Late Night, Deep Snow

Well at least it wasn't cold. Snow had been drifting pretty bad all afternoon with the strong north wind so I knew it could be difficult getting through my driveway. Speed carried me through the worst of it without hitting the ditch. But about half a minute after the camera fell off it's mount I came to a spinning stop. Once the snow got up to the bumper even four spinning winter tires could not carry me any further. Another hundred feet or so of deep snow and I would have been through the worst. Rather than burn up the transmission rocking back and forth a few inches at a time I decided to walk in to the yard and get a tractor. Even at a mild 15 degrees (F) I don't think any of my diesels would start easily so I fired up the sixty year old Cockshutt 40. The gas engine will start easily even at cold temperatures although it complains a little and the carburetor ices up.
Plenty of fresh air and good exercise plus justification for owning a gas guzzling four wheel drive SUV.

Playing In The Snow Again

Well my driveway had degenerated to the extent that even 4 wheel drive and winter tires were barely getting me through. I had left tracks that would be representative of the Chinese year of the snake, and they were very hard to follow.
So yesterday it was time to fire up the sixty year old tractor and put the 40 year old snow blower to work. It was a nice day, not so warm that the snow was wet, but not so cold that I couldn't take my mitts off to set up the camera and take this interesting series of videos. The 8 foot aluminum conduit pipe mount is a little springy when mounted horizontal. It makes it look as if the tractor is bouncing up and down violently when in fact it is a smooth ride. At one point the camera tilted 90 degrees and gave a whole different view that I wasn't expecting.
It is turning into a long winter. Concerns are already being expressed that we may have flooding problems when the spring melt occurs. Only days ago I read an article indicating that there was very little moisture content in this snow. So what has changed?

1230 AM And Alls Well in The Cattle Shelter

Looks like they are all settled and content for the night out in the cattle shelter. A few flakes of snow falling. The wind has dropped and it is perfectly quiet. Only a few coyotes howling to break the silence. The January calf is doing well and no more new ones yet.