back from the BLM yet, guess I'll have to call them and see what's going on.
We've got a new visitor on the farm, a snowy owl has been hanging around pretty close to the house and barn. I've seen him a few times but haven't been able to get a picture yet. The first time I saw him, he was sitting on top of the gate for the round pen. I was a bit suprised to see him in mid-morning so out in the open.
Well, thats about all for now. Hopefully I'll have some good news on Grace this week. If you happen to be local, check out our ads running in the Wiscasset, BoothBay, and Lincoln County newspapers as well as The Coastal Journal and Uncle Andy's. We're running a Christmas sale where we're offering 1/2 off your first two months of boarding if you contact us before Januray 7th.
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