Dancing on Sunshine

 It's here, it's here!  Spring is here!  Today's high temperature hit 67F!!  Here is the view from the upstairs office desk, looking south to the hay fields.  Soon, soon......soon it will be rid of the snow. 

Ride #3 on Gus the Mule today!!  It was a lovely day to join friend, Coralia, for a ride down and back on Tin Cup Junction Road.  It was good for all of us!  

We noted that Tin Cup Creek is getting pretty high. 

When we returned, I spun the snowmobile down the field to see my hive (which I am worried about) and saw this critter poking its head out of the snow.  Do you know what it is?  Here is a hint.  It is white in the winter and brown in the summer! Clearly, as it is brown, this critter is now at a disadvantage out in the white snow field. 

Ermine.  Mice-eating fierce carnivore!

And now (drum roll, please), my favorite picture of the day.  Music garlic coming up in the garden!!  SOOOOOOO exciting!! 

Spring Has Arrived!!

Today!  Today you could smell the earth as it starts to show itself again.  Warming in the sun, the fragrence repleat with spring!  Daffodils push up, their tiny tips tender and yellow against the wet dirt.  Piles of snow dimish.  There are even dry spots around the place!  And the forecast gets better every day!

Here is what I saw in my bee hive When I cracked open the lid.  Just saying, after this dreadfully long, bitterly cold, and miserable winter, I am delighted!  That's alot of bees left to start working!  Success!!  Many beekeepers lost their hives this winter.  It's not a bad thing to have good luck!! 

Mike is off tomorrow to visit a friend in Missouri.  He will fish.  He will hunt turkeys.  He will visit.  He will reconnect.  He needs this break and deserves it after a long winter of snow relocation!

Rooster is recouperating well.  We did a nice (leashed) 3 mile walk today and I praised the Cortizone makers for my pain-free knee.  Why did I wait so long to get that done??

The local creek is filling.

Many of you saw my canning project on Facebook, but I'm so excited about all this delicious fish now sitting on my shelf waiting for the day when we pop off the lid and dig into deliciousness!!  Such a treat!  Let's have some when you come and visit this summer, Miss Mary!!

Enough for now.  Our hearts are filled with joy with the departure of Winter.  It's a good season here, but lasted far too long this year.  Adios, Old Man Winter!! 

I had to ski to visit my bees.  This is the field today.  Still lots of melting to go!! 

Caretaking

 My friend Stephanie was lamenting the olther day about how she hates the now-walking age her son Cody has grown into.  "He can kill himself at any moment," she mused, "I can't take my eyes off of him when he is awake."  I believe she made a remark about no common sense as well. 

As Rooster begins day one of healing up after yesterday's vet visit, I feel a sense of her angst.  He is not to lick, not to access his scrotum (now absent of testicles) or his eyes (the bottom lid cut and stiched together to keep that lower lid from scratching his eyes).  We started the day with 25 mg of Ace (Stephanie does not have this option) and it knocked him out.  By noon, he was starting to come out of the fog and we are opting for the giant cone this afternoon.  Especially this first day, I feel like it is important to keep a close eye on him, ensuring the healing process gets off to a good start.  He manages the cone fairly well, overall.  

We awoke to a winter storm warning and snow - which, now 3:30pm, it is still snowing.  It's a good day to watch a child.  I've made 4 loaves of bread, three batches of Brain Health Muffins, and been on two zoom meetings.  A good day to be inside. 

Rooster.  On the Mend. 

25 degrees and windy

My sincere apologies to continue on about this whole winter thing. 

Mike and I donned our xcountry skiis this afternoon and skiied the permimeter of the farm.  The sharp northwesterly wind cut through our cap earflaps and hurried us along.  The snow is sculpted from the wind and the recent new snow.  We sink a bit in the slogginess of two feet of snow-cone-like mush; freezing at night and thawing during most days.  

I have completely given up looking at the weather forecast, certain to be disappointed yet again.  I have been cheerleading over here on the sidelines for Spring to win against Winter since - seriously - mid-March.  Was it too much to ask?  Last year, Mike chidded me for planting four cabbage plants in the garden in mid-March.  They froze, got snowed on, thawed out and became beautiful heads of green cabbage.  Today, there is still a couple of feet carpeting the garden.  I thought about shoveling out the two raised beds, but the 20 mph wind and 25F temperature deterred me from the effort. 

So, I finished the book I've been reading.  It was wonderful!  The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig.   Some of you have read it, I know.  This long winter has prodded me into reading paper pages of books.  Reading.  Sitting in a chair, under a lamp, waiting out Winter's reign. 

Rooster has a visit to the doctor tomorrow.  He will be relieved of any further thoughts of manly duties.  As well, a tuck under each eye will hopefully help his curled up lids that scratch his eyes.  He will be miserable and I feel bad about this certainty.  Not every day is a good day, Rooster. 

The world is a funny place.  In the past 24 hours, I have heard tales of beekeepers stealing sugar purchased for bees to make alcohol and sell it through the members in the bee club.  I have heard of threat letters - their words cut from newspaper clipping and pasted to a piece of paper with foot powder added to the envelope prior to sealing, the return address belonging to the Retaliated Person.  Things in the fire department were rarely easy, often rife with conflict.  But rank things like these never happened.  It's all about integrity.  And integrity is harder to find outside the Fire Service.  You have to walk away sometimes before you can really see what you had. 

Not every day is a good day. 

Still Waiting For Spring

Good grief, what a winter!  Today was fantastic; got up to 56F.  Tomorrow highs in the 40s with rain then Wednesday high of 33 with snow.  Boo.  

Here are some very random pictures.  Kind of a snapshot of goings-on. 

Rooster gets nuetered on Thursday.  I'm sorry ol buddy....

Bees are still alive inside this hive.  Hang on, spring should be here any day!! 

Tin Cup Creek.  Locals say we are not going to flood.  The ground is soaking up water and well, it's not getting too warm too fast! 

Used the snow blower to open up the flower garden! 

Finally, a successful batch of black garlic.  Amazing stuff!! 

Spring Arrives

 The last couple of weeks have been tough.  Winter grips tightly and it has been easy to complain.  Alot.  

Finally, a reprieve has brought blue skies, warmer temperatures and melting snow.  Now everyone is worried about flooding.  And rightfully so.  Mountains of snow will be melting.  Sump pumps, prepare to get to work!!  

Today, there are still no buds on trees.  There is still a couple of feet of wet soggy snow in the fields.  But today was warm.  And there is a pond of water out our door.  Mike worked on a drainage system today.  Now below freezing, the pond will turn to ice tonight.  And tomorrow, the melting process starts again. 

A big project this year will be putting the repurposed greenhouse together.  Here is the beautiful front door Mike has been working on in the hanger.  Really great door!!  When finished, it will be one of those doors that opens at the top and stays closed at the bottom.  Perfect for a greenhouse!!  

Here is the frame of the greenhouse.  Might be a few days before we get under those supports! 

Best to my favorite sister-in-law Stephanie who will be defending her PhD on Thursday.  What an incredible accomplishment!  Mike and I are so proud!!  You Go Girl!!

 

Dinah Goes For A Walk

Dinah is one of our mules.  She is black with a cute brown muzzle.  She has suffered no loss of weight this winter, standing around, eating good hay, and becoming bored.  

So, two nights ago, Dinah went for a walk.  The elk track coming to the field feeding area piqued her mule-bored brain and she commenced to walk to the southwest across the field.  She probably tried to turn around and quickly learned that the snow was really deep and her fat mule body and short legs with little hoof feet quickly punched through.  So, Dinah kept walking down the elk trail.

I noticed this event about the time she got to the fence a good quarter mile from the house.  With 40" of snow out there in the field, the top wire of the fence is all that is visible.  Fortunately, it is not a barbed wire fence.

Mike and I went into action quickly.  He grabbed a snowmobile (loaded and ready for the next day's snowmobile trip) and I grabbed my winter ranch coat, some gloves and a rabbit fur hat.  

After much to-do, we got Dinah out of her mired-in-too-deep snow state and she uprighted where she could stand and I could hold on to her (happily, Mike had brought a halter and lead rope).  Her black coat glistened with sweat and steam rolled off her; nostrils flared and breathing heavily.  It was 8:04pm. 

 There were some options.  Lead her back down the elk track.  Not an easy task and there was that fence crossing.  Blow out the lane and walk her back to the corrals was the decision made and Mike zipped back on the snowmobile to the shop to get the tractor out. 

I would have taken a picture but it was dark (no moon night) and 18 degrees.  I did not want to take my gloves off.  

So, there we stood.  Watching the tractor in the far distance.  The snow so deep, Mike had to take blow chunks away, pull forward and take more down.  It was an arduous and not-so-fast procedure.  

Dinah doesn't really like people.  I'd try to snuggle into her chest to profit from her heat and she would step away.  She shivered.  I shivered.  I talked to Dinah.  She did not engage in coversation. 

By 9:45 Mike was getting closer but I was getting really really cold.  When my legs started doing funny things, I called him and let him know.  I was begining to worry about hypothermia.

At last, he made it.  Dinah was none to excited about the spinning, loud snowblower getting close, but the path was complete.  Mike grabbed the mule and I shuffeled into the warm warm warm tractor cab.  He walked her home and I drove the tractor back down the path. 

Inside, two hot cups of water and then a soak in the hot tub!  

Happily, Dinah did not suffer any injuries and despite the fact that we saved her life and I kept her from doing anything stupid for two hours on a dark winter night, she still does not like us.  

Dinah went for a walk.    

The Effort of Spring

Winter has a strong hold.  I feel this way every spring, anxious to feel the warmth, see things green up and grow, and celebrate as the last patch of muddy snow disappears.  This is the road the dogs and I walk, just to the north of the place.  Ruby comes home dirty and covered in red mud on her feet and belly.  I do not complain. 

We finally got out on the snowmobiles today.  A lovely ride under towering mountains glistening in whiteness against the bluebird winter sky.  The trail winds and weaves through narrows, against steep banks, up to wide open plateus where one feels atop of the world and the view seems to go on forever, from mountain range to mountain range, infinite.  

Lunch at the remote Box Y Ranch, today filled with snowmobilers relaxing in the little log cabin, waiting for their turn at the burgers and fries always finished with a warm chocolate chip cookie.  We sit and talk to Cindy about friends from the past, crashes breaking bones, new replacement knees, and multimillion dollar landlords.  It is so nice, to sit and talk there in the middle of no where. 

Back in time for a walk with the dogs.  They spy something in the field which looks like a raven to me.  They are at full attention and I wonder if it is an eagle, seeing a bit of white just as the dogs break and take off across the field covered in 3 feet of snow so rock hard, they effortlessly fly across the surface.  And then the black thing lifts its tail.  I yell, I warn them to not get close, I blow the dog whistle (frantically) and they hear me.  They don't get too close.  And they return coming back smelling like dogs rather than skunk.  That was a close call!! 

And I ask you, who is the most handsome dog in the world??  Rooster showing off on the roadside rock hard snow bank, happily unscathed by skunk scent!  Complete still with a full set of testicles! 

It's been a hard week for me and this was just what the Doc would order!!  Hope your weekend is a good one!   

Gardening

"I hate this weather," my friend Brenda spit out.  "It's getting in the way of my gardening!"  Brenda and I have much in common.  She too despises meetings where people talk.  Meetings are where we get things done!  Not talk.  Brenda is funny, bright, and blunt.  She has bees.  And her husband is nice. 

Today, I shoveled a path into both greenhouses.  It makes me feel hopeful.  Although the west wind was sharp, the sun heated my black sweater and as I covered my rock-hard frozen planters with black plastic, I hoped they too would feel that solar heat.  

Here a sunflower pokes its snow topped head out of the four feet of snow.  It's down to zero tonight; not much melting happening!  

Always an optimist!  I dream of maybe some lettuce here in the next bit - or so.  

And doesn't this lil greenhouse look so cute, all snuggled in with snow?  And how about that black snow storm against the mountains to the east?  Thanks to a wicked wind storm earlier this winter, this lil greenhouse will have a harder time warming up; panels missing and cracked.  The weather is tough on things. 

Brenda's birthday is Friday.  She and her nice husband will come and sit at our table with two other nice people and I will cook and create beautiful food for beautiful people, we will drink wine (well, they will; I'm still not drinking), tell stories, and celebrate this wonderful, amazing thing called life.  Even if winter continues to be determined to stay far beyond its welcome this year.  Happy Birthday, My Gardening Friend!! 

January Walk in March

Just like a January day in Illinois, the horizontal snow stung my face as I walked outside to dare a stroll down the road with the dogs.  I crossed the highway onto the gravel Tin Cup Junction Road, the overhead powerlines singing their eerie wind song.  The dogs were jubilant; wound up tight like rubber bands.  This weather does not deter dogs who have been house-bound a bit longer than they would like. 

We walked north, the west wind pummeling my side, my white rabbit hat anchored under my chin and slightly off center to add coverage.  The Rivers West coat stopped the wind and collected a white layer of snow coating.  

When the sun was out, it was a lovely winter scene, observed with some irony on this third day of March. Then the clouds darkened the sky, the snow flakes increased and spring seemed quite aways away.  

I hold little hope for my bees, two hives still hanging on, shivering together to stay warm, peeking outside to see only whiteness.  A bush by the Garden Shed looks like it has green buds beginning.  The horses wander around plowed areas in the corral and surrounding fields, diminished in size by the towering walls of snow Michael has piled to clear them a way.  

We watch the news from California.  Our storm is quaint compared to what is happening there.  One day, spring will come.  Or maybe it will just turn summer.  There is much snow to melt.  This is how much snow just on the flats.  Yup, that's the top of a picket fence.

PS  For those of you who read the last post, I am feeling great!!  Quite the ordeal almost a week ago now.  I've learned a few more things about this body of mine!!  Take good care of yours!! 

 

Three Stories

Story 1:  Kena, the paramedic of the crew, raised the battery-powered gurney up and latched it into the ambulance.  She raised the legs and pushed the gurney into the back.  The patient muttered, to no one in particular, "well, it's my turn now", and they all began the drive to Eastern Idaho Falls Medical Center.  It would be close to a two hour drive, banging over the new-formed potholes and frost heaves along the way.  

Kena, a middle aged sligtly chunky happy woman, loves transports.  She never wanted to be a firefighter and is happy she can do what she loves with the strictly EMS system in Star Valley.  She lives quite a ways away, but comes and does here 48 hour shift to enjoy 96 hours of not working.  

As the crew got close to the center, Kena provided her patient report to the receiving emergency room.  "I have a 63 year old woman, A and O time four, who suffered two syncopal events this evening.  She is resting comfortably, no complaints of chest pain or shortness of breath.  We have hepron and saline, slow drip.  NStemi suspected.  We will be at your location in about ten minutes."

The doors to the back open, and the patient is wheeled out.  It is just after midnight when the crew hands off the patient to the emergency room staff.  The patient is wheeled into Room 2 where questions are asked and waiting begins. 

Story 2:  Tasha was the night nurse that retrieved the patient from the ER to roll her into room 404 on the cardiac floor of the hospital at 3am.  More questions and the light dimmed for some much-needed rest.  In the morning, Tasha tells the story of having a severe liver disease as a child.  The one milk she could drink was goat's milk.  Her dad got one goat so they could have milk for baby Tasha.  He soon became a goat farmer, selling hundreds of milking goats to California farms.  

Story 3:  I could feel the world close in right after I sat down at the kitchen table.  I took a bite of Brenda's delicious bison chili and then started to get hot.  Got up to excuse myself, saying "I don't feel good".  Stood up and then passed out.  Right there, on her floor by the kitchen table.  When I came to, Mike was in my face asking me if I was alright.  I said I wanted to go to the bathroom, stood up and proceeded to pass out again.  Well, so much for that dinner party!! 

Once I got settled in the bathroom, I felt better, but even I agreed, we probably needed to go to the Afton ER.  The blood samples revealed high levels of the enzyme your heart puts out when stressed; ie, when you have a heart attack.  When to doc left the room after telling Mike and I his concerns, I looked at Mike and said, "We know it.  We know how your life can change in a blink of an eye."  With confidence, he assured me everything was going to be alright.  What a great guy I have!!

So off I would be transported to Eastern Idaho Medical Center for further evaluation.  They are the best of the best and it's where you want to be if you have cardio issues. 

There was reason to believe it was so.  I did have a really stressful job.  The statistics of how many people die within a year of retirement.  I've been under some high stress lately with a couple of things.  The heart attack enzyme was in my blood.  I full expected to have a stint put in as I arrived at the hospital. 

But there were hints.  "Your EKG looks perfect," noted the docs. 

Saturday morning I had yogurt for breakfast and it did not set well.  My intestines were bunched up, crampy and I felt lousy.  Then off we went to the Cutter Races where I filled in as announcer.  I didn't drink anything all afternoon.  And I still felt lousy when we got home.  I didn't think it was anything contagious, so off we hustled to join friends Steve and Brenda for dinner.  And then I ruined the evening by passing out. 

Thanks to a bunch of tests and a very good cardiologist, at 2pm Sunday afternoon, it was determined I had experienced two vasal vagal episodes, and the heart enzyme was produced because my heart was not very happy with the extreme drop in blood pressure.  The passing out was triggered when I sat down.  My full and crampy intestines put pressure on that nerve.  Couple that with being really dehydrated and I cratered. 

Now that is some of the best news you can get!!  At 4pm, I was discharged and Mike - who had driven over to be with me - drove me home just as the big snow storm was hitting. 

I woke up this morning, thankful I had not experienced a cardiac event and so so appreciative of good health.  Today, I am well, hydrated, and anticipating some really really big medical bills. 

Today, I am celebrating life!!  

A Post. No Pictures

Did you know people are more likely to remember facts when told in a story?  Like 22 times more likely!  People also remember pictures much better than words. 

And why do I tell you these things?  Having just finished my Master Beekeeper project for Great Plains Master Beekeeping (which means, yes, now I am a certified Master Beekeeper!), these thoughts are fresh on my mind.  My project was actually several projects.  All to be added to the curriculum which guides the new beekeeper toward the prize - the Master Beekeeping certification.  

A presentation for Mentoring has been added in the Journeyman level.  My tips for mentoring?  Work really hard on the fit.  People who don't fit together won't work well together.  As a mentor, don't let the mentee suck the life blood out of you.  For mentors, ask questions, listen, and work.  A mentor should not just hand things to you.  Figure it out - and always say thank you.  

Then I did a presentation on Leadership for the Master Beekeeping class extra curriculum.  These are classes you watch when you've watched everything else and it's still winter and the only way you can muster an ounce of sanity is by thinking about bees.  Trying not to remember they are clustered up in a very tight ball inside your hive out there in the field shivering to stay warm on another miserable cold night.  And you hope they are still alive and have not simply died. 

My final class was on giving a presentation.  Or as I say, my Presentation presentation.  I put the most effort into this class which will become part of the required curriculum for Master Beekeepers.  My friend Joe watched it and gave me some great tips to make it one notch better.  Which I did, of course.  It's really nice to have friends who will give you honest, gentle feedback. 

All this has humbled me.  My Imposter Syndrome is full-on at work reminding me I am no expert and have no right to be yammering on like I know what I'm doing.  I did my best and I do believe a certificate will be on its way.  

In no way does this mean I know my bees.  Learning must and will continue.  The end of next month, I am off to Wyoming Bee College where this year, I will be an instructor.  Three classes I will be teaching.  Enter stage right....Imposter Syndrome!  I'm sure I will learn as much as I deliver!! 

Mike did a really awesome thing this week.  Pressed by an upcoming deadline, he filled out the paperwork, found some photographs, and wrote a heartfelt missive about his buddy Tom whom he has nominated into the Cowboy Hall of Fame.  I did a bit of editing (and some "decorating", shall we say) to his written piece and as I read it to Mike this afternoon, we both got choked up recognizing how much we really do admire, respect, and love Tom Breen.  May he be nominated and surrounded by his family and friends this September.  He sure as hell deserves it; he's one hell of a cowboy!  

I read a great book you should consider.  Die with Zero   I very much enjoyed this read. 

Cooking using my new sous vide!  Tonight, lamb chops.  Moist, cooked perfectly and delicious!  

Burnt four loaves of bread this morning.  I hate it when that happens!

Hope you are well.  Happy.  Stay safe and warm. 

Snow-ma-geddon!

"It's puking snow!" Mike exclaimed.  He wasn't that thrilled, relocating the white stuff which refused to quit coming.  So it seems, Freedom was the Eye of this Storm.  By the time it finished late this morning, piles of snow two feet high balanced atop fence posts, weighted down roof tops, and blanketed the fields.  A cold front pushed out the clouds around noon and revealed winter in its finest glory!  Now for the bitter cold of January; it is about to arrive.  

Here are some fun winter images.  

November 2022  

December 2022

January 2023

A ski with the dogs this afternoon.  The fields are now so deep, even Rooster is sinking in!  Check out the video at the bottom! 

Our Winter Home

All Things are Piled High - or Buried!

The Barn Quilt

Scenes from our Ski up Tin Cup Junction Road

The Garden Entrance

Gate into the Horse Pasture

Rooster in the Snow! 

A Neat Tool

Our bee club purchased a FLIR, Forward Looking Infared camera, to do just what you see in this picture.  When it arrived, it was just like Christmas!!  I felt like a kid who had opened a gift and just HAD to go use it! With a short charge of the battery, I loaded up the app, and that was it!  Ready to use!!  Technology is incredible!!  These cameras used to cost over $10k!!  Clearly useful for firefighters to find heat, our Hoback station was first in the county to get one.  It was black and white; there was no color rendition at that time.  This tiny camera hooks into an iPhone and displays on the screen.  

So, off I went into the dusky twilight and looked at my hives.  Hot spots means bees are still alive.  The hot spots are the whitest.  We will allow our members to use this tool for a week so they can get a sense of 1) if their bees are still alive 2) where the bees are located within the hive, and 3) do whatever else they think will be fun!!  Of course, you knew I would take a FLIR of Rooster, right??!!  

Here are my Weaver bees.  The hive sits out in the field, down the fence row a bit less than a half mile from the house.  The bottom darker area is where an insulation surround sits.  These are my best bees and they are still alive.  I have no high hopes; this has been a hard, hard winter.  

This is Rooster on the hillside!  He is the white spot in the dark, cold snow.  The area above are pine trees, showing some heat they have retained from the day.  

And Rooster again, because he is a ROCK STAR!!  Looking good in FLIR, buddy!! 

It's Been a Whirl Wind!

New Idaho Citizens!!

Yes, Mike and I have made the big change to becoming Idaho residents!!  The first step was to change our driver's license which, in Idaho, one is required to take the written driving test!  Really????!!  Really!  We studied, reading aloud to each other traveling to Cody to visit Seth, Alden, & Orley for Christmas.  It is a good thing to study.  We know of more than one person who failed because they did not study.  It's a bit of a drive from our house to Soda Springs, ID and we only wanted to make that drive once.  We passed. 

This picture was taken on a celebration xcountry ski afterwards in Idaho!  Yes, the sun was very bright!! 

More smiles!!  This photo, taken on a wonderful Christmas day walk.  Alden in the green jacket and sister Orly in the black jacket.  Seth stayed behind.  He does not walk unless he has to.  The day before we arrived, the temperature sunk to -40F.  This day, it was 40F.  Crazy. 

Two inspirations from the White Girls' amazing Christmas dinner!  Prime rib cooked sous vide (yes, I now have one!) and a pumpkin stuffed with cheese and sourdough bread and mushrooms.  We ate well, we ate well!  The liver pate was an inspiration too!

Here is my rendition of a stuffed pumpkin.  I used sausage, mushrooms, sourdough bread cubes, guyre cheese, and wild rice as stuffing.  Highly recommend this effort!! 

Meanwhile on the ranch, we have hit the jackpot!!  Our hens are laying eggs which suddenly have become in great demand!  I bet kids aren't egging peoples' houses anymore!!  22 of these orbs are incubating in friend Stephanie's incubator and daughter Amilia impatiently watches over them, by the hour, I'm sure!  We plan to keep that incubator working this spring! 

And one final note on how great it has been to have a dog who needs a daily walk.  Rooster drives me to get outside.  I am happier and healthier and so so in love with this giant neanderthal-headed beast.  So much joy, so much joy!!  

I hope you too have had this wonderful of a start to your year!!  Happy 2023!