Whew! Made it to week two

Magique and me

It has not been a spectacular first week of 2014. And that is good. After the storms of 2006/2007 which buried our community in six feet of snow I have been thrilled we only got a few snow flurries. It has been entertaining to read about the Arctic Vortex that gobbled up most of the United States. My friends and I have debated just what it is Chicago does with all that snow.

Some things are easy out here in the mountain west. Nobody actually has to remove snow. You just push it into a pile beside the county road or off to the side of your driveway (actually with a front in loader during 2006/2007) and wait for the next warm days to begin to melt it low enough you can pile more on top of it. But off the road in Chicago is a roll of parked cars or the sidewalks people expect to walk on to the bus stop.

And when the temps really dip we just bring in more firewood and keep the wood stove going all day. Crisis is staring at your diminishing wood supply and wondering if you will make it till spring. Yes, the electric bills do go up. Always wonder why when they are the highest the electric coop adds this fuel tax. It is as if we are being punished for using too much.

Biggest crisis of the new year as been the internet and cell phones. There are too many people in town with their smart phones and tablets and laptops trying to stay connected to the people they went on vacation to escape. Some of the internet services have slowed down the feeds for us full time customers. Just wait a minute there!!! We are the ones that pay you month after month, and year after year. Already all us locals avoid all the restaurants, stores and coffee houses because they have been occupied by aliens. And yes, Texas bought up all the snow tires because of their ice storms. I have rediscovered my chains from a couple vehicles ago and they fit my sized tire, but have not needed to use them as I have honed my snow driving skills and we haven't gotten a lot of new snow.

My food supply has lasted. Only needed eggs and a local chicken owner has been selling fresh eggs at a local business where we can sneak in before hours or at lunch, grab our eggs and run. I did run to Santa Fe one day with a friend. It was busy there too but we knew enough about the town, where we shop periodically, to avoid the real trouble spots. I grabbed art supplies and came home to lock myself in the studio. That has proven quite productive.

No significant snow in the future which frankly works for me as long as we have a very wet spring and summer. Christmas tourist season must be over because the power has not gone out in the last few days because of blow dryers. Internet is still loading rather slow, however. Probably us locals making up for all the updates on computer programs we have not been able to do in the last three week.

Comments

  1. ShaynacwingsJanuary 9, 2014 at 4:57 PM

    Pleased to see it hasn't been too bad for you Jacqui. Love that you are busy with your art, I know the pleasure you get from it let alone your fans.

    I am going to be here from now on too.
    Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Blog of BeeJanuary 10, 2014 at 5:09 PM

    It is said that the vortex is on its way here, I actually did wonder if this could be as today I turned off the AC in the office and added a jacket to my being! Earlier this evening I was very cold, turned off the fans and added layers. . My son said it was comfortable - I said I was freezing!

    I am amazed that when your snow melts it doe snot flood out the place!

    Your 'visitors' are abe to tap into wifi???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JBinford-BellJanuary 13, 2014 at 5:41 AM

      The ground is not flat like your island. The mountains behind me are in the 12,000 plus height and I live at 8,500 feet. A stream runs through my land and carries off the water to the Mora River at about 6,000 feet and from there to the Canadian river which runs east to the plains at about 1000 feet. In short it is all downhill from here.

      But much of the snow slowly melts into the soil and then in the the aquifer beneath my land. It has its own flow but I pump my water from about 165 feet below my house.

      Delete
  3. The Blog of BeeJanuary 10, 2014 at 5:21 PM

    I cannot believe that I just wrote a long comment and it disappeared. Disheartened. Will come back to it!

    ReplyDelete

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