The Cat's Meow

I know it has been awhile since I last posted a few words on here so here is catching you up on our doings~~
The weather has been weathering no doubt about that bringing north breezes and pretty cool temps hovering around the minus 30 and 32 (celcius that is) We have had warm enough weather to have snow and have somewhere around a foot of snow. I do not know off hand without taking out a ruler what that is in metric cause I never really did learn metric and don't really care anyhow LOL There is snow and it is squeaky with it forming the snow dust on top from the cold. The trees look beautiful with it froze to them. I am thinking though that with the wind that is coming in this morning that maybe just maybe the trees will get a chance to shed the snow that is glistening off of their branches and has been for weeks. Must get rather burdensome for them after awhile.
The days have been full and busy. With inside chores and getting things made for Christmas which by the way I will not post on here as some of the recipients of these wild and crazy creations read this blog!! There has been outside chores to take care of too. The chickens are laying eggs like crazy which is a blessing right now to be sure and talking of blessings~~~
As most of you already know we raise pigs and butcher them and stuff them into our freezer~~and as most know that when one has to eat pork everyday it doesn't really matter after awhile how good the pork is~ it is tiring~So me being the person I am have been praying for some "different" meat to kind of break up the pork. We do have an old cow to butcher after Christmas but being the patient sort I wanted something besides pork BEFORE Christmas~~Well our LORD in His graciousness answered my prayers ~~now I have a huge cougar to eat~~OH MY!!! I am so glad rhinos and giraffes don't grow here (not that I would know if they are good to eat or not just not ready for that kind of different) or I would have to deal with them and YES I surely did get my DIFFERENT meat! Moral of this story be careful what you pray for or at least be more specific!
Work at the cafe/store is going fairly well and not too many people are being charged $75.00 a plate for bacon and eggs HEY they are good eggs hahaha or over $1000.00 for groceries which we probably don't even carry that much merchandise even with what is in storage. LOL Oh well so far everyone gets a good laugh and I am so slowly learning which keys to punch and when!
Apparently four wolves crossed the far end of our ranch so the nearest neighbours told us. They live eight miles or so up the road from us and saw the tracks when taking their children down to the village school. We haven't so far seen them near the house so that is okay with me too
Christmas is coming and things towards that goal are coming together. Grandchildren coming for the day Saturday and going to stay with their Auntie for the night it should be a busy week-end on Saturday as a potluck to go to that day too. If the weather isn't too cold on Sunday there is a horse drawn sleigh ride scheduled for that day. But it is weather dependent.It has already been cancelled once cause of the cold. We shall see.
I am off to do some wrist aereobics ~~commonly called knitting or crocheting.

The liberal soul shall be made fat:
and he that watereth shall be
watered also himself.
Proverbs 11:25

May the LORD put a little Meow in your Purr
God Bless Roxanne
Ps pass the mashed potatoes and the cougar please!

Long Nights Moon

The moon shine was so beautiful last night and still beautiful this morning. Although I believe it is not actually considered full till tomorrow and some exact moment in time. It is full enough to my untrained eye to just be captivated by the beauty of it all. When standing out in the cold looking about oneself the snow has a blue silver look to it and you can see for a long distance it is so light out. the heavy snow that fell the night before still clings to the trees as there has been no wind and the temperatures stayed down enough that even though the sun shone it couldn't bring a melt enough to bring the snow down off the trees.
I am thankful that the sun shone and that it wasn't too hot or too cold as we sorted cows and calves most of yesterday. Not always the most pleasant of jobs but in weather that is cold with wind and snow whipping about you it is even more unpleasant. Yesterdays sorting though was steady work but at least it was straight forward and although extremely noisy with mamas bawling(more like roaring) for their calves and calves bawling for their mamas we got it done in time for afternoon coffee. Jean and I had chickory that she had grown in her own garden and roasted herself. I have to say it was the best chicory I have had in many many years. Now I want to grow some myself. I never realized it would grow here but I guess being like a dandelion it will grow just about anywhere. You just always seem to learn something new.
I am working away at Christmas presents and trying to get all of that done on time then get told that I will be getting a lot more hours at work. That is good financially but not so good for the home crafts. I guess I will just have to work harder and faster. No boring moments around this place that is for sure.
We have a cow to butcher too but she probably could use some graining and personal attention before actually butchering her. I guess that decision will have to be made real soon too as to grain her etc she will be brought from the Udy Creek ranch ot ours then we have to think of the butchering process itself cause then no tractor to lift and hang her from. I would like to feed her up somewhat as she is skinny but realize some of the other difficulties so my husband and the son that will orchestrate the butchering will have to decide what they want to do.
In the meantime I have to get some bread made this morning before off to work this afternoon and there is always crocheting sewing and knitting to do and lets not ever forget the housework and a chicken coop that has to be cleaned and fresh hay put in it.
There is a snoopy huge cat trying to get on my keyboard he likes to bite at my moving fingers I am going to throw him out in the beautiful morning moonlight so he can find something else to bite at.

I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart;
I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in thee:
I will sing praise to thy name,
O thou most High.
Psalm 9:1&2

God Bless
Roxanne

Even though it was afternoon it was late in the afternoon when my dear husband had the firewood bucked up ready to load into the pickup. I pushed the gate as wide open as I could and dug it out with the toe of my felt pack boot. That helped a little but still needed it to open more as my thought was dig it out to open now so I don't end up having to shovel it out later when it is a block of heavy packed icy snow. So now I use the heel of my boot digging digging.. Finally feeling happy with the outcome of my endeavours I trudge through the crusty snow making my way over to the firewood. We just get things ready when I hear a truck.
Hellooooo there I call out, it is Roger and three of his children in a small pickup. It putt putts to a stop and out jumps Owen. I brought your new calendar he calls out. Okay as I trudge as fast as I can back over the crusted snow to them. Hows it I ask. Not too bad but the truck needs the tank taken out tonight and cleaned something causing it to choke every four to six miles. That makes a long trip for the children as they live eight miles past us and no school bus so have to be driven by family to the little school. We give them a box full of winter felt pack boots. As no one fits them here and they are still in good condition so someone might as well get some use out of them. They putt out the driveway and up the big hill towards their home and we come in to eat.
Supper is over by four-thirty as we want to get the wood loaded into the truck. So back out we go. Tramp the cat comes with us. He climbs the gate and hangs on then scampers after the truck. When we are backed up and parked he has to stick his nose in the cab of the truck to check that out and then sit on the roof, down into the box where we are throwing wood. When dear Dennis gets in the box to stack the wood you can be sure that Tramp is there getting in the way but oooh sooo self- important.
There are no other lights to see in our area being as we are the only ones in our area. The redness in the sky to the east of us tells the tale of slash burning going on over there. We can hear the trucks and machines even though they are many miles away and over a couple of mountains. Sound carries pretty well with nothing to block its way. The air is mild slightly above freezing out but carries a dampness with it.
The truck is neatly stacked and parked now with a tarp over the load as it is for an old friend in trade for a welder he has.
We have our night's wood packed into the house and onto the porch for the morning.
The hard work for the day is done. Now the evening lies before us and we have some movies woo hoo! It is so fun to have movies I always make it at least part ways through them before giving up the ghost ~~just sort of a practice run before actually going to bed to sleep. LOL
I have managed to organize some more of my upstairs room that someday I hope to call it a sewing room with guest beds in it. There is hope as I can see the beds now all neatly made up with their patchwork quilts on top of them. The boxes of toys and patterns that adorn the tops of the beds is a rude reminder that the room still needs some work before it is picture perfect.
The movies have started and all we need is popcorn ~~

And whatsoever ye do,
do it heartily,
as to the LORD,
and not to men. Colossians 3:23

Have a wonderful peaceful evening
Roxanne

The Day Unfolded

In the dark of the morning the snow sifted down which it had been doing off and on all night. That strange quietness that envelopes the world in the wee hours of a snowy morning was all present as I let one of the dogs out. In the end we had five inches of very fine wet snow. Instead of the usual oh isn't that a pretty Christmas card picture it gave our part of the world an odd drab white picture. Everything looked wet and almost sad.But inside the house it was warm and cozy and dry. My husband got up looking sad though~~his face swelled up like a cross between a chipmunk with a very full mouth and a bear! It was decided that he would be taken into town to see a dentist. The trip in for them was not that great the roads being absolutely a mess but they did make it in safely and the dentist did take his tooth out. That is he took out what was left of that poor old disintegrating tooth. He drained as much pus out of it as he could and put DH on antibiotics and tylenol 3's. They made it back in time to pick me up from work at the little store/cafe that I just started working at.
I had worked around here doing up things that needed doing as fast as I could so that our landowner friend could drop me off at work on her way to see some friends. Our truck was having issues with keeping air in the tire. Something we will work on today prayerfully although DH is not allowed to do much of anything except to rest.He was told that if he wasn't feeling better today he was to go into emerg because the poisons of the tooth will be all throughout his body. It was hard enough to get him in to the dentist so here is praying he is feeling better as I am not sure I can battle male stubborness ~~LOL
In the meantime I did work my first day and enjoyed it. I will be cooking for loggers, and the general public, running the till and stocking shelves and cleaning, all the regular types of things one does as cook and waitress. Oh and turning on and off the gas pump from inside the store. It sounds like a lot but really it is a very little store and cafe so my biggest "fear" is running the till. I have always hated dealing with money it flusters me real fast but maybe the LORD wants me to get over it at this tender age of mine! haha
The pigs have all been butchered so that chore is over with me just rendering down the last of the lard. I have chunks in a five gallon bucket to deal with yet but not today. Today if we can get the tires changed we are off to visit and deliver some biscuits to a fan/friend. Just going out and away from the ranch for a good part of the day where we are not actually going to work with someone just visit.
The last of the cows are in the big corral so all are in off the range as far as I can tell. One might be another rancher's cow as it is hard to read the brand but we shall see in the daylight.
It has been raining most of the night but we still have snow. Such weird weather. I would like it to just make up its mind one way or the other whether it wants to be winter weather or spring weather just quit the up and down thing. Just a couple weeks ago it was below zero farenheit or -20something celcius. Now it is 2 above celcius at just after 6 a.m. Craziness!
Our daughter and son in law have been living with us for the last couple of months and this week-end they are moving out to just down the road a ways. It will seem different to have the house to ourselves again. Partly happy about that and partly sad too! I am sure they will be back and forth alot though as they will need to wash their clothes here so not all sadness.
With the pig butchering our little house was full to the brim with family and friends. Not to forget dead pigs in the living room. That I can honestly say I am happy to be over with. And yes my livingroom looks like a living room again although I still have to dig out some fat from in between the cracks on the plank floor. That will get done today.
It will be interesting to see how the day unfolds here. In the meantime I will go make the morning tea and coffee and get some breakfast going too.

"For I know the plans I have for you,"declares the LORD
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

In His Hands
Roxanne

The weather being nice is a good time to take advantage of it and get some of the outside work done before it is too late. Now my flowers and strawberries are all snuggled under a covering of hay. My bunnies are in the greenhouse and out of their little cages for the winter until I have to put the greenhouse back into use.
Someday I really hope to have a run for rabbits. That would be so fun. Anyway they are super happy bunny wabbits right now.
Our front loader washing machine won't work properly so it is going back to the store our landlady got it from. We will keep the dryer and maybe be able to find someplace in here to put it so it isn't outside and then we have to thaw it out all winter to use it.
It has been quite a day here with folks dropping over for coffee and everyone giving their ideas and opinions on the whys and hows of making this machine work right. Now it is evening time and the moose liver is about to hit the pan the onions are fried and the potatoes are ready to be mashed peas are sitting ready to eat. I have not had time to make any dessert tonight but maybe later on.
We had a great time at our landlady's cabin with us the other couple from the other ranch she owns and some old family friends of hers and our buddy from down the road. Lots of reminicing going on and lots of tales of wild animals and wild peoples (wild as in bushed not wild as in partyers)the lost tribe here that was lost to smallpox and of course there is always the subject of cows!
And talking about cows we have two cows and three calves come in off the range today. So hooray we are getting closer and closer to getting everyone in.
Well folks better go finish with the supper making.

Your faith should not be in the wisdom of men
but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:5

Have a lovely evening all
Roxanne

Home Just Off the Range

It is a rather grey day here at the ranch. At one point I thought it would snow but it is warmer now with a high cloudy sky. One rancher showed up and picked up his cow and calf pair that came over to our range and then came in with this ranch's cows. So she and her baby are back at their own home now. We had our neighbour from Trout Lake Reserve show up looking for his steer that was here but it left some days back and we have not seen it since. He told us there were a couple of cows of this places at his place. He is our closest neighbour in that direction and that would be around 14 kilometres. It seems like this time of the year everyone is trying to get their cows home and get them down to the sales at least the ones that are to be sold. It can be a tough time if they get there too late. Low prices ~~why oh why are we paying so much at the grocery store for beef when the ranchers are only getting under $1 /lb on the hoof. There is something wrong with this picture that is for sure.
My husband and sons and son in law are off making firewood for one of the sons. They will soon be done the firewood thing. That will be nice for them as it is a long hard day for the bunch of them.
I am home cleaning the house (really I am just on a break here) Our landlady has invited us over for supper this evening and tomorrow evening with friends of hers. That will be fun. This is just a short little update as I have lots to do yet this afternoon and I wanted to get back to my blog which I have rather ignored the last while so here is hoping I can get back on track.

as you want people to treat you
treat them the same way.
Luke 6:31
Have a really nice Saturday
God Bless Roxanne

An Eagle's Life

It is a busy time here at the ranch trying to get cows loaded and taken to the other ranch for their wintering. We are still short 14 cows, a bull, and 7 or so calves. They will come in with these temperatures getting so much colder now. It is just moments after 8 in the morning as I sit here typing away and the sun is just now hitting the trees and making it to some of the rail fence. Unreal!
The harvest moon shone brightly all through the night this morning we have this beautiful sparkly frost. It seems the frost is getting thicker and thicker and staying longer everyday. Yesterday there was snow and slush off and on through the day. PTL it did not stay.
Some friends of ours were here a little bit back ago and went fishing down on our part of the river (not sure one can claim a river but the ranch is on both sides) While they were fishing they would pile the sucker fish as they were going to feed them to our piggies. Well a certain young eagle had very different plans for those same fish. He came and ate them all and then had to suffer the consequences of the sin of gluttony. He could not lift off to fly he was so fat and heavy from all those fish. Our friends managed to get him on camera so I thought I would post these photos for others to see. I am not posting all of them as it takes way too long for my computer to compute! Here's hoping they work and you enjoy them.
the first one shows him after he struggled to get to a branch overhanging the Blackwater River~~the second photo shows him trying hard to keep away from those photographers but he is losing his balance~~The third one~~ooh ohh I am slipping how do I get out of this mess? fourth one~~well if you can't fly you can always swim~man this river is cold!!
fifth ~back on dry land now to dry out ~~Geesh what a day!!




But those who wait upon the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

Its a lot easier to mount up on those eagle wings if
you do not practise gluttony
oh the lessons we learn!!
God Bless Your Sunday
Roxanne