Well, we got ourselves stranded in an ice storm. With no heat for five days, cold temperatures that swooped down to 12 degrees on Thursday night, and 24 dogs, cats, and horses that couldn't be left behind, what are a couple of cowgirls to do?
That's easy. These two cowgirls let ourselves be dazzled by the sights, excited by the challenge, and awed by the adventure.
We bundled the smaller animals in front of the hearth with us, kept a roaring fire going, carried lots of water to the horses, fluffed the stalls thick with bedding, cooked amazing food in the fireplace, and took a few pictures of the beauty and destruction.
Here's some of the destruction. That's the driveway, looking out toward our main gate. Not real passable.
We could hear loud crashing all night long, as the ice broke our trees. These bird feeders are maybe fifty yards from the house.
Even two days after the storm, we had to walk all the dogs on leashes to keep them clear of limbs that continued to fall.
To get the horses out of the barn that first morning, we had to cut away a huge piece of Bradford pear tree that had fallen in front of the door. In this picture, we'd already pulled the branches aside.
Okay, just a few more of the beautiful sights Nature left behind after her little reminder of who's still really in charge.
Oh, and just in case you ever run into a situation that seems hopeless, and you're feeling like giving up, it might be good to know that when the weather warmed up five days after the storm, this 9-foot-tall blue spruce actually stood back up.
To Oatmeal and Trickster, that warm weather meant just one thing. Sunbath!
Anyway, it was a winter storm we'll always remember, but it's great to be warm, safe, and online again.
Happy Groundhog Day!
