January thaw

Well, it's supposed to be happening, anyway.  Warm temps have been predicted for this week but it was 11 at my house yesterday morning.  Warmer today, 20's, but not much melting going on.  Except INSIDE my house, where there's a leak in the kitchen.  I don't know if the water is coming down the outside of the house or inside the wall.  I like to think it's coming in from outside.  I have 2 dripping leaks above the kitchen sink.  Ugh.  I always have leaks in the living room--there's one spot on the roof that gets really iced over and when we have our thaw, or when the sun shines it leaks onto the couch.  Every year.  I think it might be time for me to address some of these house issues--like, it's past saying "Oh, that's just the way it is."  I need insulation under the house in the worst way.  Can't do it now, there's too much snow.  The floor is cold, and that's where the thermostats for the electric heaters are, so I just throw money at the electric company every year.  A new stove--there's another thing I need.  Money--another thing I need.

It was a pretty quiet weekend last weekend.  I saw 2 people on Saturday, my plowman's substitute and the dump man.  I got my car stuck in the snow near the house but fortunately the plowman came by to clean up the driveway, and he could push it out easily.  So much for a clean record this winter, but so far that's the only time I've been stuck.  I always used to get stuck 3 times a year.  Sounds as if I did it deliberately, but that's not really true.  Or so I like to think.

Tess disappeared for hours on Sunday, skiing and walking with bog people.  I had 2 calls reporting my lost dog, when I wasn't home, so I was a little concerned, but she came home later in the afternoon, tired but happy.  She'd had her social needs satisfied.  Treasure worries when Tess does that, the way Chances used to worry.  But Treasure differs in that she takes advantage of the time she gets to be the Only Dog, and nuzzles and licks and begs for attention.

The dogs showed up with a whole grouse this morning.  It was dead, but I don't know if they killed it or found it already dead.  Hard to imagine they could catch it, but who knows.  Treasure tried to bring half the chewed-on bird into the house but I got it away from her.  Tess refused to come inside until she'd pretty much finished her half.  Now the driveway looks like a butcher's shop.  Feathers & blood all over.  Wish I knew how they got the body.

My friend Lin is having a hard time--her father died in December, and her mother died shortly after.  They were not in good shape, and Lin says she feels comforted thinking they're in a better place, and are together.  I can't imagine losing both parents like that.  We all know how much I adore and enjoy my mother.

I went to Chateaugay this week, spent an hour at the library there.  That's where the picture of wind turbines was taken.  I really like seeing the wind farms, the turbines are very, very graceful.  I went up the back way to Chat., through High Banks and Standish.  That's where I figure I'll live if my neighborhood gets too populated.  It's crowded this year--there's another person spending most of his winter in one of the camps below my house.  I try to find it comforting to have someone near, but mostly I just resent the intrusion into "my world" in the winter.

Lots of snow still, with rain predicted.  Or snow in higher elevations.  Which is me. 

Turns out I was supposed to be in Keene this morning, but I crossed out the note on my calendar because I thought the director there wouldn't be around.  WRONG.  How embarrassing!  She called me an hour after I was supposed to be there to see if she had the wrong date.  No, I did.  I rescheduled for next week, will go there from home in the morning.  Tomorrow I'm hoping to get to Saranac Lake in the morning for a quick training session.  I'm doing the training, not getting trained.  I'm beyond trainable.

Plenty of snow at 58 OHR

Plenty of snow at 58 OHR, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

That's a garbage can in the lower right corner, filled with birdseed. I have to bend over to get the seed. This morning I noticed that the birdfeeder is getting lower. or no, the snow is getting deeper.

You have snow on your nose and you look stoopid

You have snow on your nose and you look stoopid, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

We got more snow over the weekend, which makes at least 2 1/2 feet on the ground. Doesn't even really slow them down.

This is what Treasure looks like when I try to take her picture

This is what Treasure looks like when I try to take her picture, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

Oh Treasure, SIT STILL.

Slightly better.

Slightly better., a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

This is about as good as it gets--

She looks like a puppy, not a 9 year old

She looks like a puppy, not a 9 year old, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

Not a very good picture--I'm having problems with my camera. But you get the idea--she's cute as cute can be. Tired after all the socializing and skiing she did.

Let them lie

Let them lie, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

She looks more like a dead dog than a sleeping one...
My father had a great time training the dogs we growing up. He trained his favorite dog to roll over clockwise, counterclockwise, shake hands, sneeze when he wanted to go out, and (instead of "lie down") be a DEAAAAAAD DOG.

I think he would have trained us to do similar tricks, if my mother would have allowed it.

Turbines on wind farm--they look like synchronized swimmers

Turbines on wind farm--they look like synchronized swimmers, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

I always feel guilty when I think that these turbines are pretty--they really are magnificent, but how would I feel if they were central to my vista? I like to think I'd appreciate them (but I doubt it, really).

I went through an amazing wind farm on my way to Plattsburgh from Chateaugay, and when I got out to take pictures the wind was howling.

We're having our January thaw, which is always a nice treat. I'm not sure how much snow will melt, but I'm hoping I'll be able to expose my deck stairs, which are more like a bobsled run than stairs right now, with snow packed on them.

What it looked like a lot at 630 Ministerial Rd

What it looked like a lot at 630 Ministerial Rd, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

Anna, dogs, Liza.

Christmas morning--stockings/baskets. I was the first one up

Christmas morning--stockings/baskets. I was the first one up, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

What I saw when I got up Christmas morning. Mark makes Christmas magic.

Beach walkers in cold wind

Beach walkers in cold wind, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

That's Anna and Mark. The house in the background was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy and may be torn down.

Angel the horse

038, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

This is the coolest Christmas toy. My sister sent it from Italy. It's a battery-operated horse, which trots across the floor to a certain rhythm, then whinnies convincingly. We named the horse Angel and the cowboy Brokeback. It was just too much fun to play with. My mother wanted me to bring it home but I thought it should stay with the ceramic Italian villagers, whose numbers have grown impressively.

Nice one of Anna

Nice one of Anna, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

That's my girl. She's a sweetheart. Hope she doesn't mind that I posted her picture...

Main camp

Main camp, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

Looks pretty good for an old, falling down building.

Looking across a barely-frozen lake

055, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

The lake froze over while we were in RI--around Christmas Eve, according to one report. It will be a long time before the ice is strong enough to hold even a dog--a blanket of snow keeps it just warm enough to prevent convincing freezing.

Boathouse

Boathouse, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

I like this picture, which Anna took. Always good to know the building is still standing and waiting for us.

Boathouse porch looking very different from what we're used to

Boathouse porch looking very different from what we're used to, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

Looks as if the chairs are waiting for a bus.

What it's like at 58 OHR right now

What it's like at 58 OHR right now, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

It's amazing how monochromatic it gets in winter--dark green conifers, white snow, black & dark brown trees.

Better picture of a nice looking tree

Better picture of a nice looking tree, a photo by woodsrun on Flickr.

Here's how my tree ended up. I bought a not-too-tall tree & cut off about a foot to make a nice tabletop tree. I tried to find something on my land but I guess the balsams have been pretty well picked over because I found nothing that was good enough. I'm happy with this one.

I found winter in Hawkeye

It was -13 this morning, which is sure cold enough, but not as cold as it was elsewhere around here: -23 iin lake Placid, -21 in Saranac Lake.  I can handle the -13 all right, it's the -20 that gets me nervous.  I took the morning off, however, because the temperature in the living room was 44.  I stoked the fire, turned up the heat in the kitchen, and finally got it up to 54 before leaving for work.  The sun came out, which really makes a big difference because of the big windows in the living room.  So I'm confident the house will be warm when I get home tonight at 6 (I have to work until 5).  Not supposed to be as cold again in the predictable future.  Whew.  Dodged that bullet (no frozen pipes).  I fed the birds this morning, following the beaten-down path the dogs and I have made to the feeder--they make a path to chase squirrels, I follow their path to feed the birds.  The dogs can't put all 4 paws on the ground at the same time when it's this cold, so they stopped in the middle of the path at -12, lifting different paws at different times.  MOVE IT!!! I said, but they both claimed they couldn't move.  GET IN THE HOUSE I suggested, bumping them in the butts.  They finally hobbled to the front door, slowly, ever so slowly.  Honestly, sometimes I wonder what their brains are made of.

I got home from RI on Friday (12/28) with Anna.  We had a nice Christmas, all went well.  Mark & Liza gave me a remote car starter, which is oh-so-handy these days.  It's set to keep the car running for 15 minutes, which I discovered isn't quite long enough for defrosting or warming the car, but it sure beats nothing.  So I'm playing with the starter any chance I get.

RI was nice, much warmer than Hawkeye, whre temps got down to single digits while I was gone.  It rained in RI as it snowed in Hawkeye--we now have at least 24" of snow (more, if you talk to different people).  It's cold enough to keep it fluffy, which makes a big difference.  My driveway has been plowed 3 times so far.  Ca-ching.  I don't even know how much it costs for him to plow, I just pay the bill at the end of the season.

We had lobsters Christmas Eve, as is MY tradition.  Roast beef on Christmas, as is our tradition.  Mark decided we should cook the beef at low temps for hours, which we tried.  Unsuccessfully.  It was raw, barely warm in the center, so we put it back in the oven & raised the temp.  Made the beef a bit tough but it was good.  Anna the Vegetarian didn't complain or fuss, just ate her veggie burgers and burrito.  She's a peach.  I really had a fantastic time with her. 

My 2 trips to Montreal (one to pick up Anna, one to drop her off at the airport) were fine, though the roads were messy for both.  I can handle bad roads, have driven in far worse than those trips were.  I did miss the turn for the right bridge coming home Sat. night, though, which meant I went into the city and took a different bridge home.  Oh well, not a problem.  I just felt stoopid.

We had a nice beach walk in RI and the dogs loved it.  They ran full bore until they got tired, then Tess assumed her usual Official Greeter role and ran to the few other beach walkers who were there.  Treasure did get her feet wet but didn't do it on purpose--she was just chasing Tess (who is NOT afraid of the water).

I spent New Year's Eve with friends, having a nice dinner and good visit with them, their son & daughter-in-law and 5-month-old very vocal granddaughter.  The son has a dog from the same breeder I use, that looks just like Treasure but is better behaved, I think.  I only stayed there until 9, then went home & was in bed by 9:30.  Seems pretty typical of my friends and family.  Well, except for my sister, who stayed up for the fireworks that are part of Italy's celebration.

This weekend I have some paperwork to take care of, a dump run to make, and mittens to knit for my mother.  It's not going to be as cold (I'm SURE of that) so I can do some outdoor stuff.  I should walk the dogs--Anna walked to camp from my house through thing-deep drifts, a most admirable undertaking.  She liked seeing the white snow (as opposed to the brown snow she saw when living in Milwaukee).  Though I find snow to be really inconvenient, it was beautiful.  Guess it still is.