Life Mystery

Why is it people like myself say that we would never vote for this person or that person in an election. I could change my mind but I doubt anyone other than the candidate could change it for me. But maybe not because I am very stubborn. It reminds me of when we took our three boys to the movies and bought a huge tub of pop corn for them. One son said if he couldn't hold the tub of popcorn that he was not going to eat any. He didn't get to hold the popcorn and he stubbornly refused to eat any. I'm sure he was trying to make a point but to this day I still don't know what it was except he punished himself because he deprived himself of a good time. The other two gave him a strange look and decided that was okay with them.

So why do we make similar mistakes and polarize ourselves, especially when it comes to politics in the USA? I mean really we are intelligent people who love each other and have been friends for many years and suddenly we draw a line in the sand and dare our friends to cross that line - or they do the same for us. I don't know where to walk anymore for all the lines I'm afraid to cross and risk losing a friend. I mean really we are talking about smooth talking politicians who promise anything to get elected and then do nothing to keep those promises. So if they are so good why are they spending millions to get a chicken feed pay job anyway? Kinda reminds me of those three boys with that big tub of popcorn, only being preformed by adults. So if we give them center stage who really is intelligent here anyway, especially when we convince ourselves the world will end if OUR candidate doesn't win. So the real question is: Is intelligence artificial? If you argue with an idiot he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

Or what about actually believing that the Mayan calender is running out and the world will end. Those people who believe that must be the same people that check under their bed and closet before they go to sleep at night. That a civilization long disappeared could actually predict the end of the world? If they were so good why did they disappear in the first place? Maybe I'm just someone who needs more proof. Like the University of Colorado put a satellite into deep space to study the sun. They now know more about the sun and can predict solar flares with more accuracy than ever before. Or so they would have you believe. But just how accurate are those predictions. Our meteorological prognosticators can't even tell us when it is going to snow with any degree of accuracy. So how can these people tell us what is going to happen at the center of our solar system. Does that mean that because I spent $300.00 on my medical degree from on-line degrees mean that I can't do brain surgery any more. Surely I'm not the only brain surgeon that thinks of these complicated mysteries. So if the world is going to end in December this year should I pack now and put all my money in travelers checks?

These and other life mysteries are enough to make a person really think. As for myself I'm still working on the one about if olive oil comes from olives, and vegetable oil comes from veggies then where does baby oil come from? No wonder I don't sleep well at night. Come on folks I could use a little help solving these mysteries. I need more sleep..

Happy Valentine's Day!/Carol

The last time Bruce went into Alamosa he brought home these beautiful carnations to celebrate Valentine's Day. Those of you who have followed this blog know that one can't wait until the actual day to plan on bringing home any gift. Today we probably couldn't get to Alamosa due to drifting snow on our mountain roads. Anyway, in addition to the flowers, he brought some of those little candy conversation hearts...which I love. He came out of the living room with the funniest grin on his face...and you will see why when you look at the photo below:

I could read a FEW of them!! The French language course I took in high school many moons ago certainly did not help!! But they tasted just the same!

Just posted a new blog on Mother Earth News at the request of Pat. Hope this is what you hoped it would be Pat.

Seems that some people tend to act impulsively and adopt a dog that 'looks' good and in fact it would not nor should be part of their home. Hopefully the topic will get people thinking before they adopt so at least they will be doing so for the right reasons. You can view the blog at: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/considerations-before-adopting-a-dog.aspxe

The Miracle Shot Squirrel Hunting

In my younger days we would keep our shooting skills sharp by squirrel hunting with a .22 caliber rifle. We also practiced on coke bottles laid on their side and shot through the lip of the bottle knocking the bottom out. All in all that kept your skills pretty sharp so you would generally hit what you aimed at.

When I was in the USAF we were sitting around talking about our exploits and the topic of squirrel hunting came up. One of the guys said he knew of a place to hunt and it was small game season why didn't we both go squirrel hunting. He would have his wife fix what ever we shot for dinner. I love squirrels even though they are considered a rodent. So we obtained our small game licences and headed out one day.

We were both sitting on a huge boulder looking down about 200 feet to the bottom and had a commanding view of the gorge we were hunting. He had a squirrel call and he used that a few times and a squirrel from the opposite side of the ravine answered. He had a 4X scope on his rifle and I simply had iron sights. He finally found the squirrel sitting on a limb and told me it was to far off for him to shoot and pointed it out to me. I sighted in and in order to even see the squirrel behind the bead of the sight, I had to move the front sight from side to side until I thought I had it somewhat centered. I told him I'd go ahead and shoot him and after I got the squirrel in what I thought was the approximate center of the bead I shot. I looked up just to see the squirrel topple off the limb and bounce all the way to the bottom in what appeared to be slow motion.

I left my rifle on the boulder and started to climb down. I figured if the chance shot didn't kill the squirrel the fall did. That was my dinner down there. It took a good hour to climb down and retrieve the dead squirrel. To get back up I had to toss the squirrel up to him and then swing my leg up and over the boulder. When I got upright and sitting again he said I don't see where you hit it. I told him I made a head shot (joking) and he said that is amazing you shot it through one ear and out the other. I told him that really wasn't such an amazing shot because I had aimed between its eyes and it must have turned its head just as I shot. Of course my intention was to just scare the squirrel which would have been an astounding shot in itself at that distance. To this day he thinks I aimed between its eyes. I couldn't even see the squirrel behind the bead of the sight so coming within a yard or two of it was a miracle. I don't think he missed telling anyone at the air base about that shot. I have always chuckled over that story. Maybe some day I will get to tell him the truth but then again even given the chance I think I'll just let it stand. I don't think he would believe the truth anyway.

Seeing an episode by Larry the Cable Guy on TV reminded me of that time and its a good story and one to be shared.

Winter Scene

I thought this was pretty and worth sharing. Ice hanging from our trees. The sun hit it just right to really show them off. If you place your curser on the photo and click it will enlarge the photo.

Daisy The Mule Deer Doe

These deer are buck, but mule deer out back.

Once upon a time a few years ago there was a doe mule deer we affectionately named Daisy. Daisy is no longer but she certainly is not forgotten and in fact is still cherished and remains in our hearts. We figure that Daisy was 15-17 years old when she stopped coming around. A good full life for a mule deer in the wild. Daisy taught us about her species and Daisy stood tall among mule deer. She taught us that deer have their own unique personalities, can show compassion, and are a force to reckon with when it comes to protection of themselves and their young. In short Daisy was queen of all mule deer and a friend that we miss very much.

Daisy has gone on now to where mule deer go but in her wake she left a legacy as an amazing lady whom will not be forgotten. She traveled with her promiscuous daughter as her companion for several years. That daughter (I’m sure against Daisies wishes) was boy crazy. The only problem we observed was that daughter would wander off with the bucks and leave Daisy with her twin fawns. Daisy would hang around for days and weeks caring for those fawns while daughter would be out having a good time. We watched those fawns over the years grow into maturity under Daisy’s care and tutoring. She cared for them like they were her own and when daughter would come back she got the cold shoulder from Daisy. What daughter lacked in maternal instinct Daisy more than made up for.

One might ask how we knew Daisy from all the other doe mule deer that frequent our home. The answer to that is easy. Daisy was not only very maternal and compassionate but she had distinctive markings. She was one tough old gal we observed. At some point she had a run in with a mountain lion and she had scars from her neck all the way to her rear haunch. She showed up with red and sore looking wounds one day along with a sizable notch out of her left ear. Those healed over in time and made her easy to spot in a herd of deer. After watching Daisy for 15+ years I have to say I’d be a little sorry for any mountain lion that would have the nerve to attack her. I suspect that lion was more of a victim than she was prey. We watched her chase a coyote across a meadow one time that went after one of her fawns and catch up to it and leap high in the air and come down on that hapless critter with all four hooves. The coyote did a flip and flew high into the air and after the encounter limped off badly wounded. When it came to self protection or protecting her young she had no fear and would go on the attack.

We also witnessed what to us was a strange behavior when a small fawn broke its front leg. The other deer in the herd including its mother forced it out. Daisy watched the fawn and observed the other deer push it out of the herd and she went up to it and literally took it as her own. She then forced the rest of the deer away from it and protected and nurtured it to adulthood. It would browse right next to her and any other deer that tried to force it out or crowd it found out Daisy and her slashing hooves were not to be messed with. She raised that fawn as her own and we could recognize that deer in later life due to the thickening on a spot on its leg.

We have many stories of Daisy including the fact she was the mother of one of our best friends here named Junior. Junior is a story himself and he now is no longer with us. Daisy actually adopted us and had complete trust in us. We had never been fully adopted by any wild animal before but I can tell you first hand when they do it is an experience you will never forget. I swear she knew what we said to her most of the time. When I would be out working around our lot she would follow me around and serve as an early warning system and protection. I never had a worry when she was with me. Sometimes if I were working in a specific area she would go over and just lay down and watch out for me. Daisy is now romping in fields of tender browse and being rewarded for her compassion and being a role model for the other mule deer. It is a rest well deserved and we miss her and her unique ways very much. I doubt many get to experience life with deer but once you have you gain a whole new perspective for them.

Tractor?

I did a blog for Mother Earth News about our Toyota tractor. http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/buying-a-tractor-a-smart-choice-for-us.aspx

Have you ever hesitated about buying something and then after you have it wonder how you did without it all those years. That was me with the tractor. It has become such a useful tool that I honestly don't know how I managed without it. When we decided to buy it we realized it was a major investment and it would take us years to pay off. Living on a fixed income made that decision difficult but we finally made the leap and I don't know how I could do without this hard working little machine.

It has graded and groomed the driveway, hauled our firewood, pulled and pushed trees over, pulled stumps, leveled areas, kept snow clear, mulched our tree limbs and brush, taken the dogs for hay rides, and so many other jobs that I can't recall them all. If people could work as hard as a tractor does we could push the earth out of orbit.

It is one of the hardest working machines that I have ever had the privilege to have. I give it routine maintenance and keep it running well. It returns the favor by keeping me from having to work so hard, and doing those hard tasks so I don't have to.

When it comes to making a job easier I'm all for that. I also reported on our local Co-op, and how good it is to be a member. I am a firm believer when you have been treated well that you should share that information and when it comes to the member owned Monte Vista Co-op we have always been treated very well. I hope readers will use the above link and check out my blog about our Kubota tractor. The one think I did not mention is if you live in a cold place like we do getting a block heater installed is vital to being able to start your tractor when it is cold outside.

I guess it is not hard to tell how much we like our tractor and how I would recommend Kubota any time - any place. Small but powerful and hard to consider living without one.

Living Remote and Time Use

I just posted a new blog on Mother Earth News http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/wise-time-use-living-remote.aspx. It is about how we manage our time and how we keep from getting cabin fever in the winter. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When life gives you lots of snow, use it to have fun and enjoy it.

Here is approximately what I posted on my face book page this morning: As I was out sweeping off the deck the sun came out following the snow storm last night. The sun filtered through the trees and make the new snow sparkle like a million diamonds every where I looked. Then I looked up and the tiny ice crystals were floating in the air and the sun make them all glitter as the different air currents carried them at different directions. It was silent and such a spectacular sight that even the feeding birds were hushed. It was like being taken and put in this snow globe to see the wonders of creation. Like God was saying to me here I did this just for you because i know you will appreciate My intricate art work. It was one of those rare moments like the time we found ourselves standing at the very end of the rainbow. A time to be silent and stare in awe at what was going on around me. It was beautiful and all I could think about was I wish my family and friends could be standing here seeing this too. It was totally still outside but yet the tiny ice crystals were floating in all directions and if my camera would have worked I would have gotten a photo of it. It just doesn't capture the fine detail so that moment is etched in my mind forever.

Here it is February and many people are fussing about the snow and I experience one of the rare wonders of living and enjoying snow. Many I know would not have stopped to really look at the wonder that was happening and attributed it to other things. I couldn't pull myself away from it. If there had been music it would have been heavenly music I know for certain.

So we live in snow for most of the year, and while others may grouse about having to deal with it we tend to use it for entertainment and powerful moments like the one I experienced this morning. I hope you enjoy our Mother Earth News blog about proper use of time. Time spent enjoying the breath taking beauty around you is not wasted at all. It is balm for you soul.

8" inches of beautiful snow!/Carol Feb. 7 2012

the road less traveled/Carol February 4, 2012

Remote - Isolated Mountain Living

As I have done the latest series of blogs for Mother Earth News on choices I recognize that not every one would choose our lifestyle or be interested in how we live. Therefore some of those blogs would not pertain to many people. Some however would pertain to people who may come from many different lifestyles.

Dealing with a partner who seems to be always in the way or occupying 'your' space can be frustrating. Especially when you are that half of the partnership and don't realize it. This blog deals with those little unexpected life frustrations. Hopefully there is something for everyone in this blog. To read the entire blog go to: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-remote-isolated-living.aspx

While you are under the Happy Homesteader heading take a look at the heading sawing your trees into lumber, by David Boyt. David is a sawyer and I have had three mills over my lifetime and sawed more logs than I can count. Therefore we have a lot in common and similar experiences. David is an excellent writer and I'm sure readers will enjoy his writing style and the abundance of information he provides in his articles. You can go to his blog by going to:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/sawing-your-trees-into-lumber-part-3.aspx

I hope you enjoy both articles and the material provided and somehow it may be beneficial to readers.

The title of the book LOVE YOU MORE: The Divine Surprise of Adopting my Daughter was intriguing. It was written by Jennifer Grant and was a real eye opener for me.  The process of adopting a child from another country is much more complex and lengthy than I would have thought.  Reading Jennifer’s writing was like having her sitting across the table from me, telling me all about it.  She quotes a Chinese proverb that says “An invisible  red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place, or circumstances. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.” This describes the process that Jennifer and her family went through as they sought to adopt Mia from Guatemala. Mia eventually joins the family: Jennifer, her husband David and their three young children….and then begins Mia’s lengthy process of assimilation into an American family and culture.

At the end of the book there are tips for adoptive parents, discussion questions, resources and notes/references.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of adopting a child…or who, like me, was drawn in by the title of the book!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through BookSneeze.com.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Covenant Communities

I just did a blog today for Mother Earth News about covenant communities. I hope the blog was objective and I did not allow my bias to show through. Having been involved in numerous covenant communities it is my considered opinion that if you are contemplating moving to one that you give the move serious consideration.

Colorado has passed law after law that gives associations unbridled power that is not found anywhere else in communities. Novices or those who have specific agendas then manage to get into positions where they can wield that power against their friends and neighbors. Politics within these communities make the current republican caucuses pale by comparison. Normally good and decent people suddenly become dictators over their communities not especially because they wanted to do that but because they can do that and don't have the sense not to.

In all the people I have spoken to from Florida to Wisconsin and Maine to California they all seem to have a grievance with their HOA. I don't understand why people suddenly change like they do but it certainly is not localized. So if you want to read the newest blog on HOA's go to: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-more-on-choosing-a-homestead-site.aspx

I would be interested to know if anyone has a favorable experience with their HOA and actually likes their HOA.

Gypsy

Here is a photo of our past dog Ben along with Gypsy and myself 9 years ago this month. Gypsy was then a young girl, agile, full of energy and no grey muzzle. Her sight and hearing were sharp and her joints healthy. She was only 5 years old in this photo. Gypsy has been having trouble breathing recently with a lot of panting and so first thing this morning she was taken to the veterinarian. After X-Rays, echo cardiogram, along with a thorough examination her diagnosis was her heart is not functioning fully. Her results were read by a specialist in Colorado Springs and the conclusion should be available by tomorrow but initial diagnosis is that one chamber of her heart is not working. She was placed on a medication (Lasix) that should give her some relief inside of a week but it appears that our gal is just wearing out like so many of us do when we get older.

The other day I was locking up downstairs and Carol was bringing her back from her short walk and it has always been her custom when she sees me outside she wants to run up to join me. Carol turned her loose and she came running up the driveway just as she has hundreds of times in the past. When she got up to the back door she staggered a little and fell over. I can stay calm when I'm hurt but when the dogs are hurt or in trouble I come unglued. I carried her inside and we made her comfortable and shortly she had recovered. We knew then she had problems and her breathing has become more labored the past few days. It appears that one chamber of her heart isn't functioning and her running up the driveway with the wind in her face and a smile on her lips won't be happening any more.

Gypsy is now just two months short of her 15th birthday. She has outlived her life expectancy thus far by a full 3 years. It is looking like every day forward we are blessed by her presence in our lives. There is nothing animal science can do for an aging dog with a declining heart. If her lifestyle is moderated she could be around for a long time yet, then again we never know. She is not in any pain and she is perfectly willing to give up some of those things she previously did but can't accomplish now. She clearly enjoys a more sedentary lifestyle these days. She still has a quality of life and enjoys almost everything she previously did but she is more restricted.

As much as we hate the time when we have to say good bye to her, we know one day not to far down the road of life she will be crossing that rainbow bridge to be greeted by her brother Ben. So as we look at the above photo and remember how it was 9 years ago, we wonder where the time has gone. How could it possibly have gone so quickly.

We attribute her longevity to good diet as she only eats premium food, healthy treats, good exercise and regular doggy doctor visits. In the meantime we cherish every day we have with her and plan to give her good senior years of comfort and pampering. Wait a minute - she has had a pampered and spoiled life, well, more won't hurt there is always room for improvement.

World Wide View

It is with great humility and happiness that I see so many visiting our blog site. We had a counter and live traffic feed installed on our blog site so we could see how many and from where people are that visit our site. We are aware that our lifestyle is different from most people in these modern times but we never expected people from all over the world to be visiting our site to read about how and where we live, like has happened. Other blog sites are cross referencing our site and as a result we are getting viewers from just about every point of the world and across N. America from Maine to California, and Florida to Wisconsin. Numerous places from Canada. When we started this site it was to keep friends updated on how we live and cope with the fairly harsh environment. It has grown beyond our wildest expectations thanks to all of you who visit regularly.

As I sit here being warmed by the wood stove someone from Russia, British Columbia, England, Iceland, Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Croatia, Portugal, Australia, Thailand, Belgium, Abu Dhabi, Sweden, Romania, Hungary, Nova Scotia, Albania, Tobago, Korea, Jordan, Korea, Bulgaria, Philippines, Taipei, and a host of other countries that I have not been able to keep up with come to visit our site. If you visit our blog site and I missed your country I apologize as it has been difficult to keep up with everyone who looks at our site. Several places I have put into my search engine to see your area. I find it fascinating when I look at your areas too.

We now have, thanks to being a participant in Mother Earth News blog site, between 500 - 600 viewers a week checking out our site. It is very humbling for us because what we accept as routine others find interesting. As I look at those sites that visit us I ponder what life is like for them in their country, how they view our lifestyle, and are we making a good or bad impression on visitors from other countries. Thousands of questions run through my head as I see how many are following our blog site and from where they visit from.

So to all our viewers from other countries and domestic I want to humbly thank you for taking an interest in how we live here in our little mountain cabin and thank you from the bottom of my heart for visiting our site. I am deeply grateful for everyone who takes the time to visit our site to see how and where we live. I will try to post things that will reflect our area and lifestyle for you. If you have cross posted our blog site on your site I thank you for considering it worthy enough to make mention of. This has been an exciting experience for us and the thanks go to all those who visit our blog site. Thank you and I hope you will keep coming back for more visits.

Land Use Choices

In my newest blog for Mother Earth News I recruited a good friend of mine to act as a co- contributor. My friend Sakoieta' has been inspiring and educating people for years where he teaches at Brock University in Canada. He has inspired me and so many others outside his University environment that I asked him if he would contribute to this blog.

I believe that this topic is essential to living with nature as opposed to trying to work against nature. On one of my other topics I received a comment from a gentleman who thought he was living rural with his nearest neighbor a mile away. He soon found himself with his dirt road paved and chock full of neighbors with all the noise a group of people bring with them. Therefore wise use of our land can be instrumental in our lifestyles and happiness.

We too experienced the noise factor two years ago when a neighbor 3/4's of a mile away had the sound from his generator amplified up the side of the mountain. If you stood next to the generator it was fairly quiet. The sound however became more amplified as it went up the terrain and when it reached us it sounded like a semi truck going through gears driving past our house. A reasonable neighbor would have understood the situation and not run it at night but this particular neighbor became very belligerent over the matter. It was finally resolved but left a polarized community and hurt feelings. So when the gentleman wrote me to tell me of his remote living suddenly turned congested and complete with the noise I could sure sympathize with him.

If you want to read our most recent collaborative effort on land use, go to: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-wise-land-use.aspx

My purpose for writing it is maybe it will inspire someone to make good choices about land use and not think that they need to build a home, strip the land and plant non-native grass, exotic trees and shrubs to make the homestead look better. If you ask me when our wildflowers bloom there is no more beautiful place around and it is all natural and native.

So don't just rush in with a back hoe and push everything aside and strip the land because it is more convenient for you to build, but think about what you are doing; don't fight nature, but consider working with nature instead. It is just common sense to do so.

Living Remote

I just posted a blog for Mother Earth News about living remote and the things that need to be considered. Some just barge in and don't think it through and others give it a lot of thought beforehand. We gave it much thought and prepared. The blog article explains some of the thought process we went through.

You may view the blog at: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-remote-living.aspx

Hope it will give those planning to move out into the boonies something to think about and make good decisions. To those who are unsure, maybe it will help you too. Enjoy.

Story Of The Tuxedo

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am an amateur story teller. My wife is a saint as she has listened to my stories over the years and still acts interested. I tell true stories that I have personally experienced myself and this is one I do not believe she has ever heard before.

When I was in the U.S. Air Force my first overseas assignment was on the Island of Bermuda. It was tough duty but someone had to do it. I was an Airman Third Class, the lowest rank on the rung of the military ladder. While stationed in Bermuda we had a visit from a tailor from Alexanders of London a high class clothing company taking custom orders at a reasonable rate. He came to the base and would measure you, then go back to London and make a custom made tailored suit made to fit you and you would then receive it a few months later. It took me two months pay but I got measured for a Tuxedo thinking it would be cool just to own one. Previously all my sport coats or suits were from a thrift store or off the rack at a discount clothing store. I decided that to own a Tux was a good step in life, so why not buy one.

One of my USAF buddies was dating the social editor for the island newspaper. As it turned out she had two features to cover in the same night and she and my friend decided to cover one and she asked me if I would go to the other with her press invitation. It was a formal black tie event and since I had a Tux it would give me a chance to wear it for the first time officially. She told me to take notes on subjects and I agreed to cover it for her as it sure beat sitting in the barracks listening to a bunch of drunks or playing poker. The one she asked me to cover for her was a formal social dinner party given by the Governor of Bermuda. (It would be equal to a State dinner at the White House in Washington DC) So at the appropriate time I donned my Tux, took a cab to the Governor's Mansion to attend the dinner with her press invitation.

As I circulated with some of the most powerful people on the Island including industry leaders, dutifully taking notes, it came time for dinner. I was shown into the dining room and who was I seated next to - the Base Commander from my base. As he was sipping his wine and turned to me he introduced himself, and I in turn introduced myself to him. He said he was the base commander of Kindley AFB (as if I couldn't tell as he was in full dress uniform) and asked me who I was...the dreaded question. I decided to go with the truth and I told him I was also from Kindley AFB. He asked what I did and I told him I was with the Air Police Unit and I guarded KC-97 aircraft. He about choked on his wine and the look on his face was absolute shock.

He was the base commander and had thousands of men under him and I was the lowest ranking enlisted man on his base. He wanted to know how I got invited and I told him I was covering for a friend who worked for the local newspaper. He made me promise not to tell anyone what I really did and I assured him I would not embarrass him by doing that and we spent the rest of the night in enjoyable if not aloof fashion.

I believe this would be equal to being invited to a State Dinner with the President of the United States and be seated next to his chief of staff and being asked what I did and to tell him I cut the grass at the White House.

I don't believe I have ever seen a more stunned/shocked look on a person's face than I observed on the Colonel's face when I told him what I did. I do admire his ability to recover quickly and we had an enjoyable evening at the Governor's Mansion that evening. I got indirect word that he appreciated being mentioned in the newspaper as a guest of the Governor of Bermuda. Probably not really funny except for the fact that Officers were not allowed then to socialize in any way with enlisted men under any circumstances. This was not only an officer but the highest ranking one seated next to the lowest ranking man under his command at the Governor's mansion. It was probably the highest honor he could have had bestowed upon him as base commander on a foreign island to be invited to the Governor's once a year elite dinner with a host of high ranking guests - and me. There was a definite social order in the military that we not not allowed to cross and when the highest ranking officer on the base sat next to the lowest ranking member of his base it was a real hoot, I think both of us enjoyed as best we could. He returned to the base in his staff car with the flags flying on each fender along with his driver who out ranked me by several levels and he only talked to in order to give him orders. I took a cab back to the base. I guess expecting a lift would be asking too much. My guess is that this is the very first time this story has been told because I know the Colonel would never repeat it. So enjoy...

Choices - Planning A Home

Imagine our surprise when we drove all the way from Pennsylvania to see our new house and this is what we found. I just posted our third in a series on Choices: You can see the entire blog at:http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-deciding-on-a-home.aspx

Maybe some of our choices will help anyone planning the same type of homesteading we did avoid mistakes.

Mid-Night Revelation

Sometimes when the wind is howling through the mountains it is hard to sleep at night. I woke up around mid-night and had a cup of sleepy time tea. That clearly does it for me. As I sat here sipping my tea I thought about a report on Denver TV I had heard last week. It related to all the sugar we consume in about everything we eat, especially processed foods. They said 4 grams of sugar is the equivalent of a tea spoon of raw sugar.

Then as we were watching that report Carol looked at the 'fruit on the bottom yogurt' I had just eaten and it had 32 grams of sugar. That sugar is all hollow calories that end up being fat. So after my cup of tea I went in and weighed myself. OMG, I'm 20 pounds over my normal weight which is 180 lbs. I must have fallen asleep at the wheel to let that happen. That means every time I get up from my chair, out of bed, walk anywhere, I'm carrying an extra 20 pounds along. I can't get away from it!

That led to the acknowledgement I am not lifting weights now and had my weight bench and weights up for sale. Maybe it is time I used them instead of waiting for a buyer. I had stopped last year when I had hernia surgery. I have been lifting weights all my life and need to get back into the habit. Instead of bench pressing 245 lbs. I need to do less weight and more repetitions so I don't bulk up which would totally defeat my wanting to lose weight. Muscle weighs more than fat so I don't want to exercise and gain weight.

So I'm going to cut out as much sugar as I realistically can which means no deserts, no evening snacks unless it is trans fat and sugar free and resume my weight lifting routine. At my age I don't need to go for the heavy lifting as much as the fat burning reps. So I figure if I get back on my life long routine of lifting weights, cut back on sugar and trans fats (excluding an occasional chocolate drop) then in four months I should be back to my normal weight.

The photo above is not me but one I borrowed however it sure could be me. 20 pounds in 4 months is 5 pounds per month, and not drastic reduction, but gradual at 1.25 pounds per week. I will let readers know if that works or not. I realize that there are diets that people use that work but I hope my approach is a common sense one that takes an extra 20 pounds off my hips, knees, and feet so they hurt less. With the regular walks, shoveling snow, cutting/splitting firewood that is all good exercise but more needs to be done.

So stay tuned for monthly progress updates. I know better than to get on the scales to often as weight fluctuats and I don't want to become disappointed. I will do it once a month. I've never had 6 pack abs as I think that is not normal, and even though I lift weights and work out, that is the extreme. I'm not a body builder, but do enjoy working out with weights. It would be more fun if I didn't live remote and had someone to work out with like in the old days. I have always been fortunate to work out with those who were professionally trained on weights because if you end up doing it wrong you can hurt yourself very easily which would defeat my goals to lose weight. I do hope to work on specific muscle groups however and replace some of that unwanted 20 lbs, with more muscle. So I will try to post my success or not once a month.

Interesting Local Attraction - Great Sand Dunes

One of our favorite places to visit is the Great Sand Dunes. It is now a National Park but a few years ago it was a National Preserve. The above photo shows Medano Creek which flows in spurts or has a rhythmic flow. Much of the year it doesn't flow at all but when the spring melt occurs high up in the mountains and it starts flowing and it has this sporadic surge to it that makes it unique in my estimation.

There is also a beetle called the Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle that is found no where else in the world. You rarely see them as they are allusive but you can see their distinct tracks in the sand if you can get to the dunes before people start walking all over. In all the years we have visited the Great Sand Dunes it never ceases to amaze me that the dunes are constantly changing formation. The wind will change them around and if you have not paid close attention you probably wouldn't even notice.

It is a great place to take a picnic lunch, walk the dunes, do a little exploration, and relax. It is a one hour drive from our house and we like to visit frequently. They also have a very nice campground. If you go onto the dunes, be sure to take sun screen and lots of water and carry your trash out with you.

The Great Sand Dunes now has Park Rangers and structured activities. It used to be more informal when it was just a preserve. The Rangers are nice and polite but you get the feeling they are watching you to make sure you comply with all the rules. Reminds me of a place I used to love to visit and take our kids just outside Gainesville, Fla. called the Devil's Millhopper. It was an easy bike ride from out home in Gainesville, Fla. - a deep pit in the ground where the kids could root around and find shark's teeth from when Florida was once under water. Shark teeth in the middle of the State and so far from each coast was unusual but there were tons of them. Then it became a State Park and you couldn't do that any more. It was a local attraction, like Ichntucknee River was in North Florida. A great place to take a truck tube and float down the river stopping where you wanted, swing from a rope swing or take a swim. Once the State took it over making it a State Park, you were restricted where you could go in and get out. The rope swing was removed for safety, and the time the park was open was limited as was the number of visitors. They provided transportation, but those of us who knew it before the State took it over enjoyed it more with out the restrictions and limitations.

The Sand Dunes now seems to have more restrictions than previously but I guess when you have so many people visiting it there needs to be measures taken to preserve it. It is still a nice place to visit for a hike, exploring (stay on trails) or a picnic. I know the rangers are protecting our safety and the natural beauty but it would be nicer if they were less of a presence and you felt less watched.

Part one - selecting and buying land

Here is the first in a series of starting a homestead. The first is purchase of land and getting that land ready for development. The link to the Mother Earth News blog is as follows: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-starting-with-buying-land.aspx

Next will be choosing a home.

Decisions - How They Impact Your Future

I have posted a blog to Mother Earth News on making choices and decisions and how they impact your life down the road. Choosing to live remote as we do. To view the introduction go to:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/lifestyle-choices-need-to-be-decided-carefully.aspx

I hope to post future blog topics on matters such as purchasing raw acreage, choosing a home, medical and dental care living remote, clearing and lot improvement, location of well and septic tank, building a house, clear property and wood lot maintenance, purchase of tractor, chain saws, time alone and how to cope, and volunteering.

There may be other remote living choices and decisions both good and bad ones that I hope to help others to improve on those decisions that worked for us and to avoid making bad decisions. It appears to be a fun series of blog topics and will explain some of the do's and don't's of remote mountain living and I hope it will benefit readers.

So if you enjoy the topics or want amplification on any of them - please ask questions.

Memories Made/Carol

Bruce was looking through an old CD of downloaded and pictures and sent me a few of them....of memories made. This photo was taken back in 2003 while camping and here is the story.

Back in 1994 Bruce and I had driven from Harrisburg to Colorado in the beginning of November to work a bit on our cabin. However, the old wood stove that the contractor had put in the cabin leaked smoke (it is now the one we use for the cowboy breakfasts) so after two days and nights, we headed back home. We got there on Thursday and Bruce still had Friday off as a vacation day so we headed for the Humane Society. We liked to go down there just to visit the dogs. And there we saw Ben.  He had just arrived the day before and was a beautiful long-haired German Shepherd...a stray. He came to the inside gate of the kennel and started chewing on it. Bruce told him NO...and he stopped. Our hearts were stolen. He wasn't going to be available for adoption until Monday so we left. As we looked back, he was the only dog that had come out side of his kennel to watch us leave! On Monday I loaded Clarence, our golden retriever/basset hound mix  into the truck with me and we went to meet Ben...and the rest is history.

Gypsy moved in with us after we moved here in 1997...I am thinking in 2001...and she has been with us ever since! Ben passed on in 2007; he was the best of dogs. He sold us on having a German Shepherd with us until we can no longer have any pets.

Making memories................

Seed Catalogs - Dreaming Of Spring

Personally I think it is cruel for garden companies and especially those that sell seeds to gardeners to send their catalogs out the first week of January. Their covers depict these pictures of nice plump blueberries, nice healthy looking squash, and flowers of every type and description. Living here our ground is frozen solid down to 4' deep, and it has several feet of snow on top of frozen ground. That in itself is cruel to do to someone who wouldn't be able to get a seed into the ground for the next several months with anything short of a jack hammer.

But then to show all those beautiful fruits and vegetables without a blemish on them just rubs salt into the wounds created by sending their deceptive catalogs out in January. Sure it gets the gardener thinking well ahead but as you get older and your memory isn't what it once was, your memory wasn't what it once was, I just know I'll forget that some of these seeds are drought resistant and fast growers when it gets around to planting time.

As I gaze at those beautiful fruits and vegetables that don't have a visible flaw on them I give myself a reality check. My fruit never seems to be as big or perfect as those in the pictures. Mine has little nibbles out of it from voles, birds and field mice. The harshness of our climates makes them wilt in the afternoon and look almost semi normal in the morning. If I grew a garden for 100 years I couldn't get my produce to look as good at those seed catalog photos show.

I also have to deal with ground squirrels and chipmunks. When my garden starts to come in we go from seeing a few greedy rodents to having thousands. It is like the call goes out for miles that Bruce's garden is ready. The ones we do have end up so fat they drag their bellies on the ground as they gorge themselves on our vegetables. They don't run across the ground, they sort of swim with their little legs protruding out the side of their plump bodies - kind of rocking from side to side while they inch forward. Even at my age I could out run them if I had the desire to do so. I plant distractions like gooseberry bushes and current bushes, but that only holds them back for a short while until they work their way to my raspberries. They probably die from serious infections from dragging their raw bellies through the same ground the dogs peed on. Has to be a lot of bacteria in that dirt or at least I hope so. They sure don't die from starvation at least as long as I'm foolish enough to keep planting a garden they can prey upon.

So as I sit here drooling over those perfect fruits and vegetables pictured in the seed catalogs it is with ongoing irritation that I remember that none of my produce ever looks quite like that in the pictures. I tried corn one year and discovered where they get those little ears of corn you find in canned Chow Mien Chinese food. They have dopes like me trying to grow real corn and end up with ears of corn less than an inch long. We sell cheap which gives the Chow Mien people larger profits.

Nope, my result always seems slightly different than what is advertised. I keep year after year striving for a garden that will look like the photos in the catalog but apparently that just isn't to be. So when I gaze at all those perfect fruits and vegetables I sometimes forget what my previous result actually looked like, that being a miniature version of their perfect garden photos. I get lost in my dream world thinking that maybe, just maybe - this year my garden will really look like those pictures.

I go from one vegetable seed to another vegetable seed and can't decide what to grow this year. That has always been one of my problems in looking at seed catalogs though: I used to be indecisive but now I'm not so sure. Just trying to figure out what might grow this time is a yearly challenge. All this is giving me a headache so I think I'll just lay those catalogs aside for now and take a nap. Personally I think to have fruit and vegetables the size of the pictured ones in the seed catalog I would have to start with a three pound seed.

Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well/Billy Graham

Billy Graham will turn 94 years of age this coming November and I have been privileged to read his latest book through www.booksneeze.com. As with all of Mr. Graham's writings, he is very easy to understand and is well versed in scripture. He has ministered in over 185 countries around the world! As he is "nearing home" he tells us how to be prepared for this adventure.

A well known phrase is "If I'd known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself." Billy's phrases? "Growing old has been the greatest surprise of my life" and "life, indeed, is full of surprises." It is his thought that "the days when the aged were admired, looked up to, and respected are gone." 

During an interview in 2006 with Newsweek magazine, he realized that he had been taught all of his live how to die but no one had ever taught him how to grow old. The idea for this book was born!

Mr. Graham's book gives us tips on how to view retirement: what to do and what to consider before taking the giant leap. He reminds us that our attitudes play a major role in the closing scene on life stages; that life itself stands between the bookends of birth and death.

I would recommend this book to anyone of any age since at some point in our lives, we will all be nearing home.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through BookSneeze.com.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Wolves - Where Do You Come Down On Them?

If you are like us and love wolves check out my latest blog on Mother Earth News at:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/wolves.aspx

We find these amazing animals interesting and feel they are viewed radically by proponents and opponents of the species.

I am particularly opinionated about those who force breed them with domesticated dogs. The resulting poor animal doesn't know whether it is wolf or dog. It is cruel to do this in my opinion.

Food Aggressive Dogs - Not Us

As I process applications and talk with potential adopters I have many tell me one of the things they "do not" want is food aggression. The dog does not just suddenly decide to be food aggressive and a lot has to do with how (or if) you train your dog/s. Dogs from birth lay right next to each other and share teat's of the mother. If they get possessive mom will do an immediate correction. Our dogs are not food aggressive and they eat right next to each other just like when they were pups. Some people just dump kibble in 'their' dog bowl and walk away. Then months or years later they go to reach for that bowl and the dog growls at them and they wonder why their dog has suddenly become food aggressive. What is wrong with that dog anyway? The fact is it has claimed that bowl and food all along but the dog owner simply has not paid close enough attention to realize it. The dog owner also has neglected their responsibility in properly training the dog.

Resident dogs who are kept outside have the owner come out once a day and pour kibble in their bowl and leave. That bowl becomes theirs alone and they defend and protect it. Not much different with inside feeding, people do the very same thing. We train every aspect of our dogs lives including eating time. They are fed three times a day and it is an orderly process. Here is how we handle the feeding. They eat side by side, all at the same time and there is no problem allowed in the process. If there is it is corrected by myself or Carol instantly.

They are made to sit far enough back from the preparation of their food and bowls to know that I am the one doing the preparation and don't want to be crowded or disturbed while I get their bowls ready. Each dog gets its food measured out, supplements depending on need added, and I'm given the freedom to do it without being crowded. I then take the bowls of dog food to the shelf they eat on and sit them down one at a time. Should a dog start forward before being told they are made to go back and all dogs then wait until I can tell they have calmed down. I stand between them and the food and do not tell them to come until each dog has made full eye contact with me. I then stay with them while they eat. Sometimes I will reach down and move (not take away) their bowl or hold it while they eat so it doesn't move around. I'll also reach into their bowl on occasion take out some food and feed them that food by hand. What this tells them is that it is my bowl, my food and as their pack leader I'm sharing it with them.

On the rare occasion one may sample someone else;s bowl I am right there to make it understood that too is my bowl, my food and I don't want them to do that. I don't scold, only give a pssst, and if needed a finger poke in the shoulder to distract. I have never had one dog growl at another one - instead they will look to me to see if I have permitted that. After they eat they are expected to leave the bowl, leave the room and let the others finish in peace. Sarah is a slow and particular eater so she is always the last one to leave. I learned this technique from Cesar Milan the dog whisperer, in one of his books. I have modified it somewhat but the basic principal is the same. Our room is narrow and I will not tolerate pandemonium when it is eating time. They fully understand that.

So how do you tell an applicant the dog is not normally food aggressive but it is their lack of understanding and laziness to find out how to properly feed the dog that is the problem. It never ceases to amaze me that people comment about how our dogs are so well behaved, don't bark, get along so well, are gentle and how they wish their dog could be like that. Our dogs haven't gotten that way without a lot of work. Theirs have never been worked with in most instances. dump some food in their bowl and walk away or go to the other side of the room. Really what do you expect anyway? People now want a fully trained, obedient and well behaved family member without having to put out the effort themselves. Perhaps that is why designer dogs are now so popular where traits are blended.

The dog comes hard wired to be a good companion and pack member. The problem rests with the people who are to lazy to learn training techniques, or expend the effort to get that obedient dog that they desire so much. They are so used to being able to order exactly what they want and they fail to understand that with dogs it takes training, skill, and patience and lots of love. Don't ever try to out love a dog, you will come up short every time but you do have to demonstrate to they you do love them. That can be done by being a good responsible pack leader. Maybe that is why I'm reading now that those 'gift' dogs that people bought for Christmas are being dumped at shelters. So many good dogs, so many idiots, with so little patience and love. So if you have a food aggressive dog consider it may be your fault, not the dogs. The longer they are allowed to be food aggressive the harder it is to break that behavior. Our dogs also do not get fed from the table. They may carefully come over and sniff but never touch or lick our food. Incidentally those who want to adopt a dog to give it a good 'loving' home but then have a list of attributes they want in a dog do not get my approval. Those who claim to be good trainers but then want a non food aggressive dog get even less consideration. Some people actually would do better with one of those robot dogs made in Japan or an internet virtual dog in my opinion. So maybe that behavioral problem your dog has is not the dog after all, but you instead. Some people are just not suited to adopt, and don't understand why they don't get a dog. If you tell them they fight and argue and don't listen. So if you are the center of the universe enjoy your time there because it is unlikely that I would approve you to adopt a dog.

I imagine most people are much like we are and that is you stay busy doing various things and assume in the process that certain things are a given. One of those givens is that premium dog food you feed your beloved pooch. Or in our case our pooches. For many years I have fed our dogs a highly rated well known domestic commercial brand of dog food. It is available in most if not all grocery stores. It proclaims that it is high in nutrition for dogs and has all the supplements to support their digestive, skeletal, skin and general health.

It wasn't until our vet told us that one of our dogs had allergies which could be environmental or food borne allergies that we started to really read labels. Those labels can be difficult to read and understand but patience will get you on the right path - usually. Instead of putting him through the expensive tests to determine what his specific allergies were and then having to give him shots ourselves to hopefully over come those allergies we decided to do a little experimentation first. We started to look at dog food labels a little closer. What he had been eating (premium dog food), we discovered had as fillers, corn, oats, wheat, soy, animal fat, crude fat, poultry by-products and required 5 cups per day.

What we found was the more expensive food did not have any grain fillers, crude animal fat, chicken (ground up bones beak and all) and looked to be far more healthy. It required 3 1/4 cups a day as opposed to the 5 he was getting or roughly 3/5 of the volume per day. It had ingredients such as roasted lamb, sweet potatoes, peas and other natural products. The price was higher but when we finished the arithmetic it came out about the same. By checking ingredients carefully we discovered that he was allergic to corn, wheat, chicken and tree pollen. All done through the process of elimination. Since he has been on a grain free food his allergies have improved greatly. We left the other two dogs on the premium food as they did not suffer allergies. We later decided that it cost about the same irrespective of the fact the premium food was 44 pound bags and the new food was only a 30 pound bag. One was .95 a pound and the better food was $1.80 a pound but less was required. It pretty much balanced out even though the cost was different the volume they received was also different.

Dogs when they get over weight tend to put fat on under the rib cage too so that effects their organ function. I do not like to see over or under weight dogs but apparently our vet gets to see a lot of both as when we take our dogs in he always comments on how their weight is just perfect.

Our senior dog eats Chicken Lovers for the Soul senior food which is balanced for a less active dog. She seems to thrive on it and she is well onto the up side of her life expectancy and has an active and productive life. It appears that she is 2-3 years beyond what her charts say is a normal life and at her last check the vet told us she should have another couple years easily due to her nutrition and care. Our dogs now eat Taste of Wild as pictured above. Some people advocate feeding raw and prepare their own food. That may be okay if you live close to a grocery store and it may work for them but when we considered doing that it clearly did not work for us. In reading all the pro and cons (and there are cons) of feeding raw we determined there was just to much risk involved and when you live remote as we do it was not practical. We therefore feed our dogs perhaps one of the most expensive foods available but also one of the best foods for their general health.

If you have not considered what you are feeding your best friend maybe it is time to do some research in that area. If you put your thumbs on your dogs spine and run your hands down their back you should be able to feel their ribs with your fingers. If not, maybe they are getting fat. Our dogs get plenty of exercise but lately with our road being an icy mess they have gotten less but still have maintained their correct weight. Soon, (maybe today) we will get more snow to make the road less hazardous and we can get them back on their long walk routine again.

I did check with the manufacturer of the premium food that they were getting to see how much came from China and found out 99.4% was made in the USA but that .06, which was the supplements, came from China. I believe now all the food they eat comes from the USA or Countries with known quality control that can be relied upon. I believe that feeding the dogs a proper food lengthens their life and gives them a much healthier condition. Just something for you to think about when you proceed through your busy day.

booksneeze.com

Because there is no church nearby we worship on line at www.northlandchurch.net . During the service on January 1, Dr. Joel Hunter mentioned Billy Graham's latest book NEARING HOME. I thought it sounded good so went on Amazon.com to see how much it is....and read a few reviews. One of the reviewers mentioned www.booksneeze.com. I went to that site and long story short, signed up and my application was accepted. They are sending me books at my request that I download onto my Kindle. Then I write a review for this blog and also at Amazon or another site that carries that particular book. I am excited to be part of this program. So keep an eye out for some book reviews!

Deja Vu All Over Again/Carol

Those of you who have been following our blog know that one of the most labor intensive activities we have here is that of getting the wood ready for the winter...downing dead trees, using the chain saw to cut them to length and then the tedious job of stacking...either inside the woodshed or in long rows. This year, for the first time, we realized that having some rows on the deck OUTSIDE the woodshed would be a good idea...and good idea it is! We have already used the three rows that were originally stacked there but haven't had to use any wood out of the woodshed. The break in the weather has given us an opportunity to put three more rows on the deck! The woodshed is to the left of these piles.

 You can see where the piles were in the photo below...and how much snow can accumulate on top of them. One and one half rows are still there to be used if need be. We are thinking that the new/efficient wood stove is going to make our "wood gathering" this coming summer a lot less "labor intensive"!

Shark In The Mountains - A Man's Best Friend

Okay guys, how many of you know a woman that actually loves her vacuum cleaner? When you have 4 dogs you spend a lot of time walking behind a vacuum cleaner. When they are German Shepherd Dogs which only shed twice a year - which just happens to be six months at a time - you end up with a lot of dog hair. So having a functional and easy to use vacuum cleaner is a tool that is hard to do without. We bought a new vacuum called a Shark and is often seen advertised on television. It works just like demonstrated and Carol absolutely loves our (her) new Shark. It is easy to push around, the wheels don't squeal, it doesn't knock over tables and doesn't sound like a jet plane warming up in your living room. In short it is worth every penny you pay for it.

Let me share something personal with you guys. When you buy your best gal one of those fancy good looking vacuum's that push like a tank and are hard to use after the first month of ownership you are not doing yourself any favor. For her to use that is is like pushing around a shopping cart with a locked wheel, filled with bricks. Buy one like the Shark and she will enjoy it so much she won't let you touch it for fear you will damage it, modify it or use it to vacuum up sawdust or nails in your shop. I'm not even allowed to read the owners manual. Buy her one of these beauties and then just sit back in your recliner and watch her make that sweet investment work properly while you sip a beer and sit on the side lines. I'm sure it would vacuum up bent nails, metal filings and sawdust, but why expend the effort as long as she thinks you might try do it.

A dropped comment about maybe that motor could have the power increased a little bit or I may get myself one of those for the shop/garage if it will suck up metal filings and bent nails is all you need. You go get it out (if you can find where she hid it) and chances are you won't get 6 feet before your hand is forcibly removed. Try to use it and you risk a body cast. So guys be smart, get one of these little gems and if you spill potato chips while watching those bowl games, no sweat, that little beauty will in action before you can watch the replay. Come on guys, be smart....

Mountain Chickadee

Six Hours Of Hard Shoveling

Here is what the after version looks like after about 5 hours of hard shoveling. The ice under that snow in the previous blog was 3" thick on the roof. Whew! Only one side to go.

Fair Weather Ahead

Checked the national weather forecast this morning and there is no more snow forecast through the next seven days. Instead of sitting back on our heels and waiting it is now time to relocate some snow that we do have. According to my conservative measurement to date we have received 156" if accumulated snow this snow season. At 9,750' elevation we only have two seasons here, snow season and no.t snow season. 13 feet of snow so far with us only being 5 days into the winter season is a good start. We are half way to our average snowfall this year. If it keeps up at this rate we will make up for the 100" short of average we did not get last year. Since our entire area depends on the snow for our water it looks like we may have a really good year.

Living in an A-Frame the snow accumulates on the side of the house and so our first priority is to move that snow. As the photo depicts the snow is piled up 10 feet high and we need to shovel it out to the driveway and push it down the mountain. The door to under the house gets covered up and the snow builds up on the ground and makes it difficult to get under the house. That area is not finished off and it is a dirt floor but it stays a nice 40-42 degrees all year long. That is where we keep our yard tools and some canned goods as well as other foods that are mice proof. Therefore we do need to get under the house on occasion to get out shovels and other implements or bring food upstairs. It makes a perfect wine cellar but when you buy your wine in a box keeping it a certain temperature to preserve it is not necessary. It will take two days to shovel out each side of the house and move that snow out of the way.

By Request, Photos Of The Dogs Romping.

Here are photos of the dogs playing in the snow and one of our back window which normally we can see out. What would the City do with 3 1/2 feet of fresh snow? To see the photo more clearly click on it and it will enlarge.

December 22, 2011... and still coming down!

Looking down the boardwalk outside the back door..........

 looking up towards the gate going out to the woodshed on the left........

 standing at the gate............looking at the back of the house..........

 back of the house...