Winterscape~

From a cold & overcast morning - by 4 p.m. the sun had appeared.  On Thursday's, I've been invited to a bible study with several friends.  We all bring dishes to share for our lunch break, I'd made an apple cake!  It was mid-afternoon by the time I returned home & already the the temperature was dropping.

Windmill on the hill~

Butch was ready for a break from his projects.  With the thermometer showing below 30 & a good breeze making it feel even colder, we took the truck & drove out almost due east from town. 

Plumb of steam from the big power plant~

The gravel roads are in pretty bad shape, this last snow was a wet one, the wettest we've had so far this Winter.  More like a Washington snow - than the powder dry ones we've had.  Even the school buses had a tough time, a couple had to call the tow truck.  We took it easy - it was sloppy, slippery - but oh so pretty out there!

Glenwood Water Tower~

After having lived with trees for so long - it's easy for me to get back to loving the wide-open spaces!  I'd forgotten how claustrophobic I was my first couple years in WA.  Even after years there - I had days when riding on heavily forested trails, where I would feel too confined.  That doesn't happen here!

Late afternoon, blues & grays~

I didn't realize until we'd gotten home & I looked at the map - that if we'd gone north a block & then turned east again - we would have come up on the Wabash Trace Trail!  Once the roads get better,  can bring Farah out here & probably ride for miles, maybe even access the trail.  I've heard so many say they wouldn't ride it - so of course I want to!  I'm anxious to see it for myself - even if we have to get the bikes out there first!  :-)

We'd just drawn the drapes when there was a knock at the door.  One of our neighbors had gotten stuck in his driveway, so Butch got the tow straps & went over to pull him out.  Nika took the opportunity to sneak out the door.  Butch said it was a little embarrassing, as she would fly by every so often, but wouldn't come to him...  He parked the truck & was ready to shut the front door - when she came running up!  :-)  Even a Buhund thinks it's too cold to spend a night out!  (There's a reason they're only the 170th most popular dog!)