We woke to five inches of snow yesterday.
It snows here. Pretty regularly, all winter, but not in huge quantities. But in boonies territory, it doesn’t take a lot of snow to shut you down.
We haven’t had school here all week.
We live on a farm.
The children only have each other.
I hope they don’t hurt each other too much.
I’m pretty sure they were scaring the chickens.
The chickens would never behave like that.
The chickens make good use of cold weather by burrowing into their nesting boxes and laying eggs for me.
Birds eat their homemade suet.
The Giant Puppy romps.
Goats learn to walk in snow that covers half their legs.
And people shovel.
You know, people who aren’t me. As with the hoe, I’m not worthy of the shovel!!!
People also worry about cleaning the snow out of the satellite dish so they can get a proper internet connection.
(See how tiny our goats really are? Clover comes up to Weston’s knee.)
People also get bored, if they’re 13, and make a snowman as big as themselves.
Morgan: “He’s dressed for work.” (He looks naked as the snow he was born in to me, but okay.)
Me, I was taking stock. I’ve been to the store exactly one time in the past two weeks. I’ve only been able to leave the farm once in the past two weeks. Normally, I fantasize about only having to leave the farm once every few weeks. I’m a homebody. I love to stay home. I’m always busy, never bored, and completely content at home. The only way that could happen, though, would be if either I had no children, homeschooled my children, or waited till my children grew up. Winter on the farm blew right past those usual prerequisites.
This is hardly my first winter in West Virginia. I lived in the old farmhouse for three winters before moving to our new farm. But the old farmhouse was a far different story. In the country as it is (in fact, only a few miles from here), it’s on a “hard road”–practically a major thoroughfare by rural standards. (If you can call a one-lane country road a major thoroughfare. And, well, around here, sometimes we do….) The road our new farm is on is something else. It’s a “rock-based” road. It is actually county-maintained, but I think the county mostly forgets about that. There are far more travelled roads to be concerned with first. Snowy weather–icy weather–or flooding–gets us stuck here, stuck in a way that was unimaginable at the old farmhouse.
I keep a good stock of food onhand at all times. I like having food onhand. I like food. We have plenty to eat. Really, there’s just one thing bothering me. I’m almost out of aluminum foil. Do I need aluminum foil? Really? YES. YES, I DO. I’M ADDICTED TO ALUMINUM FOIL. I’ve been rationing aluminum foil. We are on an aluminum foil conservation plan. No one can use aluminum foil without running it past the committee (me) and getting permission. And certainly if aluminum foil is used, it must be used twice if not three times. We don’t know when we can get aluminum foil again. Next time I can get near a store, like in March, I’m going to buy 50 rolls of aluminum foil. In fact, I might be a little obsessed with aluminum foil right now. What is life without aluminum foil?
Yesterday, we worried about snow. Last night, we worried about ice. Today, we’re worried about flooding. One way or another, we may lose electricity. We’re already so snowed under, iced under, and flooded under, we have no idea when we’ll get out.
Send aluminum foil.
Clover: “SEND COOKIES!!!”
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on January 28, 2009
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I didn’t realize the goats were so small. They look much bigger in their pictures. Enjoy!
7:03
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The goats look really little next to your son. lol. Clover looks like you photoshoped her onto a white back ground.
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7:18
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And you got me to thinking about my aluminum foil!! That really is something we take for granted. I buy mine at the $ Store in our nearest bigger town (Reynolds H/D for $1) in qty of 6 usually. And water, taken for granted. Internet access, taken for granted.
Times like these (harsh winter of 08-09) makes me glad I live inside village limits!
Here’s to keeping the kids occupied, aluminum foil rationed, animals exersized, and a toddy drank when you just can’t deal anymore!
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and have several huge packs for just 2 of us! LOL!
The kids look like they are having great fun. Oh how I remember the “snow days” off from school. Princess did a great job on the snowman! Enjoy your winter wonderland! Clover will need extra cookies to keep warm you know!
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8:39
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Send Mr. Snowman to the store for foil…since he’s all dressed up and everything.
Kris7
Working hard at http://www.sccworlds.com
8:49
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As for being snowed in, I love being at home. I can fill my day easily, but after awhile cabin fever starts to set in.
Have a great day.
- the Other Suzanne
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Until then, write it on the top of the list.
So enjoying your posts, Jen
9:35
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Not leaving the house by choice and being snowed in = two VERY different things.
Sorry about the foil. Are you able to get mail? Send me your address, I’ll overnight you some foil.
9:36
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And I don’t know what I’d do without aluminum foil. I’d send you some of mine if I wasn’t nearly out myself… which reminds me, I need to go to the store. Argh.
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I wouldn’t mind it for a week, if I don’t need to get out anywhere.
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Here, where I live, we got about 5 inches of snow about two days ago, though luckily driving to work for me isn’t a problem due to the fact that I live in town, and, besides the roads in town and the campus, the entire 30 minute trip is a two lane highway that is constantly traveled and shoveled decent-like. I’m glad I don’t live out in the country where the roads can become quite treacherous.
Good luck with your aluminum foil. Got some here!!! But I don’t think I’ll trouble the mail man with trying to get it to your house.
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I know the feeling!
Anne
4:34
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Looks like your kids know how to entertain themselves.
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12:07
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The aluminum foil lasted about 5 years , we still have cling wrap , but the box it came in is falling apart .
I was sad I couldn,t figure out a way of doing the same thing with toilet paper and paper towels.
Oh, well if you need cling wrap I’m your girl : )
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Burnt sugar cake & the wild bird suet
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By the way, I’m so in love with the goats…I can’t believe how TINY they are!! I can’t wait till the spring when we can start adding to our animal population!!
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Hopefully some of our snow is going to melt today…at least enough to get my car out if I’m lucky so we can stop carpooling! We’ll send some melting sunshine your way!
4:38
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I have a close friend who grew up here in Arkansas and moved to Parkersburg, West Virginia, when she married as a young lady. She has been there ever since. She, too, lives in the boonies and tells me of her adventures being snowed in. Road impassable and has to keep her woodburning stove going.
I have added you to my favorites.
10:44
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mind off wondering when the first day of Spring is!!
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very interesting!
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