Wednesday, December 28, 2022

December snows - 2022/12/28



 
They we received the 'wet and heavy'.  Snow barely colder than water and out there on the end of a guy's shovel, almost heavier.







An organic world in geometric shapes...




5:32 am, December 22nd....Tractor plugged in


 
And then it started to blow...the Blizzard Warning weather had arrived.

Road closures Southwest Minnesota....



Road incidents in the Twin Cities Metro....

After the blowing but still very cold!  Bare ground in many spots but drifts, very hard drifts in others to make up for the bare spots.

Solid chunks, overwhelming the capacity of the full-sized scoop shovel....and my back.

To give the chickens breakfast....I could almost stand on top of it.  Motocross boot deep by the fence post.

Very tough on solar production...

The 'wave' toward the coop is thigh-deep.

 
Mid-afternoon today, December 28th.  39-40 degrees today, by this evening the panels were clear.  No one, no thing was hurt as the panels cleared themselves.

Today's kWh's........

And this afternoon...I counted 9 deer coming back for their fermenting apples.
 

 
I cleared off the parking area, likely a couple inches of hard packed snow, now it's down to the gravel.  It's a good thing the snow is covering the landscape, it's gentler on everything resting beneath.  I don't want temperate ground on the driveway, that's supposed to freeze good and hard so that I can keep the gravel clean with the tractor.  The snow chains were adjusted and tightened up.

Knock on wood, we're ready for the next one.

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Merry Christmas - 2022

The Cooper Christmas Letter 2022

Trying something different this year so instead of sending out cards w/letters inside I'm going to send our Holiday wishes right here.  Not as many cards are being sent as in year's past, so this will have to do as the season's letter.

As always, those of us that have been around awhile will likely all agree that last December must have only happened a few months ago, at least it feels that way.  A lot has happened since then but that old rascal Father Time wasted none of it flipping through our calendars, seemingly barely letting the pages flatten out before the next turn.

Anecdotally, based on memory only and no facts, it was a late Spring, a hot (windy!) dry summer, lovely autumn and until only very recently, a patient winter start.  I'm stating all of this from my point of view based in rural Red Wing.

Peg started all sorts of garden plants early, they thrived both indoors and out, our garden a huge success.  Not everything turned out as planned or as we'd hoped but we're using the excuse that "it was an experiment" and for the most part, that is an accurate statement.  We really don't know what we're doing out there around the raised beds but it's been a fun adventure seeing what we can learn.

Both Peg and I are still working, she normal and proper full week's.  I'm on a Tuesday-Thursday program and it suits me just fine.  Working from home in Peg's case, when I'm not out visiting 5 States-worth of customers I'm home as well.  I spend far, far less time on the phone or in online meetings than Peg does and for that I'm very thankful.

A quick update with the other 4, Katlyn and husband James live and work in Mpls, not far from Tangletown.  Lauren's doing her best to travel the world's waters working/playing chamber music on the cruise ships.  Ben (soon with to-be wife Bri) hopes to return to Ft. Campbell once he's done with deployment near Budapest.  Hanna and Dr. Nich are working their music together in Minneapolis.  All happy, healthy and living good lives.  We couldn't be happier or more proud.  Little dogs and little kitties are as close to being grandparents as Peg and I have come....so far.

It was a good year for motorcycling, of that you can be assured with volumes of proof near by.

Wishing all of you, family, friends and visitors as well a Happy and Healthy Merry Christmas season!

Doug and Peg


Thursday, December 15, 2022

The Pretty Kind - 2022/12/15

How it looks where daughter Lauren is...

 

But here in SE Minnesota, we've got another kinda lovely.....check out OUR azure blue!

 




 

Big apples....two Does visit us each evening anxious for desert.

Crab apples.....the turkeys will be here for these by and by.


Wet and heavy, we've still got power....not everyone does.