Snowstorm

Yesterday, it rained most of the day. But come evening, it turned to snow. By this morning, there was a 5 inch layer of wet sloppy snow. The wind was out of the south and the temperature in the low 30s.

Harland was out before 7am shoveling…

IMG_20150201_070916302_HDR

and feeding the barncats….

IMG_20150201_071116819_HDR

We drove up to our farm to feed the heifers and check on the cows. The wet snow had layered thickly on every surface, making even mundane scenes beautiful.

snow01

snow06

The heifers were glad to see us.

snow02

snow03

These are the replacement heifers held back from the calves that were born last spring. They’ll join the herd next year when they have their first calves.

The cows looked ok too. They had plenty of hay.

snow04

After taking care of chores, we headed back home for a cup of coffee. Our house looked especially nice in the snow.

snow07

We headed back out about 7:45am to go to a local volunteer fire department fundraiser, a pancake and sausage breakfast.  The roads hadn’t been bladed and it was like driving in soft peanut butter. But the snow was beautiful.

snow09

snow11

 

Pony Creek

Pony Creek

snow12

Pony Creek

Pony Creek

Near town the wind switched directions and began blowing fiercely out of the north.  Harland put our “free will donation” into the fireman boot at the head of the line, we got our plates and found a seat.

IMG_20150201_085033474_HDR

They had a pretty good crowd considering the weather.

We saw a few friends there and had the usual conversations: the price of cattle, the weather, road conditions, etc.

After breakfast, we picked up a few things at the grocery store and started for home.

The going was slow.

snow14

The wind whipped up the snow making for white-out conditions in places.

After we got home, we headed back to the farm where Harland picked up the skid steer loader and drove it back home. We’ll use it tomorrow morning to clear out the driveway. The wind is blowing about 40mph hour this afternoon making drifts everywhere. The temp has dropped 10 degrees since this morning. It’s supposed to drop down to zero tonight with below-zero wind chill. Luckily the wind is expected to die down some after midnight.

We’re staying in for the rest of today. Harland is catching up on some bookkeeping. Kitty and Muffy are sleeping.

IMG_20150201_141404757_HDR

IMG_20150201_141412562_HDR

Later, I’ll make spaghetti and homemade meatballs for supper. We might watch a movie. Then to bed where we’ll snuggle down beneath our electric blanket and listen to the wind howl around the house.

How are you spending (have you spent) your Sunday?

xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Suzanne

Cattle, corn, wheat, beans, mud, snow, ice, and drought. Plenty of fresh air and quiet. Our life is sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes joyous, but never boring.

You may also like...

18 Responses

  1. Linda says:

    Your photos are glorious. They make me so homesick — for Iowa, for snow, for all that goes with it. Yes, it’s cold, and sometimes dangerous, and often an irritant. But gosh, it’s beautiful.

    Those kitties nestled up together are beautiful, too. What a wonderful story that’s turned out to be.

    Stay-warm wishes to you and Harland!

  2. Carol says:

    Suzanne your pictures are so beautiful! I love feeling like I have spent the day with you. I was preparing for our storm tonight. We are in the eight to twelve inches of snow for New England. Time to make some soup, any ideas would be welcome. Those cats are too cute, sleeping in the same bed, what a comfort they are to each other.

  3. So glad Kitty and Muffin have become friends! Thank you for sharing your day with us. No snow here, but in the 40s.

  4. Dawn Hamilton Smith says:

    I so love your photos Suzanne and just look at your Kittie and Muffin all snuggled together that is just the sweetest thing ever they are so in love with each other. I made a chicken and mushroom pie and served it with an assortment of fresh veg. We were lucky and had wall to wall sunshine here in our part of the UK Soon be spring all love to you both xxxx

  5. Dianna says:

    Your snow photos are absolutely gorgeous! And, although I’ve never heard snow described as “peanut butter”, it certainly fits.
    But the pictures of Kitty and Muffin stole my heart. I smile at knowing that Kitty has a companion that she obviously so dearly loves.
    Stay safe in the storm!

  6. Jeanne L says:

    I’ve been wondering how much snow you’d have! I don’t envy you at all!! We have had enough of that beautiful white stuff to last us for the rest of our lifetime! When we lived in Canada, especially northern Manitoba, it was nothing to have snow as deep as the top of the three-foot fence! And COLD – it was so cold the tires would freeze flat on the bottoms. We’d go bump, bump, bump, until they gradually warmed up. Oh what memories! We’re thankful to be living in warmer western Oregon now.

  7. JB says:

    Your pictures of the snow are beautiful…..but I have been shoveling 8 inches of the lovely stuff all morning and I’m soooooo over it! Our sun is shining but is way to cold to melt anything.

  8. Monica J. says:

    We have gently falling snow here in Michigan with large fluffy flakes. You’ve captured it all beautifully on your camera. They already cancelled Monday schools on Sunday evening so our boys really enjoyed watching the Super Bowl knowing they could sleep in in the morning!
    Loved the picture of Kitty and Muffin curled up together. That’s the best way to spend a wintry day!

  9. Rural TN says:

    So beautiful. Wish we had snow here in rural Middle TN.

  10. Rebecca says:

    Loved this post!
    And your photos are great. I lived in Kentucky all my life until 2007, when I married and moved to Florida. And I really miss winter. When you wrote how the snow was like driving through peanut butter, I knew exactly what you meant!
    Sweet pic of the kitties. Do you all, sometimes look at Kitty and wonder at the change in her? I love your blog and look forward to all your posts. Take care!
    Florida hugs,
    Becca

    • Suzanne says:

      Yes, we do look at Kitty and wonder at the change in her. When we got Muffin, the most we hoped for is that she would not kill him and would tolerate him. But she shocked the heck out of us by not only tolerating him, but playing with him and mothering him. She grooms him often, shares her food, and comes running if he is in distress. It’s truly remarkable and we wonder at it almost daily.
      I was born in Florida and lived in Clearwater until I was 7 when the family moved to Missouri where I lived until i met Harland. I would like to go back to FL someday to visit…I haven’t been back there since 1976.
      Thanks Becca.

  11. JMart says:

    You have made wet, sloppy snow a feast for the eyes. I can’t believe I’m saying that with 30′ of the white stuff on the ground at my house and more coming down as I type.
    Love your work, Suzanne!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.