When we went to bed last night, it was gently snowing with a little breeze. Overnight, it turned into a roaring lion that kept waking me up. One time, I even took a flashlight and went out into the living room to look out the big, south-facing windows. Yep, it was snowing like crazy. I couldn’t see ten feet away, even with the strong flashlight’s beam.
We had kept an eye on the forecast. We were supposed to get 6-12 inches. It looked like we were going to get all of that. We ended up this morning, a bit later on, with around a foot of snow. But, because of the 40 mph winds, the snow was drifted like crazy. Even the back of my Edge had a snowdrift on it!
Early in the afternoon, the snow let up so Will and Drew went out to plow the driveway with the plow truck. I’m so glad Will had gotten the plow working, pretty much like normal — up, down, and angled left or straight. (He’s still working on the other angle, but helping Drew takes some time too.) They went out and back, then cleared out over to Drew’s house. Then they jumped on both the little and big Kubotas and neatened up the yards. Drew cleared a nice trail to the goat barn/chicken coop while Grandpa used the big Kubota to clear the parking area in front of the house.
This morning, Mittens decided she wanted to go out, despite the snow. It wasn’t long before I saw her scowling in the window by the bird feeder, demanding to be let in, which I did. She looked so very disgusted with it all.
Mike, Dara, and Sherri were going to come this morning to pack seeds. But at 6 AM, I looked out to a full-blasting blizzard wannabe and texted both of them to stay home and safe. So, with the driveway plowed, they plan on coming tomorrow. If it doesn’t clobber us with another round. Who knows? Hey, it’s winter in northern Minnesota!
Son, Bill, and granddaughter, Ava, have been riding their horses in the new outdoor arena they made just before winter came. They had a good time!
— Jackie
The look on the cats face had me cracking up
It did me too! She has the most expressive face and you know just what she’s thinking.
Poor mittens! We also have an ‘in & out’ cat, Bubba. When he wants back in he jumps up on a table on the porch and plucks the window screen like a guitar. Silly cat. Bill & Ava look so happy riding those gorgeous horses together. What a wonderful memory for them!
We’ve had a little winter finally. Last Wednesday 60 degrees, the next morning 19. Followed by a day of blizzard warnings. Thankfully only a nice 6 inches of snow. It cleared up the air in this dust bowl nicely.
Hope everyone keeps warm & safe!
We’re throwing a little more wood into the stove, but the house is cozy. I’m glad you didn’t get the blizzard either.
Both Mittens and Buffy pull at my bedroom screen, where I’m working on the computer, letting me know it’s time to bring them in. Cats are so smart.
I just love that pic of Mittens! That’s exactly how I feel about winter too, lol. We have had very little snow where I live this year. It suits me except we really need the moisture, Sure glad Will got the plow pretty well fixed and that he has Drew to help out. Those grandkids are a real blessing. Stay safe and warm. Sending prayers for a blessed week.
Thank you Marilyn! Some cold mornings I think I look like that too. Like you, we need the moisture as we were about in drought this winter and I’m still worried about spring.
Hi, Jackie,
Here in far north California we finally got snow and not just flurries. Two days in a row this week we got snow. First an inch that melted that day, and next day 4 inches that melted that day. When that storm was done, it left immediately and we had sunshine. These things are supposed to happen in the coldest month, January; that’s supposed to be the coldest month, but not this year. We had spring then. It snowed on leafed-out oaks and fruit tree blossoms here. I doubt there have been any bees for pollinating at all. God bless you.
Oh, I’m so sorry. That false spring sure makes lots of trouble for homesteaders. But sometimes trees will surprise you. Even with our warm spell, the trees are firmly unbudded.
Hi Jackie, the snow is beautiful, but a lot to manage. Today it was 74 degrees and the twenties is predicted for the weekend. Drew is a true gift for Will, a beloved grandson and a hard worker to help. Ava’s smile says it all.
We’re so thankful we have some equipment and a good helper around. It makes things so much easier.
I just love the cat picture. We have also had good weather for this time of year but now the rain has turned to snow. I love your emails.
Thank you Patti. I love the look on her face. A minute before, it was a slit-eyed scowl but she saw the camera and opened her eyes.
I was just thinking about Ava and how her riding was going in the winter. Looks Good! Dad’s riding too ,both with big smile s! Mittens look says it all! Glad you have Drew to help Grandpa with the plowing- Drift on car is definitely showing off the wind’s power. We’re glad to finally get some much needed snow in the mountains Some folks just never learn to drive ( or better yet Stay Home) many roads closed due to car pileup and drifting snow. Where we are, snow is happy to melt and not pile up. Tis February, weather happens. So I’m enjoying a sun break- inside, finishing up shelling out last of the dry beans. Open winter so far has allowed me to store beans n squash in the barn with out freezing. Take care outdoors choring.
I’m still seeding out squash. I’m jealous; I could never store squash in the barn. They would definitely freeze.
Yep, I sure cringe when I see how folks drive on ice and snow. The speed limit says 65 so the go 65, even on black ice or four inches of snow over black ice. And they wonder why they spun out and ended up in the ditch! Like Dad always said, “You can’t fix stupid.”.
It looks beautiful but so cold. I love your landscape pictures of the snow. Ave and Will look so confident on horseback, too. I love the expression on Mitten’s face, LOL. So true to cat personality. I’m glad you got plowed out a little. Who knows what else you guys will get. We have a high wind advisory tonight with gusting rain. Three weeks ago, it was an ice, sleet storm and then snow. Well, you are right. It’s February folks and its dog gone cold even here in southern middle Tennessee. I quilted today and got a pot of spaghetti going for tonight. I can’t think of anything nicer. Take care and stay safe.
Spaghetti sounds good. It’s cold today but pretty sunny, so not too bad. We always try to plow the road very wide to allow for room to put heavy snow, later on in the winter. It’s a lesson we learned very early on.
Your Mittens looks a lot like my Boots. And yes……. I can just see my Boots doing just as Mittens!
We are under a burn ban (even though we just received a nice rain) here in N. Central TX. We have been windy, temps are bouncing from a high of 81 down to a high of 61 and possibly freezing this weekend. We are in “severe” drought. Weather is so fickle.
Yes, it is! I’m praying for folks in Oklahoma, with their wildfires. That wind makes things so dangerous when it’s dry.
Glad you’re having a winter! Areas that get snow are areas that are prone to forest fires for the most part. Snow slows down the chances for fires, not just melting into the ground but lingering enough to offset early fires.
We finally got our usual snow, all at once! We’ve been snow-less the entire winter with a about 2 inches from October to now. The winter storms system that shut down the California mountain pass arrived and we got 2 feet in two days!! We normally get about 60 inches here. So we’re praying for more. The farmers are worried. We’re in SE Idaho mountains and depend on the snow for water supplies.
I’m going to go out and use the snow machine to move more snow from the driveway area later. I’m getting stuff ready for back surgery in early March. It’s a pain, literally! 😆
Because of all I have to do I haven’t been keeping up on emails and other online sites. I use them to keep up with family and friends. But the weird and obscene stuff that comes through is annoying and gross.
Did y’all get Will’s son settled? I hope so. Moving is a pain.
We lost my beloved step Mom last month. What wonderful lady! I miss her. Then we had to put down our almost 19 year old cat. The only cat that sunk her little paws so deep in my heart that she was more like a daughter. She was argumentive, demanding and bossy. She also was incredibly loving, loved cuddling for hours and followed me all over the house to be with me. I miss them both so much. My Mom was 94, we lost Dad earlier than the rest of his family due to a bout of non Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Family believes he got it from Vietnam and agent orange. He had that about 15 years prior to his death lost his spleen at that time.
I’m glad the plow is working. Shoveling would be impossible for your driveway. You said it’s a mile long I believe. I don’t think I could live in Minnesota with the weird political scene and the summer black flies. They like me but I don’t like them! Take care ❤️!
Will and Drew are planning on going down to St. Paul tomorrow to get the last of Drew’s things; the heavier, bigger things like his futon, that he couldn’t fit in the car. Nope, shoveling is definitely out on our mile and a half long driveway.
Politics? I don’t think there’s a place you can escape them! We’re four hours north of Minneapolis and the folks around here are sensible and Minnesota nice. I don’t think I would be so nice if ICE was rounding up my close neighbors and friends though…. Black flies are usually only a problem for a week or so in the spring during planting season. We just go out where they aren’t so thick, in the mornings and evenings. There is no place that’s perfect but we love it here.
What a great picture of Mittens!!
I absolutely love that picture too!! It captured the REAL Mittens. We call her “Murder Mittens”.
Spring definitely turned into a snowy winter and you got plenty of snow.
The snow is coming here later on but don’t think quite as much as you have.
Thankful for the Kubota’s and Will and Drew got everything plowed out.
I don’t think will get as much snow as you all got but with this wind it may be a
blowing mess. Such is life and just have to plow it out.
Then I hear we’ll be warming back up again next week or so to that Spring like
weather lol
I don’t let the rescue cats out here but if they could get out they would then want in and look at me like I did something awful turning them back out in the cold lol
Bill and Ava sure look like they enjoy riding Jonas and Abe in the new arena.
It looks like so much fun and the Friesian’s don’t mind a bit. They are so beautiful.
It’s probably wise Mike, Dara and Sherri stay in today and perhaps come tomorrow if weather behaves.
May your day go well and stay warm and toasty. Hope you can stay in and enjoy the winter looking from the inside out.
We don’t get too bent out of shape because of the cold and snow. If we did, we sure wouldn’t live here!
We let our cats out when they want to go out but never at night as we have too many predators. I think Mittens thought we had made the bad snow storm on purpose.
I’m thinking Bill is glad to be back riding. As a boy, he showed horses about every week in everything from western games to saddle seat equitation and dressage eventing shows. He started out on a Welsh pony and “graduated” to an Arab. Now he’s back at it and has Ava to ride with too.
The wind sure was something!!!
That photo of Mittens is fabulous!! You can tell she means business…lol
Yep, the wind was rough. Fortunately, we didn’t have any trees blown down across our driveway.
And Mittens? She’s the boss around here!
That’s one unhappy cat.
We’re nearly 40º today and sunny, it feels like spring, but we ought not get used it it. Tomorrow we’re in for about 7″ of new snow (where am I going to put all that once it’s shoveled?) maybe the same storm as in MN, but at least it won’t be frigid like the beginning of the month. I’ll have to be happy for that.
Maybe it is the same storm. It wasn’t that cold here, either. Just snowy and very windy.
Here in northern Calif, got almost 9 inches and still at it
I heard in the Sierras, they got 3 feet! They got that much along the north shore of Lake Superior, in one day.
Cats – you *just* can’t tell them anything. I’ve lost count of how many times the cats I’ve had wanted outside despite me saying “you won’t like it”. And yes, you get the “look” like it was all your fault.
I saw on the weather map your area was going to get snow. We were under a burn warning – warm (60) and windy – not quite as dry as the areas where wildfires were but you can’t be too careful. I didn’t look real close but I don’t think any daffodils/garlic/hosta decided to peak out during these past few warm days.
I’m sure Will appreciated the snow removal help. Things tend to even out in life.
You understand cats! LOL
Yep, we always laugh at the cats, especially. When they want out, no matter how much we tell them it’s nasty out, they MUST go. Ten minutes later, they want in, crabby because WE made such bad weather. You always get the look.