Blizzard

Sorry about the lull. Sometimes either I just don't have anything to say or nothing interesting happens in my life. The pictures above are from Saturday morning. No labels necessary ;)

So along with the rest of the northern Rockies the last few days, we had the worst blizzard yet this season. I was hunkered down at home sick trying to keep my cold and sinus infection from becoming strep or bronchitis. The wind blew and the house shook all day. And needless to say I had a few frosty ponies when I went out to feed yesterday afternoon. The lean-to doesn't do much except break the wind a little and keep the driving snow off of them. Even the hay shed had 2 inches of snow in it. As much as I tried to keep out of the weather, I had to dig out their stock tank so they at least have access to water. I really don't think they use it much and just eat snow anyway, but I don't need the animal rights people on my butt.

Electric fence update: it works! (knock on wood) Amigo doesn't seem to pay much attention to it, either that or he is just stupid. They've all been shocked by it and I have to say that I expected more of a reaction. Or at least more avoidance of the fence. Sara and Smooch seem to actually be a little upset at me and are taking it personally (there was some yelling and cussing going on the day I put it up, so that would explain why Smooch is upset...he's a little sensitive). Sara avoids the fence all together, however Amigo and Smooch get right up next to it. Amigo will actually put his head over it.

For those of you who want to know a little more about mules vs horses, mules are basically indestructible, however don't tolerate pain well. When mule is hurting, it will let you know. Horses on the other hand are the opposite. They are more easily hurt, but can tolerate the pain to a larger degree. Amigo for example, will ride all day when his feet are hurting. I wouldn't do it to him on purpose, but there you go, he'll do it. Sara on the other hand, from what the previous owner told me, would just as soon buck you off than suffer a saddle that didn't fit quite right. So maybe that's why my dumb horses don't entirely stay away from the wire....at least they respect it enough where I am confident they are not going over the fence.

So after I spent four hours using a borrowed snow blower last week to clear out the driveway and yard, I am snowed in again. I have drifts culminating over six feet high, and the driveway was over my bumper this morning. I meant to take pictures, but was distracted by having to dig out my truck after I tried to banzai a 50 foot long drift. I would have made it but got sucked into the deeper part of the drift. An hour and a half of shoveling later and another banzai run and I am out! It amazes me what that truck and a set of Toyo M-55 tires will get me through. But duh, why didn't I just put on the chains to begin with??? Oh yeah, I forgot I had those. For those of you who snob at big trucks, I want you to know that I use every inch of clearance just going to work in the morning.

I will sign off with this last photo. My birds are back! Well, they probably didn't go far to begin with, but I just haven't seen them in a while. These are my "pet" Grey Partridges. They are wild, so they don't get any help from me, but they are more than welcome to winter in my yard under the cover of the Service Berry bushes or the Spruce tree. There is a ferrell cat around that is knocking down their numbers and it is time for him to go. Aren't they cute? They are like a bunch of little clowns hopping around and digging in the snow and chasing each other. Sorry about the poor photo, but the wind was howling so I took the picture through my bedroom window.

Pain In My Butt

This is what I had to put up with all weekend


I finally got the electric fence extension up right at dark on Sunday no thanks to Smooch. He was worse than a kid tagging along. I had to put up with his face in everything I was doing: chewing, nudging, stealing (he pick-pockets pliers out of my pocket and steals the little plastic ribbon holders off of the poles). He almost chewed the ribbon in half before I could get it all strung and turn on the fence. It was interesting to watch their reactions when they touched the live wire for the first time. I was surprised that their reactions were so very mild, but the fence so far seems to be effective never-the-less. The good news is that I am that much farther along when it comes time to put up the pasture fence this spring, and the horses will be electric fence trained.

Smooch keeps impressing me every day with his intelligence, inquisitiveness, and level head. He should make a fine all around horse and a great trail horse if I keep exposing him to new stimuli and experiences. Nothing seems to bother him, in part because of good genetics, and in part because Amigo is such a good role model.

Here's one more video that shows he will play with anything including this piece of ice that got knocked off the fence while I was hammering.

Snow, Snow, and More Snow

Yes, it's been snowing hard here. The resort has had over three feet since Monday. They are up to the magic 100 inch base. Up in Felt on the hill I've probably had a couple of feet, plus whatever drifts the wind blew in. The horses will be able to walk over the corral soon, so it looks like I will be putting up electric fence extensions this weekend. They were on the back fence staring out this morning when I went out to feed, and they are usually at the gate to greet me (or the food rather) so I think they are plotting their escape. Actually more likely they were concerned about a moose or deer or something walking by, but they looked like they were plotting.

I've had some severe arthritis and tendinitis problems in my hand, so I am behind on my snow shoveling. The problem with this dry, soft powder snow we have here is that it drifts easily. No sooner you finish shoveling and it is back. I don't feel bad asking the landlord to borrow their snow blower because I hauled 2 tons of wood pellets for their stove in a snow storm during my lunch break earlier this week. Oh, and I had to thaw out the snow blower for them because the ding-bat left if out in a blizzard and the carb froze up.

In other news, a local 62 year old retiree second homeowner died when her car got stuck in a snow drift and she tried to walk the couple miles home in a blizzard. They found her frozen body half covered in snow around 3 am that morning. How sad, but it didn't have to happen if she would have thought things through and been prepared. I take it as a lesson to respect the weather and be prepared. So I am compelled to make a list here of the emergency equipment I have been gathering and toting around in the truck these last few weeks:

• One portable plastic snow shovel
• One extendable snow scraper / brush
• One 12V battery backup jump starter with air inflator, power inverter and work light
• One LED flashlight
• One survival kit (borrowed from the boat for the off-season) Nalgene water bottle with flashlight, compass, space blanket, pocket knife, matches, wind proof lighter, fire starters, and hand warmers inside
• One Leatherman tool
• One nylon tow strap
• Three 8' logging chains
• Three nylon tie down straps
• One blanket
• One army surplus wool blanket (also borrowed from the boat for the off-season)
• One set of snow shoes
• One plastic sled (the "red rocket", undefeated to date against the "tie-die torpedo"..ok, so this one's more for fun than emergency, but you never know)
• One set ski poles
• One package of beef jerky
• Chocolate (problem is I keep eating it and having to replace it)
• One first aid kit borrowed from the boat for the off-season
• One air horn and flare gun borrowed from the boat for the off-season (I basically just stole everything out of the emergency cabinet of the boat)
• One two pound hammer (handy to break things loose from ice or hammer frozen trailer couplings)
• One pair snow pants
• One windproof and waterproof hunter orange beanie cap
• One set insulated gloves
• One pair gators
• One set jumper cables
• One roll duct tape
• One roll electrical tape
• nylon zip ties, assorted sizes
• road flares
• One pair ski goggles
• Two pairs sun glasses
• One hatchet

Am I missing anything? I think I might add a scarf or balaclava to the mix.

Support Your Favorite Sports Junky

Take me out to the pharmacy
Take me out to the hood
Buy me some hormones and steroid smack
I don't care if there's hair on my back
Who gives a hoot for the home team
If I don't score it's a shame
(alternate line: It's all about me and my fame)
For it's one, two, three shots I'm good
At the old ball game
(words by Bryan Kabe, to the tune of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" music by Albert Von Tilzer, original lyrics by Jack Norworth)

Feel free to post this on your refrigerator as motivation for your kids.

Remember, spring training is around the corner. It's time to invest in HGH stocks!!

The obligatory new years post

So 2007 didn't go out with much of a bang for me. I kicked off New Year's eve with a little snow shoe trek with a co-worker and his wife up Teton Canyon. We ended up seeing 5 moose and I got these nifty albeit crummy quality videos of this cow and calf foraging amongst the willows. They were probably only 50 yards away and my camera seemed to have problems focusing.

After the snow shoe trek we drove up to Targhee Resort for the torch parade down the mountain and the fire works show. It was colder than a witch's hat and I was ready to go home. Daniel and Sara ended up eating at the resort and then did an hour on the tube hill which they said was a blast.

I got home, fed the horses and was in bed by 8:30. And that's it.

Will the real Big Foot please stand up...