by Deanna Nelson | Feb 9, 2014 | blog | 3 comments
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We continue to be buffeted with Lake Effect snow from our Great Lake Ontario. According to local media, we received 44-inches over 36-hours the last couple of days, with more on the way. For some reason Lake Ontario hasn’t frozen over yet this year (likely something to do with temperature, although we’ve been below average), and as long as the lake is open, we’ll be receiving snow from the lake. Frankly, there is absolutely nothing that can be done to prevent snowfall, so we just need to enjoy it. And so we shall. We shall shovel, plow, snow blow, roof-rake, salt and sand our way to March. Fortunately Jeri has been cooking up some delicious treats to end the days, and that has been very sustaining!
The animals have their own winter adaptations to their normal routines. The horses have paths all around their pastures (albeit closer to the barn), the cats have stuck to the hay loft or house, and the dogs are tag teaming the snow based on height. Our neighbors, Jim and Cathy, report that their adventuresome feline was tunneling through the snow–pretty impressive! Paul was relating last night that their tallest explorer, Bud (a gangly black lab), was trailblazing for him and the other dogs on their nightly ski. When the hounds wanted to respond to some exciting hunting interest/potential animal tragedy, all Paul had to do was call in the more tractable Bud and the hounds’ would-be romp was curtailed. There are some advantages to deep snow! At my home, the canines are on the shorter side. When the snow is deep they follow me single file…
February is prime time to get remaining sap lines installed for late February/March syrup making. We’re not quite there yet with other projects competing for attention, but I think everyone is looking forward to boiling sap. The kids have been watching the thermometer, and Paul advised them that he has a liter bottle of water outside his door. When that liter is thawed, the sap is reliably flowing. The trees themselves need a little thawing to get the juices running. We can’t wait. In the meantime, there is lots of fluffy snow to play in and hot soup to warm us up.
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