"But These Stories Don't Mean Anything, When You've Got No One To Tell Them To,
It's true, I was made for you"--- Brandi Carlisle
It's been a while since I have had the time to sit down and write. I've started several posts, but as easy as it may seem, I'm a bit of a perfectionist and these blogs actually take me a fair amount of time. A lot has happened since I have written last. As I look back at my last post, it seems we have weathered the winter; and what a winter it was! We have heard stories from the locals of three feet of snow by Thanksgiving, but like most things, those stories are part of the past and rarely happen anymore. That being said, many people have told me that this year was one of the "most wintery winters" experienced in quite some time, with more snow than there has been for years. I've said it many times, but living over here wakes you up to the world around you, and reminds you that you are at the mercy of the skies. When you move to the mountains you have a utopia like dream of watching the snow fall silently from your window, hot cocoa, and snuggly nights..... which in reality translates to plowing snow, shoveling animal pens, building fires, and preparing for the next snow storm. At the most I'd say we had three feet of snow, more in the meadow and up the road a bit. Enough that hiking was not easily accomplished, and most the sage was good and buried. Our driveway became somewhat of a tunnel, narrowing each week with 4-5 foot banks of snow on the edges (nice for when your car does not want to drive straight on ice). Cam spent many hours on the tractor and 4-wheeler preparing the driveway for my commute to school and to keep up with the accumulation of inches; and a neighbor with a bulldozer and one with a plow helped a bit too! The work it takes to do simple things like drive out the driveway didn't elude us, and we were grateful for the tools we had, or I think I would've been snowshoeing out the driveway every morning. The kids relished in it, and Bear became a child of the winter, not caring if he had wet gloves, but wanting to be out for a good portion of the day. Kendyl did much better this winter, as she'd grown enough to tolerate the cold and to be more mobile in snow gear and inches of powder, and eats enough snow to keep her satisfied. The animals fared well, but chores are definitely not as easy when you have snow to plod through and hoses to thaw. The goats had one main path from their house to the gate where I bring in feed, and the chickens had a shoveled out patch to scratch, but stayed inside quite a bit more. The horse stayed thick as a pork chop and got around much better than we expected, I even rode quite a bit! |
| Fish Lake- Scouting for Camping |
Despite our adaptation to the seasons, we were all happy to see the ground as the snow melted, the blue in the sky as the snow clouds lifted, and to feel the warmth of the sun as it's started to make it's presence known. We hadn't realized how confined to our property we had been until we could venture out a bit farther. The thaw has also been a bit different this year, to the joy of our driveway, it didn't cause as much damage. We still have snow in the meadow and the large piles that Cam pushed up, but for the most part we can see land.
The winter wasn't all fun snow days though. Cam and I lost three grandparents between the two of us. While I try to use age appropriate language, the best description that I can think of is that it sucked! A life may be full and long, but death affects many more than those it takes. I am happy for the end of suffering, but our time in this place never seems like quite enough. Memories are a precious thing: I know Cam's grandparents loved to read the stories of our adventures over here, and were proud for what we were doing for our family. And I will NEVER forget his Grandma shooting my paintball gun, or all her colorful (very non-Grandma like) jokes that were oh so very funny coming from such a nice little lady. What a gal. My grandpa gave us countless fun childhood memories on their island or in his motorhome, cooking up potato pancakes and corned beef hash, taking us golfing, fishing, and giving us colorful life lessons such as how to make homemade blackberry liqueur in your RV shower or to play dominoes for big bucks (quarters, not pennies) with their Arizona friends. Having kids of your own makes having grandparents even more special, because you want them to feel those same feelings you grew up with, and I know the visits we had were appreciated on both sides. Barrett has always been a very observant child with a sharp memory and he's been saying lately that he now knows five angels. Great Grandpa Rudy, Art, Grandpa Coey, Grandma Honey... and Elvis (haven't had the heart to tell him the latter may have had some explaining to do at the Pearly Gates). One thing I do know about death, is it makes you think about life, the story you're creating and the legacy your leaving behind; your own story is a miraculous thing that you have the power to shape.
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| Call for Ordering Options!! |
Life must move forward though, and it tends to at a quick pace around here. With the melting of the snow, Cam has gotten right to work on the house, putting the sill plates on the foundation and starting to lay out the floor. He's also been building some furniture (tables, benches, etc.) to sell, and just got his first custom order this past week! I've been plugging away at school, and am almost to the under 100 day mark on my countdown. It's amazing the challenges that arise, and the stubbornness it takes to get through them without quitting or going crazy. I'm looking forward to regaining my place at home, and to be making a bit of money for working so hard. 
Ponderosa living is quite nice, especially with the days getting longer, warmer, and brighter. Today I was up early and went for a three hour trail ride with my neighbor on an adjoining ranch with an amazing view of the valley. I picked up a gelding out of Kettle Falls, and he is a beast! He was used as a pack horse in Montana and Idaho and later by a gentleman who was tracking wolves in the back country. He's got some experience, good training, and some spunk. We will see if we can work together when I get the opportunity to put the time in. He's a beauty.. a big black quarter horse that moves like an athlete. This afternoon we were off to the wedding of a classmate in Havillah, a little ranching town with the cutest church you've ever seen. It's fun to be building friendships and becoming a part of this community. There is rich history around here, I have met some amazing folks in the hospital and clinics across the county, and heard many amazing stories of families homesteading and farming. It's sad to think how far we have deviated from the rich life of simplicity.
Next on the docket is more of the same! House, school, projects, and FAMILY. Planting fruit trees is a priority this year, and I'd at least like to pick out a garden spot and get a few things in the ground to start to learn how to garden in this climate; tall fences are a must though, so we will see what we have time for. I feel like we are trying to be intentional not to just overwhelm ourselves with projects and not allow for some appreciation of daily life. Things may take a bit longer than planned, but a story is not just about the ending, it's the tales of the journey that fill your book.
