January Blizzard~

 This blizzard hit like a freight train last night - winds gusting to well over 30-40+ mph & so loud it was a roar.  Our wind gauge is getting a workout.  The snow has been really fine, not even really flakes.  School was cancelled, Butch had a snow day :-)  When he went out to tackle shoveling - he said there was at least four inches on the walks.

It's a heavier, snow than we usually get too, but when the big gusts of wind hit it blows sideways.  Just more of a messy storm, the non-stop wind is getting old.  It also takes the 30° temperature feel like it's down in the teens.

Woods from the back deck~

I've gone out a couple times, but spent the afternoon in the kitchen.  Chicken & rice soup sure sounded good for our dinner!

Poor little tree frog :-(

Our poor little tree frog from Washington, is hiding from the cold!

Back Deck~

It seems no matter what - snow goes everywhere!  This one is so wet & sticky, it's too heavy for my blower.  Nika's outside, heated bed, had a puddle of water in the middle, so is drying now.  Usually, the snow doesn't blow so far in.

Nika~

As much as this particular Buhund likes the snow - today she prefers to be inside.  We'd just sat down with our latte's when she came in, looked at Butch, then over at the fireplace.  "Where's the heat?"  Butch got up & turned it on.  It's a good day to huddle indoors & pray the heat stays on!

Sparkling ~

 Sparkling - a day full of sunshine & the sparkle of fresh snow!  A good day to end what's been a difficult year. I had some disappointment yesterday.  My leg lost the three cm's I'd worked so hard for.  Back to 109 & more swollen.  It would have also been my mother's 89th birthday.  I was sad.  Mary Jo told me she'd gone snow-shoeing, something else I've always wanted to do...  Maybe next winter?

The Woods~

The one thing I can do - is walk!  It's a halting, painful, gimpy walk, but it gets me out!  I put on the new warm socks Butch got me for Christmas & my tall uninsulated snow boots.  It was a chore to get my foot & ankle pushed into them, but I did it!

One of our birds :-)

Waiting until after lunch, it had warmed from the early morning 6°, up to 28. Fresh air would help me out of my funk. The blanket of snow has quieted our world down.  I could almost hear the snow crystals tingling.

East along Tinkle Branch~

Only a rabbit had gone this way, as I looped down the trail from the Cabin.  Funny how he followed the trail.

Trail marker~

It was so pretty along the creek, the snow giving it such a pristine look.

Flowing clear & cold~

I had to take my insulated gloves off to take photos, then put them back on again to warm up my fingers!  Somebody was waiting for me when I came back in the lower gate!

Nika~

Honestly, I may be prejudiced, but the most beautiful Buhund in the state of Iowa!  I tell her that all the time!

Running for me!

It's a good thing she's not any bigger than she is!  I would have been knocked off my feet!  She positively loves fresh snow!  Of course, she sheds non-stop, but just in the past few weeks grew in her thick winter undercoat!

A perfect pose~

Of course I was led back up the hill to the house.  I hadn't taken my walking sticks, it was a little difficult.  I told Nika she might have to pull me up!  The sunshine on the deck felt warm, but of course Nika wanted in.  Either in - or - out - she gets a cookie!  :-)

Why I Love Iowa~

We woke this morning to a wonderland of white!  It is just a tiny bit cold though - at a whopping eight degrees, now warming to 15!  It was warm enough, with the south sun hitting the back deck full force, we sat out.  A hot latte helped keep us warm~

Prism~

Yesterday's blow~

Only maybe 3" of the white stuff, with the wind turning the surface into a light frozen crust.  The weatherman says we'll be turning cold.  More snow is on the way next week & much lower temperatures than those we've been enjoying up to now.

Nika - Buhund Heaven :-)

Nika absolutely loves the snow! She made her daily run at the mailman as fast as she could go, intentionally flinging snow into the air with her hind paws :-) No problems with cold! Little did we know - when deciding on this breed - what a wise choice it would turn out to be.

The Timber~

With the honeysuckle cut, I love the wide-open look of the timber. It'll be fun to see what the spring season brings, now I can see the entire area. Still, there's plenty of work to keep me busy, especially when things start growing again.

Another resident~

The above dragonfly, was made by a teenager in Greenfield. Very inventive - to use a railroad spike for the body - the wings are beautifully cut.

An old friend~

This one, flew all the way from WA - where he'd spent years in the woods.

Up by the Cabin~

By the time I was done with my walk, my hands were frozen.  A good weekend for inside projects!

When It's Cold Outside~

When it's bitter cold outside - what oh what is a Buhund to do?  Thankfully, Butch came home after his mail route & made Nika's morning!   I spent Wednesday taking down all the decorations around the house - except for the big tree.  I always like to start the New Year with a fresh slate.  Yesterday the flu hit...

Patiently waiting~

Butch brought out the latte machine, usually reserved for weekends.  Nika, like all the dogs we've had since our first in 1990, gets a taste of the foam off the top.  Our stellar 50 degree weather on Christmas has deteriorated to the low teens with a stiff wind most of the day.  She goes out for her daily barking session at the mailman - but when I call her - comes running!

Butch pouring our drinks~

t took me just over 2-hours to get the ornaments off the tree - then back to bed.  I wasn't going to attend a Christmas Eve service, but did & I think the flu is the result.  At least I have time to kick it before leaving for WA.

I've been admiring some of the beautiful bookmarks that the ladies in our bible study use.  Those of you who know Farah, will recognize the tail feathers on the bookmark below.

Bookmark

When Farah left, I didn't take a piece of her mane, or tail.  It seemed too permanent a thing to do.  We would see each other again!  

Bracelet~

It came as a surprise when a box arrived from Renee, just in time for Christmas.  I knew that she had a Etsy store & made jewelry - how thoughtful of her~ 

Freedom for Nika~

What a long wait!  Had we known when we signed the contract, we'd have a four-month wait, rather than the two-months we were told, I think we'd have checked with other fence companies.  After having the run of our acreage in WA the entire first four plus years of her life, confinement to the house, a cable or on leash wasn't any fun.  There were a couple times she managed to escape & run the neighborhood with us in pursuit - but it was scary - for us anyway!

Finally free!

This morning she was So happy to be able to start her new guard dog routine!

First taste!

Last night - when Butch got home - we turned her loose!  It took less than two seconds for her to go from zero to 50!  :-)

It was as much fun for us as it was for Nika!  She ignored us when we asked her to come in - staying out until well after dark & her dinner time!  When she did come up on the back porch - she was covered in mud from a fresh dig!  Straight to the bathtub we went!  After that - she was sound asleep in no time :-)

Our beautiful girl!

Today, she was back to beautiful!  Butch is asking her not to dig...  We'll see how far he gets with that - especially since here - like in WA - the moles are everywhere!

Viewing her new domain~

As we sat out on the swing enjoying the spring like morning - Nika too - found a new favorite spot!

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!)