It's FREEZING.....

Rest Of Tonight...Mostly clear. Lows 8 below to zero. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph. Wind chill readings 20 below to 30 below zero. 
http://www.findlocalweather.com/pinpoint/us/sd/deerfield+lake+recreation+area/current50442.html



OK- got it. Thank you, Weather People.



Wow- yesterday it was 54 degrees and I was loading my camper. Today, it was 4 degrees when I pulled into my driveway. My car said, "It's really cold out here! Get me in the garage, woman."  Clyde doesn't like cold like this either - his battery keeps draining. 




But yesterday, I was the diligent ant, not the foolish grasshopper. Anyone else remember that tale?  The busy ant prepared for winter while the grasshopper fiddled and frittered away his time. 
(And the ant let him in and fed him during the freezing cold and enjoyed a winter fiddle concert.) 

Moral of the story - learn to play an instrument!

  But that ant did not lift logs the size of these puppies. 

This is wood my father cut at least ten years ago.
Nothing decomposes quickly out here!

These are the ones I left.

Not because they were too heavy- they were so dry, I  can lift them! 

I am woman, hear me roar!

But they don't fit into my enormous fireplaces's little fire box. 

And I don't do ax or wedge and sledgehammer suff.

I am a smart woman. 

  I'm keeping all my fingers and toes. 

Instead I  load lots of small stuff!
And Clyde is now  my temporary wood box.
This is DRY pine- burns fast and gives up less BTUs.

 Back in the fall,  I asked Larry, "So what do you burn out here?"

He stood silently and  looked at me.  Slowly he looked around,
"See anything but pine trees?"

Nope.  Just pines.

Okay... so out here, we burn pine. And clean our chimneys.
I burn cardboard too. It's piled in the garage and it's free.
And doesn't need an ax.

I thought this was some kindling.
It's mostly rocks but I had to get right up to it to see that.
Lots of shades of brown and gray here. Lots of rocks.
Do rocks give BTUs?

So the wind blows and the ground freezes. Animals tuck in for the winter.

 And so do I! 

This is just wishful thinking.... espresso from Italy

Ahhh.....

     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And before our temperature dropped like a brick,
the newly restored steeple was replaced  back on
The Little White Church in Hill City.

They are diligent worker ants, too.   Just a bit more roofing to secure.
Too cold now!  And it's all volunteer labor.

If you're warm and dry and spending the winter nights indoors, be grateful.

 If you see someone who isn't, be kind.  

Maybe they provide Life's music.