The Big Freeze...

...Brings Big Melts!

In more ways than one!

Melting the old records and setting new ones.

Melting of the mind and wishing to see summer blooms;

Melting the energy of your body just to survive and help others to survive.

Yet there is that melting in your heart when you see a smile from an elderly

person happy to see you, or thankful for your help;

or when clutching a new calf which was frozen to the ground

upon birth, adding warmth and life to it snuggled in your arms.

There is that melting of the heart when you see the gleam in a

grandchilds eye as you sled down a snowcovered hill together!

It's all worth it when your heart melts!

Records were broke around here...and I must admit,

I was not thrilled about being a part of this history process!

First a big 'deep freeze', then deep snow...all uncommon to this part.

Actually, the locals up to 75 years old can't remember anything like what we've had!

Minus 18 degrees were our lows and highs reached up to 5 degrees for an eight day stretch.

We won't calculate in the wind chill.

28 inches of snow fell, not counting the drifts.

This kind of weather calls for too much energy to be spent, daily!

No, not the dollar energy....but the inner energy that one must muster

from the depth of your sluggish brain, your arguing muscles!

Fighting off the screams of your heart begging to curl up

in front of the fire and hibernate until it all passes!

But Oh no…in this weather, that is not possible!

• Tons of energy is spent just trying to add clothing for the onslaught of what is beyond the warmth of your doors! It can take 10-15 minutes just to get dressed for the elements! It's no wonder I love summer!
• Fires must be kept dancing to ward off the bone chilling winds that will creep in every chance it gets!
• Engines need a long warm up time before heading out the drive...IF the battery is still willing to hold a charge! Make sure you have plenty of fuel! (It's a good thing prices have gone down)

This is a time when neighbors help neighbors! Whether it is helping with chopping drinking holes in the creeks for the horses and/or cattle with axes; checking in on the elderly widower living alone along the Snake River and helping with his sick or brand new calves that need to go inside; time for hauling in firewood for someone who can’t safely get outdoors;
or to break the ice dams formed in someones roof because they can't;
and it's a time to sit with someone who is lonely during the holidays,
whether they are stranded by the weather or not.

The Big Freeze that hit with sudden urgency… stymied life, shocked everyone.

• Travel came to halt.
• Footings were lost (and my bum is proof!)
• Electricity came and went without notice or care (luckily, I timed my baking just right!)
• My camera held with good intentions of ‘capturing’ this history in the making, got left on a bale of hay somewhere when yet another urgent matter showed it’s face (yes…that would be my cheap but still useful trusty camera! Maybe some cow will become computer literate one of these days and post the photos for me!)

Then Snow Fell! Then more Snow! And even more Snow! Falling like there was no end!

• Thankfully(?), the temperature now warmed up to 13 degrees by day!
• Roads were closed
• Mail was delivered or not...depending
• Driveways impassable
• Roof lines blended into the hillside
• Shoveling & plowing seemed like a waste of time and energy

Two solid days were spent on the phone with the kids coming home,
one from the Fargo, ND line, the other from So. Calif!
Approximately 1400 miles for each and one worried Mom!
Thank goodness THEY had cell phones so I could keep up with their scary travels!

Two days ago…the temperatures rose! They climbed to a balmy 48 degrees!
Most of the snow is gone today! Mountains of 'pushed' snow remain!
*

Did I mention... the melt down also meant we would have leaking roofs caused by
the huge ice dams from all the valleys of our roof, running into gutters?
(who ever invented gutters should be shot! They are of no benefit in this kind of weather)

Did I mention...the daily drippings from the roof created by the chimney's heat,
would cause frozen huge ice icicles and large blocks...
disabling and then 'Breaking’ my satellites....Dish TV and Wild Blue Internet!!
(It could be that they are only meant to take so many beatings from humans!!!)

Did I mention... a broken drain pipe under the house?
This old house has ‘tunnels’ for crawl spaces, barely fit for a human body.
This broken pipe will have to wait....

I am now washing dishes in the deep sink in the laundry room that
almost became non-existant because the weight of ice and thawing of snow
tried it's darnest to cave in this part of the house!

Did I mention...I HATE WINTER???
*

But Life is good...Wonderful Memories were made...

Since I've been out of touch here I want to wish you all a belated Merry Christmas!
My old blogging friends and my many new ones!
I hope your Holiday was filled with love, fun, and memories!

Now...Come on Spring!! I'm ready for you!
No more Carharts, scarves & mittens!
Just barefeet, shorts & tank tops!

O Christmas Tree...

...O Christmas Tree..

Christmastime has always been a hard season for me…but this year?
Our greatest joys will be here to share it with us! Our kids and families!
Our Christmases have never been about gifts for us (they are rarities around here).

..it's a time meant to be shared with family~ full of gags, giggles and games.

THIS year, I am counting the days to the kids arrival!

13 days...and counting until Dec. 20th

O Christmas Tree!

Where oh where can the Christmas tree be?
Papa (Cowboy) says "We have to have a Christmas Tree...just for you!"

Is it at some Christmas tree farm?
Should I weave in and out between the Noble firs

or the Douglas firs?

Should it be a Blue Spruce or Cedar?

Those perfectly manicured trees tended by

man and machine are so perfect!

Too perfect!
They are not for me.
(Besides..they cost money!)

I wish I could meander through the beautiful forest, checking each tree for texture and cohesion.
Find the perfect one all twisted and lopsided. I know I'm strange, but I love the ones no others do!
Forests are peaceful; enchantingly beautiful. THAT would be my ideal scenario.
It was one of my favorite times during the holidays as a child. Today, in our state, permits are issued for Christmas Tree hunting in some of our forests, but we are not close to any.

Sometimes, the best Christmas Tree is found in your own front yard!
It can provide a beautiful Holiday display~ year after year.

Ahhh...If only we had one...
That would be magnificent, but the only evergreens
in my close proximity are 40 foot pines out back.

O Christmas Tree! Where for art thou?

The countdown is on for the grandkids arrival! I have so much to do!

Please Please, come out whereever you are!

Ahhhhhhhh.......Haaaaaaaa..

There you are!

Right where you got put the last time we used you!
Whenever that was! Imagine that!

And it's a FAKE!
(remnants of our AZ days..what can I say)

You are hiding behind our more

frequently used items...
like snow boots we have not needed

to bring upstairs...yet. Yea!
Of course we have no need for the picnic basket! Darn!

I dislike FAKE trees but I do have the aroma's filtering throughout

of a warm fire.

I will light some candles of

Christmas scents.

Hopefully, that will do the trick.

*

I've got so much to do because it has been 15 years since we've had
Christmas at Our house~with the kids! And now it's more than just two!
I'm not even sure where to begin!

I've made my list, and checked it twice.
I've remade it and added to it so many times, I'm so lost!

Since there are no gifts for wrapping, I should do some decorating.

There's always that cleaning to be done, menu's to plan.

And we cannot forget about some goodies!

Candies need to be made along with cookies, cinnamon rolls and other sweet breads.

The Grandkids will want to help some too, especially with the Santa treats!

I will wait on making those.

*

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Well, not yet, but soon!

I'll be away a lot, not Away as in a Manger, Away...just Away in a major way!
Trying to accomplish all that needs done around here before the family arrives.

Maybe I will even catch a few Zzzz's...

I will try to stop in and see what you're up to once in awhile.
I know you all are in the Holiday spirit and buzy as bees too.

Maybe this blogland will slow down a wee bit so I don't get
so far behind trying to stay caught up!

Happy Days...

...are here again!

(I will take them as they come…with pure delight!)

Is it not what I see others doin'?
"Skywatch Friday"
This would fit the profile, right?

...Fooled you!...

This was Thursday's beautiful morning!

It is what I discovered upon waking crumpled on the sofa after falling asleep on my night owl vigil!
A perpetual occurrence, sometimes annoying, where my brain refuses to quit.
In the wee hours, thy body had other plans...

"Oh, just sit for a moment and let your brain shut down".....it winced.
Ok..you get no argument from me.

Hours or minutes passed, I will never know.
But morning came with a boorish jolt, laughing with wickedness as I fiercely tried to unlock the kinks, crammed with grumbles and groans. I rolled like a twisted ball of yarn onto the floor!
Untangling the web that bound my feet, wondering if I had tumbled from a dream I was in,
I found myself squinting through the window panes....

My smile quickly replaced my frown.
Is it not the most magnificent sight?

Bright Brilliant Blue Skies!

See the nests in the Hawthorne tree? (there’s actually 5 )
Rest assured, there are no chirpers sleeping in them. Brrrr!
They were wiser than I and took to the skies awhile ago,

soaring to warmer parts of the world...
…why they didn't invite me, I’ll never know!

(see gel...I wasn't kidding)
(and No, it is not 'Peyton Place' today Janice….(smiling...)

C'mon...sing along..!
Be Happy....
1...
2...
3...here we go…

*
*
"Sunday, Monday, Happy Days.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Happy Days.
Thursday, Friday, Happy Days.
Happy times and Happy nights.
Happy days Are here again! "

"Happy days are here again!
The skies are clear and blue, again.
So, lets sing a song of cheer again
Happy days.. Are.. here.. again!"

Go enjoy your day!

Go on!

Micotil...

...can kill!

Micotil is an antibiotic, purchased only through a licensed Veterinarian, used to control respiratory disease in cattle (BRD). (read more here)
Cattlemen like the drug because of its lower per dose volume, cost per treatment and quick reaction time. Because it is quite expensive, most cattlemen use Micotil after other attempts have failed, or the animal’s condition is quite critical.
For humans, this a drug that may have no treatment depending on the amount and route injected or ingested. The minimum amount of this medication needed to cause a fatality when injected into a human is not known.

So why the heck am I posting about this Micotil drug?
I’m sure it is of little or no concern of yours,

but this is my blog and I feel like posting about it!

My Cowboy’s entire life has been spent in the Ag world.
He has been kicked and bit; knocked down and dumped; dragged and tossed;

landed on his ass and even his head; broke his back and most other bones;

you name it, it’s happened…more than once!

Needle pricks are ignored when doctoring stock so we won't even try to count these either!
I’m sure if I did some research, I’d find that the quantity of his ‘encounters’

would surely be deemed illegal!

Heck, he’s first to admit that he is more than lucky to walking, riding, let alone living!

But, a Cowboy is who my Cowboy is!

That is how he hopes to take his last breath...

…doing exactly what he enjoys most in life!

Yes, I worry more and more the older we get as the healing and recuperating process is not quite as easy or as quick as it once was!
Today, he came home from working cattle down the road about 2pm.

He walks in the door gimping (which really is his natural gait nowadays),

covered in blood and holding his hand.
I know the workings of his brain, and pain, as well as I know my own!

“What happened?” I asked.

“Nothing much, I just had to doctor around 18 head” he says.

“Was anyone there helping you?”

“No, just Me, Myself and I ... that’s enough” he declared.

“So why is there blood all over you?” I ask with more concern.

“Oh, I got these three fingers smashed in a gate…by a heifer..

…after getting stabbed with a needle” he replies matter-of-factly.

“Not with Micotil, I hope!” stating a bit louder and with silent concern.

Cowboy barely lifting his eyes to look at me...

“Yep…no big deal though! It was over an hour ago and I’m still alive aren’t I?” he says.

“Shit!” (sorry! Readers) I muttered, quickly traversing through my brain for all the knowledge I have on the drug.

“NO BIG DEAL…Barb! I’ll be fine! I’m hungry and I’m going to take a nap. If I wake up dead…then you can worry!”

Well, now that is a relief! Wake up dead!

I hurriedly fed him, stoked the fire and instantly he fell asleep (he can do that so easily!).

I know him so well, that had I called a Dr., he would have been somewhat upset with me!

We’ve probably been to the Dr. 20 times between the two of us in all our years together.

That is just S.O.P. in our household. (Cowboy has continued working many times with broken arms, ankles etc…until the job is complete, those would be posts within themselves! )

So, I only had to wait a moment for the Zzzz’s to overtake him.
I ran to the computer and typed in Micotil !
When I came to this sentence:
“The minimum amount of this medication needed to cause a fatality

when injected into a human is not known.”

(here's a few cases)

I grabbed a phone and called the Dr.
Not knowing an exact amount that could have penetrated, the Dr. told me to watch for any signs of dizziness, rapid heart rate, chest pain, anxiety or lightheadedness.

....Oh! Isn't that normal when he loves his W.O.W.?.....

I told him that Cowboy said it bled quite profusely~ which turns out to be a good thing!

Cowboy and I have both, worked with Micotil since it arrived on the US market in 1992.

(Canada was 1990). We’ve witnessed the wonderful benefits of its use when necessary.

We know the implications of mishandling.
But no matter how much respect you have for Micotil,

no matter how prepared you are and how safe you try to be when doctoring cattle...
…Shit Happens!

Obviously, Cowboy woke from his nap…ALIVE! Or I wouldn’t be here now!
Yes, there is quite a bit of swelling and still some inflammation and pain, but he is fine.
Phewwwww!

I Have Been...

...this past week.

In more ways than one!

We had the return of the hunters (the ‘good’ ones)
for their last attempt of filling bird bags;

Complete with muddy floors, boisterous male chatter,
and my merciless time spent cooking.
Five days worth!

I have never been so glad to see a Sunday evening end with only the two of us...
...peace, quiet and alone at last!

No more guns, ammo, camo's or tons of testosterone!

This hunting "lodge" is

CLOSED FOR THE SEASON!

(Maybe, even permanently...I like that thought!)

~
There has been an incessant bout of the "hiccups" with my
old dilapidated computer- which irritates me to no end!
~
I was attacked with a flu-like bug, invading my whole being.
I never get sick! Not enough to make me slow down or give in.
~
Could it be from all the stress the Cabela's Men created in my life?
Five weeks worth?

~
Then there is Cowboy.
He has been day working for that fellow down the road; more.... than not.
That fellow got bucked off his horse so badly, he can do very little on his own.
It is a blessing in disguise for us, as a little extra income helps to lower our stress.
..But..
I worry every day Cowboy is gone as the lands that he is riding herd on,
are part of the Palouse River cliffs…..

..the likes of this...which is only a few miles away from us.

It has been so foggy around here, literally!
One can barely see 50 feet in front of you!

Look at these cliffs, picture them all swathed in fog!
Perch yourself on the back a young inexperienced horse,
winding along the narrow trails and ledges in search for cattle,
gather them and move them down to the corrals below...
...a long these same paths!

Can you see why I worry?

Of course, Cowboy had to add to my worries by admitting there are places and moments
...that gives him the feeling of having a few butterflies
fluttering around inside his belly!

He rides alone.
No cell phones, no people in this nowhere land..
just him and his horse in God's country!
And he's content.
~

Yet today…December 1, the fog lifted, the skies opened up & the sun shined upon me!

I grasped at the warm winter hands, to be guided around my once thriving

and colorful beds that I tend to and nurture all summer.

Lo and behold!
There are still a few things able to bring joy to my heart!

Here, a few Mums still cling to life with their last breath,
as the Asters in back sag sadly in solemn grace.

Violas continue their blooms in yellows, whites and blues, nestled with baby lavenders.

They are so prolific; they have dotted themselves in every bed!

To my euphoric delight, I find Sweet Williams,
adding a splendid array due to the warmth of this Winter!
These being my favorite, these special flowers whispered to me...

..."the foggy times are passing, and three short months from now,
we shall begin our rebirth splaying our beauty for your eyes to enjoy!"
"We will add warmth to your heart and rekindle your spirit!"
"Patience, my dear, Cowboy's Wife! Patience.."

With tranquility and benevolence; with nurturing and devotion,
I know from the depth of my soul, that life will once again shimmer & flourish,
thrusting the foggiest days of this past month to the backyard of my memory..
This knowledge, this 'tour' today...renewed my hopes!

Today’s display of soft blue overhead~ was a gift!
I desperately needed the sun to cleanse my mind of the gloomy
~and even foggy~ November days.
As I discovered the treasures of life, wrapping their hues around me..
…I began making room in my life for a wondrous December!