Just like old times

I’ve lived in Northwest Montana for 20 years as of February 4!

In those first years there were always 2 plus weeks of super cold: -teens/-20’s overnight and not above 0F daytime.

In the last years (how many ???) this has not happened. I think the first year I was in my current house – 2006 – was the last good Winter.

The super cold – I worry about the wild things and livestock and people who don’t take care of their pets… BUT, this super cold, I think it is ultimately a good thing and a NORMAL thing for this part of Montana.

And, I am a bit thrilled that it is a bit like old times. (NOT enough snow, though!!!)

On the home front…there is a kitten…there is a kitten who can see the sunshine and that kitten thinks he should be able to go out and play and hunt and run with the beardog!

Mama says otherwise.

The day started at -7F and never made it past 5F.

The kitten’s lungs and paws are not made for that much cold.

So.

We played “birdie”

The birdie toy is the MOST favorite toy. (those black things are my knees…I’m on the floor…)

Auggie often drops a birdie (we have 4) at my feet. Game on!

Yes, he retrieves…except for when I set up the camera for video, then he does not…

Bear and I had our normal walks except that I moved with a bit more briskness and a few more “NOW, Bear’s”.

But, I breathed deeply and enjoyed the cold, clean air!

And for lunch, after the lunch walk in the cold, clean air…I had a wonderfully warming roast cauliflower-onion-garlic soup…with plenty of turmeric and cayenne! And a refreshing water with blood orange juice. THAT should ward off any cold-flu bugs as well as most people!

Back to Auggie.

We got out every toy and a few other items: the laundry basket.

Auggie likes to put the birdies, the crackly fish toy and the mousie…places where he has to figure out how to get them back.

The laundry basket worked for a bit of a puzzle.

He played with putting things in and reaching in to try to retrieve them, going in after them and generally just playing in and around the basket and the crackly tunnel.

I don’t know what to do tomorrow, though!!!

The sun was brilliant all day long even if it did only get to 5F.

From inside…

Because it is COLD!

But beautiful and just like old times.

Single digits in Montana is like triple digits in Arizona

Montana is used to cold, like Arizona is used to hot. But over 100 is HOT and below 10 is COLD. Both can be life threatening even if you are accustomed to it happening. We are to be in the below teens F nights and single digits daytime until Saturday when it is forecast that we will hit 13F!

So. It is cold. This morning started out at 1F and we made it briefly to 7F before it started down again.

Winds are more than a breeze, but not howling. Still, the wind chill is in the -double digits and in some areas as low as -40.

Cold.

But, as typically happens with the super cold…the sun is shining, the air is clear and it is beautiful.

However. Single digits for the beardog and the warmly dressed woman is entirely different than single digits for the kitten.

Auggie went out twice. I set a timer for 5 minutes. He came in before the timer went off both times.

Inside, he was a bit cabin feverish.

Distractions were needed.

I made a tunnel cave for him.

Fun, fun, fun!

Off and on he played in and on it.

Time out…

For the record, Bear chose his spot first and then Auggie snagged the bed.

See the sun!

See the sun from inside the warm house as even with the sun, it was 4F when I took this photo from inside the warm house.

A cold day enjoyed AKA the fluffy tail duo! …such SERIOUS faces :) !!

Black and White and Auggie

This afternoon, after plowing by my neighbor and a little shoveling by me!

Maybe 10 inches of new snow altogether.

The first of it was sleet/corn snow but the last was light and fluffy and beautiful.

The brothers Summers head out to the critter hunting grounds…

Bear took point. Auggie is under the motorhome on dry ground…supervising.

Home!

The warm house is sounding good about now!

We are in our little quiet wind-shadowed spot, sheltered from the NNE wind by the wrap around of Jewell Basin. It was quiet, despite reported winds in the 20-30 mph range. Cold at 19F but with no wind, not that bad. Our forecast for the next 7-10 days is colder, but no snow.

It is February – almost!

It is Montana.

No complaints!

Sunshine and terror in the bathroom sink

It has been gray with freezing fog and the occasional sun break, but today was mostly sunny after starting with snow flurries that left less than half an inch of new snow.

It might not look like it to the east…

But overhead and to the west, blue sky!

Auggie hunted critters in the snow…

…and the Auggie-shark lied in wait to scare the unsuspecting intending to brush their teeth!

Midweek Mess

Mid-January.

Temperatures in the 40’s daytime, freezing overnight.

Frozen ground = nowhere for melting snow to go.

Midweek Mess.