SNOW

The irrigation wheel lines, standing patiently in the fields awaiting their summer work, have a water line pipe that runs down the center of the wheels.  The pipe sits 39 inches above the ground.  The pipes are now covered in snow. 

Mike spent over six hours plowing snow on Saturday.  I shoveled roofs.  

Lucky was spotted this weekend!  He is still alive!! 

I love how the orange hive glows in the above picture!! 

Todd, Janet, Bella, Smoke, Ruby and I made a trip into the Swarm Hive.  It was a great ski in, although the dogs worked very hard.  This is Janet standing by the hive and bees were flying!  They are still alive!!  We got it dug out and enjoyed the outing very much!

So Many Topics

 So many topics, so little time!!  

Mike's Mom Janet:  We worry about Mike's mom Janet who fell and suffered a broken hip requiring surgery.  Janet seemed to be doing well until a recent event and now she is really quite depressed.  It's hard to hear your mom sound so depressed.  We wish she would get better, be happier, start feeling well again.  Thanks to the amazing support Brother Scott and Steven are giving with the wise words and wisdom of Stephanie to help guide decision making.  We feel so far away right now.  To be by Janet's side and just hold her hand......I hope today is a better day. 

Mike Bought a House!  With the sale of the Hoback House, Mike has reinvested in a brand new home just five minutes out of Thayne.  It has an awesome 900 square foot garage and really comfortable living space.  Real-estate is crazy-competitive in Star Valley and one of the concessions made to win the house was taking it as-is.  So, he will be putting in some vinyl planking, carpet comes on the 22, a giant (expensive) glass shower door needs to be hung, and door knobs and pulls are installed (and look awesome!).  It is a very very comfortable house which I could easily move into....however, this is retirement investment.  With the rental money coming in from this place, we can start thinking seriously about retirement.....This is a picture from the day I found the house, snooping around this new subdivision neighborhood.  The name of the subdivision is North Forty.  I like that name!  It was prior, a hayfield. 

Shriner Cutter Races:  Big weekend this last weekend with plenty of snow, lots of people attending and supporting the racers and the Shriner's, and a sloppy to miserably sloppy track.  The track made a difference for the racers.  Neither of our racer friends won.  Also, no horse or rider was hurt, and that is always a good thing and a big relief.  It was awesome to get out and be amongst People again.  I've been behind door and behind mask since last March....when COVID showed up on all of our doorsteps.  I miss people.  A lot.  We are now vaccinated.  I did not wear a mask, but did keep good distance.  No harm in being careful, of this, I am certain. 

At the Fire Department:  After a 45 day public comment period, our Teton County Commissioners voted to nix fire treated wood shake shingles from roofs in the wildland urban interface areas.  There was considerable opposition, despite every fire agency in the valley standing up tall and in support of this effort, even to the point of specialists getting hired to speak.  I am appreciative and respectful to those three commissioners who leaned forward and voted yes on this important move.  Wood shakes lose their fire resistance rather quickly in this high altitude climate.  A synthetic shake does not.  If you want that shake look, there are options.  Maybe in five or ten years, the opposition will understand why this is an important local step forward in building a more wildland fire resilient community. 

Jackson Hole makes it into TIme

 Not a big surprise, our little town is the topic of a really good piece written in Time.  Check it out by clicking on this blue link  TIME PIECE

The author does a good job of spelling out our town's reality.  Really rich people live here.  Really really rich people.  He is accurate to assess the skiing scene and it's COVID hazards.  We are still open.  And there are plenty of people here.  And we need them.  This town's business is tourism.  There is no industry, the few cattle ranches are about sold out to subdivisions, and we happen to have the most beautiful mountain range in the nation right out our back door.  There is a reason people love to come here. 

And that they continue to come affects us all.  Directly, Fire/EMS still has a robust call volume.  The county feels secure enough with the money they are seeing come in from said tourists that budget strings have loosened.  We have not lost one position and money is coming in to train.  Thank goodness!

As we approach a year of this new-normal COVID world, Jackson has much to be thankful for and much to consider.  Many businesses have been impacted, but they are still open.  New construction is strong.  There are still jobs to be had.  However, workers will be driving from an hour or more away as realestate has become unattainable for the average family.  It is true, the billionaires are kicking the millionaires out of Teton County.  

Hope you enjoy the piece and I hope you are well and safe and living every day LARGE!!