Sunday Snow Shots

It was a miserable morning of trying to do chores yesterday.  For the second consecutive day, the barn door would not budge when I tried to open it.  

That was after I had to warm up ice-coated latch snap in my hand for five minutes.  

After several minutes of chipping away at the bottom of the metal door, it finally began to slide open.  

After leading the horses outside to their hay, I started the usual barn cleaning.

For some reason, the horses spent the night creating bigger-than-usual messes in their stalls.

Generally, I could get all the bedding and manure in one cart.  Yesterday's cleaning took three, fully loaded. 

And, of course, pushing or pulling a cart full of anything through deep snow presents a challenge.  

I also discovered that the spewing automatic waterer was putting out a larger stream.  

Nothing was easy.  I had grown tired of the week's worth of winter, especially knowing the car I drive will have to go to the shop so the doors will close.

Bill heard a tirade when I came to the house.  I know he lacks the digits on which to count the number of times I've spewed my distaste for winter.

Those moments usually come after trying to accomplish something outside which, in good weather takes 20 minutes.
On days like yesterday, the same tasks require four times as much effort and triple the time. 

The day wore on.  I plowed out a big area next to the barn for future cartfuls of manure.  

I checked the automatic waterer and determined that Ron, the plumber, needs to come to fix its plastic housing.  That does mean carrying water to two stalls until it's repaired.

Anyway, my mood improved as the organization phase of getting ready for the next day's excitement went well. 

This morning four more inches of snow came.  It's breath-takingly beautiful out there.  Schweitzer,  recently designated as America's best small-town ski destination, is a skier/boarder's paradise this morning. 

Jimmy, the snow reporter, says Schweitzer has received 34 inches of new snow in the past week, at the lodge, no less.  More is expected.

I'll probably put on some snow shoes today and trudge through some fields with my camera.

When the commotion and the organization of yesterday's problematic chore situation died down, I took off afoot, walking as far north as Eva Whitehead's farm, snapping a few snow photos.  

Annie, the our neighbor who owns the pretty house with the Cabinet Mountain backdrop, can enjoy the scene more than any of us.  She's living in Hawaii for the winter.

Just figured I'd better do it because that's the one aspect of winter I do enjoy.

Snow creates a host of problems, especially on farms, but capturing its sheer beauty makes up for its downside.

Today Bill will try to figure out what we can do about the car.  For now, I'll probably hang out here, shoveling and shooting (my camera). 

Happy Monday!