Sunday afternoon I got surprised with a visit from Carol and her dear friend Robin.
Robin came over from England to enjoy a vacation in Canada. I met Robin on my birthday party and it was really nice to see him again and show him my little homestead. He really liked the cabin and the wood stove with the burning logs, that made it cozy warm. They had brought cream, ground coffee, French apple strudels and delicious cookies. The cookies are Australian and called Tim Tam. The cool thing of these lovely chocolate covered, kind of wafer cookies is that you bite a piece of the ends, then you dip one end in your coffee and then suck the coffee through the other end and then you eat the whole cookie. Wow! It just melts in your mouth and taste SO good! Thank you Robin, for teaching this funny but delicious way of eating a cookie. Hahaha! Now I got a real favourite cookie! Wish you a good trip back home again. It was great meeting you. Let me know when you have build your ‘Little House on the Prairy’ cabin. LOL
When Carol and Robin left, I went to give the horses their crunchies and some mineral salt. Carol was so kind to bring that also. The horses love it and it is very good for them. Thanks Carol! :-)
Now the weather was so great this whole fall. But you turn around for a second and.....POOF! WINTER!
It started Monday with rain that soon turned into snow. I was home and my plan was to just go for the day to the cabin to care for the animals and go back home for the night. When I got up in the morning and looked outside, the world turned all white.
With Scruffy in the back seat, I drove to the acreage. Highway was ok. But oh boy, the grid roads were terrible. Wet, muddy, slippery.....no fun to drive! Normally I drive 70 or 80 km ph there. Now I didn’t pass the 60. I made it safe to the cabin and it just kept snowing.
The weather man on the radio said that it would slow down during the day. Well....he was wrong.
Amazing. Weather people can be so wrong many times, but never get fired. LOL
Anyway...I had to make up my mind. Go back, or stay? If it would keep snowing, the roads would only get worse. At the end of the afternoon I figured I better stay put. It kept coming down. I had enough food, water, toilet paper (very important! LOL) and I still had wine. I texted Paul to let him know I wouldn't come home. We always check in on each other, especially when I'm at the cabin and he is home alone.
The cats were very happy I think. They could go in and out whenever they want. They know I will open that door for them 20 times a day. Hahaha! For Dizzy it was her first snow to play in. She was born December 17 last year and never got outside until she came to the acreage. I had to laugh so much because she was totally surprised. She couldn’t figure out what that white stuff was. She had to look out of each window!! When she was outside, she just stood and looked around. When I went to feed the horses, the cats and dog always go with me. Now they did too, and Dizzy and Taz both ran around, totally happy, through the snow. Flicka and Freya looked wet from the rain and later the snow. They were very excited to see me coming with their feed and salt. Once they were eating from their bowl, I started to put some hay in for them to munch on. There is still lots of grass for them to eat, but in this weather I want to be sure they stay warm. They loved it.
One thing is a worry with snow and ice. The stairs. I really need to build a railing of some kind. Something to hold onto. Those steps get very slippery and I don’t like to use salt too much. The animals also use the stairs and will lick their paws so no. Not a good idea. I swiped the steps clean and going off the stairs, I just go very slow. Scruffy doesn’t seem to have any problems with it. Her nails give her a good grip I suppose. I have to get my grippers out of the closet soon to put under my shoes or boots.
I did some small chores and read most of the time. Of course I did not bring my phone charger or my laptop, because I wasn’t planning to stay. But I got a few books so beside listening to the radio I read. Oh and did some word puzzles. Got a little puzzle book too. I kept texting limited and for the night I shut the phone off to safe my battery. When I go on the road again in these conditions, I don’t like to be without a phone.
I had a great supper. A can of Irish Stew, with some bread and a glass of wine. LOL As a dessert I had a coffee with the leftover Tim Tam cookies. Mmmmmm!
The more snow fell, the more beautiful it got all around the yard. Everything became very calm and still. So peaceful. At 6 pm it was dark and it was still snowing. My first snow while staying at the cabin. I love it. I hope I will still love it in January. Hahahaha!
I went to bed around midnight and slept until 5 in the morning. The cats got wild and they made loud noises that woke me up. It was around 15 C in the cabin so I made a new fire in the stove. I fed the cats and then let them out so they could go wild there instead inside. On the radio they said it was minus 2 C so not too bad. Soon the stove was going well. Within one and a half hour it was a pleasant 21 C. I had made coffee of course and while sipping from my cup, I listened to music and cleaned up in the kitchen. At 6.30 am I could see the yard again by the light of dawn and at 7 am it was light again. Over twelve hours of darkness and it is only end of October. I love the short days because of the cosiness of an early evening. But I miss the long days because you can get so much more stuff done outside. Plus it is also warmer. LOL
The first thing I had to do was remove the snow from the steps and the truck. It wasn’t just snow. We had freezing rain that was underneath the snow. My work gloves got pretty wet from getting the snow of the truck. And my feet got cold. Sneakers aren’t the best shoes to wear in this weather. I made a list later of things I should take to the cabin for cold weather. Extra gloves and mittens, a scarf and hat. Snow boots. After I was warmed up in the cabin, I went to feed the horses. I had to break the ice in their water bowl and I fill it up. The water in the bottles was also frozen at the top so I had to shake the bottles well to break it so I could pour it out. Soon I will have to take the bottles in the cabin to keep them from freezing.
This was the first day it did not come above freezing. We had night frost, but during the day the temperatures were still very nice. Now slowly we are getting into winter and before we know it will freeze night and day. But tomorrow afternoon it will get 5 C and a little sunshine will help a lot.
At 9 am I had to lit the stove again. I wasn’t paying attention and it went down and it cooled of fast. While keeping an eye on the fire I cleaned up some more. There is always something to clean. Cups, garbage can, counter, emptying the dirty water bucket. I also made some more kindling. Went outside, took a few big logs, and with the axe I cut them in small pieces. The next fire will be easy to start with enough kindling. Kindling goes very fast! It takes a lot to get a good fire going.
My first snow experience while staying at the cabin was awesome. Yes, it does give lots of extra work to do, like removing the snow and making sure not to slip on the deck or stairs or anywhere. It’s a little more effort to stay dry and warm. But I just love how quiet it gets everywhere. While it was snowing, I didn’t hear a bird or squirrel or coyotes. At times at night I could see stars appear, when the sky cleared up for a little while. It’s like a fairy tale. I also like it to see the tracks of animals in the snow. Well, this time I only noticed the little foot prints of the cats and then some bigger ones of the dog. But I’m sure going deeper in winter I will see lots other ones too, like from deer, elk, moose or rabbits and foxes. Deep in winter bears also hibernate, which is nice. I never have seen a bear in the yard, but I’m sure they are around somewhere. I’ve seen them not that far from the acreage. The dog keeps them out of the yard, and probably also the noises coming from the cabin. Maybe also the smell of smoke from the chimney. I don’t know. But never have seen one bear in the yard so far. Knock wood! I don’t feel the urge to meet a bear up close. Hahaha!
Robin came over from England to enjoy a vacation in Canada. I met Robin on my birthday party and it was really nice to see him again and show him my little homestead. He really liked the cabin and the wood stove with the burning logs, that made it cozy warm. They had brought cream, ground coffee, French apple strudels and delicious cookies. The cookies are Australian and called Tim Tam. The cool thing of these lovely chocolate covered, kind of wafer cookies is that you bite a piece of the ends, then you dip one end in your coffee and then suck the coffee through the other end and then you eat the whole cookie. Wow! It just melts in your mouth and taste SO good! Thank you Robin, for teaching this funny but delicious way of eating a cookie. Hahaha! Now I got a real favourite cookie! Wish you a good trip back home again. It was great meeting you. Let me know when you have build your ‘Little House on the Prairy’ cabin. LOL
When Carol and Robin left, I went to give the horses their crunchies and some mineral salt. Carol was so kind to bring that also. The horses love it and it is very good for them. Thanks Carol! :-)
Now the weather was so great this whole fall. But you turn around for a second and.....POOF! WINTER!
It started Monday with rain that soon turned into snow. I was home and my plan was to just go for the day to the cabin to care for the animals and go back home for the night. When I got up in the morning and looked outside, the world turned all white.
With Scruffy in the back seat, I drove to the acreage. Highway was ok. But oh boy, the grid roads were terrible. Wet, muddy, slippery.....no fun to drive! Normally I drive 70 or 80 km ph there. Now I didn’t pass the 60. I made it safe to the cabin and it just kept snowing.
The weather man on the radio said that it would slow down during the day. Well....he was wrong.
Amazing. Weather people can be so wrong many times, but never get fired. LOL
Anyway...I had to make up my mind. Go back, or stay? If it would keep snowing, the roads would only get worse. At the end of the afternoon I figured I better stay put. It kept coming down. I had enough food, water, toilet paper (very important! LOL) and I still had wine. I texted Paul to let him know I wouldn't come home. We always check in on each other, especially when I'm at the cabin and he is home alone.
The cats were very happy I think. They could go in and out whenever they want. They know I will open that door for them 20 times a day. Hahaha! For Dizzy it was her first snow to play in. She was born December 17 last year and never got outside until she came to the acreage. I had to laugh so much because she was totally surprised. She couldn’t figure out what that white stuff was. She had to look out of each window!! When she was outside, she just stood and looked around. When I went to feed the horses, the cats and dog always go with me. Now they did too, and Dizzy and Taz both ran around, totally happy, through the snow. Flicka and Freya looked wet from the rain and later the snow. They were very excited to see me coming with their feed and salt. Once they were eating from their bowl, I started to put some hay in for them to munch on. There is still lots of grass for them to eat, but in this weather I want to be sure they stay warm. They loved it.
One thing is a worry with snow and ice. The stairs. I really need to build a railing of some kind. Something to hold onto. Those steps get very slippery and I don’t like to use salt too much. The animals also use the stairs and will lick their paws so no. Not a good idea. I swiped the steps clean and going off the stairs, I just go very slow. Scruffy doesn’t seem to have any problems with it. Her nails give her a good grip I suppose. I have to get my grippers out of the closet soon to put under my shoes or boots.
I did some small chores and read most of the time. Of course I did not bring my phone charger or my laptop, because I wasn’t planning to stay. But I got a few books so beside listening to the radio I read. Oh and did some word puzzles. Got a little puzzle book too. I kept texting limited and for the night I shut the phone off to safe my battery. When I go on the road again in these conditions, I don’t like to be without a phone.
I had a great supper. A can of Irish Stew, with some bread and a glass of wine. LOL As a dessert I had a coffee with the leftover Tim Tam cookies. Mmmmmm!
The more snow fell, the more beautiful it got all around the yard. Everything became very calm and still. So peaceful. At 6 pm it was dark and it was still snowing. My first snow while staying at the cabin. I love it. I hope I will still love it in January. Hahahaha!
I went to bed around midnight and slept until 5 in the morning. The cats got wild and they made loud noises that woke me up. It was around 15 C in the cabin so I made a new fire in the stove. I fed the cats and then let them out so they could go wild there instead inside. On the radio they said it was minus 2 C so not too bad. Soon the stove was going well. Within one and a half hour it was a pleasant 21 C. I had made coffee of course and while sipping from my cup, I listened to music and cleaned up in the kitchen. At 6.30 am I could see the yard again by the light of dawn and at 7 am it was light again. Over twelve hours of darkness and it is only end of October. I love the short days because of the cosiness of an early evening. But I miss the long days because you can get so much more stuff done outside. Plus it is also warmer. LOL
The first thing I had to do was remove the snow from the steps and the truck. It wasn’t just snow. We had freezing rain that was underneath the snow. My work gloves got pretty wet from getting the snow of the truck. And my feet got cold. Sneakers aren’t the best shoes to wear in this weather. I made a list later of things I should take to the cabin for cold weather. Extra gloves and mittens, a scarf and hat. Snow boots. After I was warmed up in the cabin, I went to feed the horses. I had to break the ice in their water bowl and I fill it up. The water in the bottles was also frozen at the top so I had to shake the bottles well to break it so I could pour it out. Soon I will have to take the bottles in the cabin to keep them from freezing.
This was the first day it did not come above freezing. We had night frost, but during the day the temperatures were still very nice. Now slowly we are getting into winter and before we know it will freeze night and day. But tomorrow afternoon it will get 5 C and a little sunshine will help a lot.
At 9 am I had to lit the stove again. I wasn’t paying attention and it went down and it cooled of fast. While keeping an eye on the fire I cleaned up some more. There is always something to clean. Cups, garbage can, counter, emptying the dirty water bucket. I also made some more kindling. Went outside, took a few big logs, and with the axe I cut them in small pieces. The next fire will be easy to start with enough kindling. Kindling goes very fast! It takes a lot to get a good fire going.
My first snow experience while staying at the cabin was awesome. Yes, it does give lots of extra work to do, like removing the snow and making sure not to slip on the deck or stairs or anywhere. It’s a little more effort to stay dry and warm. But I just love how quiet it gets everywhere. While it was snowing, I didn’t hear a bird or squirrel or coyotes. At times at night I could see stars appear, when the sky cleared up for a little while. It’s like a fairy tale. I also like it to see the tracks of animals in the snow. Well, this time I only noticed the little foot prints of the cats and then some bigger ones of the dog. But I’m sure going deeper in winter I will see lots other ones too, like from deer, elk, moose or rabbits and foxes. Deep in winter bears also hibernate, which is nice. I never have seen a bear in the yard, but I’m sure they are around somewhere. I’ve seen them not that far from the acreage. The dog keeps them out of the yard, and probably also the noises coming from the cabin. Maybe also the smell of smoke from the chimney. I don’t know. But never have seen one bear in the yard so far. Knock wood! I don’t feel the urge to meet a bear up close. Hahaha!