Monday, December 30, 2013

Do they call this Indian Autumn?

You know how in the fall, you get the cold snap, then you get a few days where the weather is beautiful and you start thinking that maybe, just maybe, you might be in for a beautiful fall, then the ax falls again?  AKA Indian Summer    Well, we had Indian Autumn this weekend.  On Saturday, the temps rose to 40, the snow was melting, it was gorgeous outside (relatively speaking, of course).  I was just starting to think that maybe winter wasn't so bad after all.  Then today.   -13 when I got up this morning.  Yeah, that's a negative in front of that 13.  Yuck

We made good use of the beautiful weather though, burning tons of garbage that had been building up in the barn- no one wanted to go out and burn it before because it was too cold, windy and snowy out.  So, that got done.  The four of us also took an hour roadtrip to Weyauwega to check out a friend's new restaurant, Land of Ahhhs.  Very good food an awesome looking place and it was great to see her again.  We tend to only see her when Angel #1 is home on leave, the two of them have been friends since birth basically, and spend a lot of time together when they're able.

Yesterday, someone else was also making good use of the beautiful weather while we had it.  In addition to the snowmobiles out on the trails, we also saw a guy with a dog sled team.  WE has wanted to have a dog sled team forever and got all excited watching the guy mush his 8 dog team along the trails.  You don't see a whole lot of those here in Wisconsin.  WE's girlfriend told him she'd get him a team for his birthday, though I hope she waits for a birthday after his stint in the Marines is over, I really don't want to be responsible for a bunch of hyperactive dogs for 4 years while WE's out doing his thing for Uncle Sam.

We've had a quiet Christmas vacation.  The older and fewer  kids we have in the house, the quieter the school vacations are.  It doesn't seem that long ago when this place was complete chaos, with kids, mine and other people's, running all over the place, building amusement park rides in the basement and stealing my kitchen stuff to make science experiments.  Now they're off with friends, going to sports practices and events or just chilling on the computer.  Angel #4 and her friend started painting a wall in her bedroom the other day, but got about halfway through when her friend had to leave.  I've got the feeling she's going to have a white primer wall covered in blue painter's tape diamonds for a long time.  Oh well, at least she started it.  When I lived at home, there was no way in the world I would have been allowed to just impulsively paint my bedroom, one of the ways I drastically veered from my parents own parenting techniques.  I guess I don't see any harm in letting them do something like that and personally, I really don't give a rip what color their bedroom walls are.

But, since my kids don't really need me mothering them much anymore, I've got to focus my maternal instincts somewhere, so I just finished making snacks for my chickens.  The poor girls are out there in sub-zero temperatures, still faithfully laying eggs for me, so the least I can do is give them a treat once in awhile.  So I mixed up a delicious chicken cake of lard, cracked corn, dehydrated tomatoes & zucchini from last years garden with some leftover popcorn and eggs shells to top it all off.  It's hardening on the porch right now and I'll take it out to them this afternoon.  They're going to love me.

No comments: