What a Winter

We are more than ready to get through December and plow our way into January.
Our neighbors on the East coast are getting what we have been experiencing all winter...snow, and lots of it.
So far this winter we have received 46 inches and the serious snow months are still ahead of us.
We have had a few sunny days and now the ice dams are forming on most buildings, like the ones on my office building.

Of course the water is now backing up into the building causing water issues. A company is supposed to show up today to steam the ice off the roof so the water can run off as opposed to back up.
It is always something. Keeps life interesting and exciting....tho I am sure there are other things that could do the same and be lest costly.
We visited my folks and the rest of my family this past weekend. I will have pictures soon.

Just a quick update

All is well out here at Coyote Ridge in spite of the whiter than normal winter.
We had another eight inches of snow Wednesday, but no wind this time. It was a cake walk rearranging the powder this time.
Our Christmas shopping is complete now. Early this morning we hitched up the horses and drove into town. One hour later, we were done. Of course several Internet purchases over the past few weeks helped get over the hump.
Looks like more white fluff in the forecast Monday and Monday night...4-6 inches. That is manageable.

No Longer Captive

Holy smokes....two posts in one day!
Our neighbor, farmer Scott, payed us a visit this afternoon to blow out the 6-8 foot drifts in our lane. It was impossible for us to blast through with our "normal" equipment, so we called in the big guns...a big John Deere, diesel and blower that could throw the snow into the next timezone.
Feel free to click on the pictures for a larger view.



With the wind packing the snow into concrete like drifts, even the super heavy equipment had to take a run at some of the drifts.
Of course with the snow comes some winter beauty as well. If you look carefully at these pictures you will see them glisten because of the ice we received prior to the blizzard. Also, the blue skies always look nice after nothing but white-out conditions. Click for larger images if you wish.



What a nice feeling to have the snow removed....time now for a big mug of hot chocolate!

WOW!

All I can say is WOW!
We had a winter blow here in Minnesota that now has it's place in the history books. About 20 inches of snow and winds of 40mph sustained with gusts of 55 mph. Combine that with cold temps and we had wind chills of 40 degrees below zero.
For the first time in our eight years living here at Coyote Ridge, we are seeking professional help removing snow.
We were able to clear the snow around the wooded property, but our one-third mile lane is out in the open and choked with snow drifts six feet high.
Hopefully later today one of our farmer neighbors will be here with a big tractor and blower to transfer the snow into the next county.
Traction is a problem because we received freezing rain before the snow started Friday night and early Saturday morning.


It was really hard to capture the drifts on the camera as we did not feel like trudging up the lane through the snow.
What is making the removal so difficult is the fact that the wind packed the snow into drifts making them feel like concrete when you run into them.
We were without power for a time yesterday. That only lasted about six hours so we felt very fortunate. Our gas fireplace keep us toasty warm with a steady temperature of 70 degrees inside compared to a ridiculous -30 degrees outside.
All is good now with the sun shining and the winds at a manageable level.

Storm Update

Now the National Weather Service is calling for a blizzard warning as opposed to the winter storm warning that they earlier issued.
Ten to 14 inches of snow with high winds causing 2-3 foot drifts. Wind chills are expected to be 30 degrees below zero.
If I can see through the blowing snow tomorrow, I will get some pictures.

Again?

Seems like the nasty winter weather likes to hit us on the weekends.
The NWS has issued a winter storm warning for us....eight inches of snow. That is not the problem. They are also calling for high winds causing blizzard like conditions and wind chills of 30 degrees below zero.
I am very glad the John Deere guys fixed my tractor. It now sports a new tie rod, new wear bars on the blower and an oil and filter change.
Here is a sneak peek and what the weather prognosticators are calling for:
... Winter Storm Warning in effect from 9 PM this evening to 6 am
CST Sunday...

The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued
a Winter Storm Warning for mixed precipitation... which is in effect from
9 PM this evening to 6 am CST Sunday. The Winter Storm Watch is no
longer in effect.


* Timing... significant snow beginning late this evening night and
lasting into late Saturday night.

* Main impact... 4 to 8 inches of snow is likely across south
central Minnesota.

* Other impacts... a period of freezing rain... sleet... and snow is
expected tonight into early Saturday... with potential ice
accumulations up to one tenth of an inch. Strong winds will
develop on Saturday... and may result in near blizzard
conditions... especially in open country. Wind chills will
plummet to around 30 below on Saturday night.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A Winter Storm Warning means significant amounts of
snow... sleet... and ice are expected or occurring. Strong winds are
also possible. This will make travel very hazardous or
impossible.

OK then...here we go!

Snow at the Ridge...Part Two

Since I don't do a very good job updating this blog every day, I thought I would stretch out the snow pictures into two sessions.
The snow is still here and it is still looking good so here you go with round two of snow pictures from Coyote Ridge.















So there we go, a Minnesota winter at Coyote Ridge. Thanks for stopping in.

Coyote Ridge Is Covered In Snow

We had a wonderful snowfall yesterday and last night out here in the woods. About seven inches of soft fluffy snow fell with no drifting...just the way we like it.
About the only problem we encountered was a broken tie rod on my tractor. Our wonderful neighbor came over with his tractor and blew out the lane and driveway. I used our backup blower (a walk behind)and had it drag me around the property to touch things up a bit. It sure is nice to have such thoughtful neighbors!
While I was following the snow blower around the property, Sue was busy with the camera getting some pictures for you to enjoy.
Welcome to a Minnesota winter!















After seeing all the snow pictures, I need to warm up a bit. Check back soon as we have more pictures and words to share with you.

Cabin Fever? Not yet

Today was a beautiful day (for Minnesota) so we decided to run down to our seasonal camping site on Rice Lake.
We couldn't believe the lack of snow down there. Granted, with temps in the low 40's today we were getting some melt, but down there they just had a few snow patches. Apparently they didn't get the foot of snow our area received a couple of weeks ago.
The place sure looks different with no leafs on the trees and so few campers. We left ours there for the winter. We figured, why haul it back when we would just turn around in the spring and drag it back down there.
We had the camera along and shot a few pictures for you.




While we were out we picked up some new wire shelving for some of the cabinets so that we can organize them a bit better. There was lots of wasted space and these shelves should fix that issue.

My...Your Hands Are Cold!

Many of us will be flying over the holidays and some are concerned about the new security measures being used by the TSA.
Here are a few lines that some travelers have been hearing.



Subject: The New TSA Slogans
________________________________________


Grope discounts available.

Can't see London, can't see France, unless we see your underpants.

If we did our job any better, we'd have to buy you dinner first.

Only we know if Lady Gaga is really a lady.

Don't worry, my hands are still warm from the last guy.

Throw a few back at the airport Chili's and you won't even notice.

Wanna fly? Open your fly!

We've handled more balls than Barney Frank.

We are now free to move about your pants

We rub you the wrong way, so you can be on your way.

It's not a grope. It's a freedom pat.

When in doubt, we make you whip it out.

TSA: Touchin', Squeezin', Arrestin'

You were a virgin.

We handle more packages than the USPS

The TSA isn't silly, they just want to inspect your willy.

Stroke of the hand, law of the land.

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem.

Let your fingers do the Walking.
Bend Over And Cough

Reach out and touch someone.

Can you feel me now?

When we're done with you, you'll need a cigarette

Plumbing and Electrical Work

We are remodeling the kitchen out here at Coyote Ridge. It is not a small undertaking, but we are doing in bite-size pieces.
We decided to go with stainless steel appliances, so off to the appliance store we went.
But first, let me back up.
Recently our upright freezer in the garage threw in the towel. With just the two of us here we thought we could get along without one.....wrong!
So, we thought since we had talked about up-grading the kitchen we would just buy a larger refrigerator. We went from an 18 cubic foot model to a 27 cubic foot beast. While we were at it we thought we might as well go with stainless...so we did. Of course the white stove looked out of place..it has been replaced with stainless. Now the white range hood looked out of place. Replaced with stainless. Of course the white microwave had to go....and it did. Oh my....look at that dishwasher, it looks so out of place....yup, you guessed it....replaced.
This weekend we replaced the dishwasher without too much blood shed.

The fridge, darn near a walk in cooler, needed a water line run to feed the in-door water spout, ice cube and crushed ice dispenser. That was surprisingly easy. We just tapped into the cold water line under the sink and drilled through the back of some cabinets to route the water line to the fridge.
I am happy to report....No leaks!

A Chili Day!

Well, It is that time of year again, break out the soup pot and let the fun begin.
We really enjoy making homemade soup for several reasons.
You know what you are getting in the ingredients, you can make it to your taste and the end product is just down right good!
Today's soup was chili made with seven kinds of beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, garlic, salsa, chili powder and six pounds of lean hamburger.



We make a very large kettle of soup and then freeze individual portions. It is a quick and easy meal after work. Thaw, heat and get out some good bread and you have a meal you just can't get downtown.

Our First Real Snow

We had our first "real" snow today...as opposed to a "fake" snow. Up until now we had a few flurries. So far we have six inches of the white stuff with about three more on the way.

We can't complain, as this is almost mid-November with temperatures the last two weeks running 20 degrees above average.

Fall Is Here

The last several weeks here in Minnesota have been amazing. Our temperatures have been anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees above normal with no rain.
About 75% of the leaves are off the trees now, but I did get a few pictures several weeks ago. The colors were past their prime, but you will get the general idea.





Today is another story. We are getting wind gusts up to 60 mph and the temps are in the low 40's at best. For sure, Fall is here!
We have a lot of trees here on Coyote Ridge and that means leaves everywhere. For the past four weeks or so we have been mowing and chopping the fallen leaves about every four days so that we can stay ahead of the game.
Now the fun begins trying to time out the last of the leaves coming down and the snow.
I try to keep the mower on the tractor for as long as possible and yet try to time it out so the snow blower is installed on it in time for the snow. I hate getting caught with snow and the mower is still installed in anticipation of getting all the leaves chopped.
Last week we winterized the camper for the winter. That is always a sad time, knowing that the season is over.