Nor'Easter

Yup, we had a blizzard! The weatherman said on Friday that the snow would start Sunday afternoon, so I was running around like mad trying to get everything set yesterday. Then I headed to the store to stock up on meat and veggies and a pizza to-go at noon.

The car wouldn't start! Our morning temps have been in the tiny single digits. Saturday morning I had spared the saplings the cold and did all the morning chores solo. Yesterday morning they wanted to help, but the Willow didn't last long before I sent her in with cold hands. The Firebird insisted on toughing most of it out. I decided to wait until Sunday morning to go to the store, figuring the snow would hit in the afternoon, and I would have plenty of time.

I cleaned the snow off the car on Saturday, but didn't start it. Big mistake. I didn't have much gas in the tank, and after the car sat for two days in single digit temps, I had a frozen gas line.

Churn, churn, churn, *pump frantically*, churn, churn, *floor the gas pedal*. Uh-Oh.
I realized if I kept cranking on it, I would soon have a flat battery. I remembered I had a can of dry gas in the back-the last one of the pack-and I poured about half of that into the tank, saying a little prayer and hoping I guestimated the amount correctly.

Yeah! I got it going! Phew!!! I have to remember to keep a full tank of gas and to start it up daily even if I am staying in. I hate to get stuck with no transportation!

Just about noon we were leaving the store and the snow started. And it wasn't messing around. It came on furiously. I stopped in for a load of hay, and it was already white-out conditions ten minutes after it started.

I had left the remaining hay uncovered at home, and had some scurrying to do to get the new hay stowed and covered. Then I broke for a late lunch (the pizza was for the kids)and went out to storm proof the goat shelters. It was blowing a gale and single digit temps. I started tacking up tarps, and the nails were freezing to my bare hand as I worked. Sweet.

I pried some frozen clothes off the clothesline to bring them in (boy, didn't they smell like heaven!So sweet from the fresh air), moved some logs for the plow guy, and put up a storm window.

Finally I was ready to settle down, and it was still snowing like mad. I decided to call my new friend back from an earlier message, and he was like, "what have you been DOING?" Geez, get a grip buddy, I DO have a life! I have to let this one down easy-not an simple thing to do before a holiday.

Anyhow, it snowed, and snowed, and blew, and snowed, and was all through by midnight. We probably had about a foot and a half of snow. It's hard to say with all the blowing and drifting. Digging the car out, there was over a foot on the south side, and nearly two feet on the north side. Yeah, I would say, the third biggest snow storm I can remember-and all in a mere twelve hours. WOW.

I shoveled the deck off and cleared to the goose house first thing this morning. Poor Peko the dog didn't know what to do! He had to go *** and the snow was deep!! He ran in and out of the house three or four times, and finally broke a little trail to relieve himself .

Jingle the cat insisted on going out, and when faced with the goose at the door, leaped off the deck and out of sight into the snow. She made it to my trail and came back in.

After a breakfast of pancakes, we headed out for goat chores. We had to trample trails in the goat pens, and feed the poultry. Finally we were back inside, and Willow said "There's a cat at the back, door!" Apparently the neighbor's cat took shelter under the house when the snow hit, and is stuck here until the drive gets plowed out. I opened the door with a bowl of cat food in hand, and he (fled)ran around the house out of sight.

I saw a peregrine falcon this morning!!!!!! We have been feeding the birds, and that does tend to draw hungry raptors. The peregrine was sitting just outside my window-what a beautiful bird! I was trying to get my camera going, and I figured it was broken. I even re-set it. Finally I realized a little while ago that one of the sets of rechargeables has been wreaking havoc on the cam, so I threw in two new AA's out of a 24 pack that came with a Christmas box. Someone sent something that needs batteries!! LOL. Anyhow, the cam seems to be working again, so the next time I put on all the snow gear, I will try and get some snow pix to post.

Looks like a White Christmas here in Maine! Time to make some more cookies and maybe some hot cocoa! :D