Country Snow Challenges

It is going to be a challenge getting to those chickens today! Back in November, we moved them all to the smaller white building in the center so they are all together today to keep each other warm. Grampa Tom made sure they had plenty of food and water yesterday, but we still have to get out to get the eggs. It looks like there's a big drift along the garage and through the gate into the lot. UGH!

And yes, the electric pole is leaning ... against the garage actually ... that happened last summer ... maybe the summer before? Grampa Tom says it's not going anywhere. He's got other priorities ...

Other than getting to the chicken shed, we don't have anywhere we have to be the next few days. Good thing! If this wind doesn't lie down, we could be snowed in for a few days. Our road commissioner does a great job and we have 4-wheel drive on the truck, so it's not like the old days.

Grampa Tom and I kinda like being snowed in   The first time I came here was in the winter of '78- '79. We had just started dating. There was a huge snow storm that left us both stranded in Keokuk at a friends house. After 3 days, the roads in town and the highways were finally cleared enough for us to get out, but not home. (We both lived in the country.) We went for a drive and Grampa showed me where he lived. 

He said, "See that white house over there? That's my house. There are 11 kids there right now. My folks are in Huston. They had some friends over the night it stormed so bad and their parents weren't able to come get them."

I was horrified and asked how far it was to the house. He said about a half mile so I suggested we walk over there and check on them. We got over the fence and found ourselves in waist-deep snow, but we figured it wouldn't be so deep once we got out in the field. We were wrong. It was waist-deep all the way across. Took us 2 hours and the temperature dove 20 degrees as we waded across. It was another 3 days before we were able to leave. The kids were alright. I shouldn't have been so concerned. They were all teen and pre-teen country kids who knew how to take care of themselves, We were all of 20 years old and not any more capable, but I'm glad we did it. Made for some wonderful memories!

God Bless You All!

~Grama Sue

The Weather Outside is Frightful - But Look What's Growing!

Well, the weather outside is frightful,

But the fire in the corn stove is so delightful.

 

Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow!

 

There are 4 shelves and an ottoman full of plants in my living room. This window faces north east, but fortunately I have some grow lights that I put on when the sun starts to go down. I leave them on till I go to bed. That doesn't seem to be quite enough light, but I've only killed one plant so far! One of my momma aloes is on the left, Then I have a pot with some lemon grass and some volunteer chard. Do not ask me how it got in there, but it has tasted good this winter. Next winter I think I'll dedicate a whole pot to it! On the bottom there is a partial onion that I found at the back of my fridge that was growing. Thought I might as well put it in some dirt. 

This is the bottom shelf of the northeast window. I'm pretty sure I killed the thyme, I'm waiting to see if it will come back. If it doesn't, I have a few catnip seeds that I'm gonna plant in it. I put the packet in the  pot when I found it the other day so I don't loose it. There's also basil, some local rosemary and a celery base that I stuck in some dirt.

This is the southeast window. I've got some lemon balm, a begonia start that one of my elderly clients gave me, the orange tree than my grand kids planted and the rosemary that I brought home from my mom's house in California the last time I visited there. 

This is the bottom shelf and the ottoman. I've got some holy basil on the far left, a sweet basil that isn't doing so hot at the center  back, an elderberry start, some lavender and a ton of aloe! I gave away one of my momma plants and several babies after the markets ended last year, but I will have plenty when the markets start again in the spring. I've had to plant a bunch in cups and put them in a basket lined with a plastic bag. They are sitting on the ottoman because the only other window in my house that has anything to sit it on is in the kids room and I keep it closed when they aren't here. It just gets to cold there.  I have  a grow light on them at night too.

What do you have growing in your house?

God Bless You All!

~Grama Sue