Friday, January 31, 2014

Now the real worry begins





The forecast people are convinced we are going to start getting our snow. sleet and freezing rain any minute now. They started off predicting it was going to start yesterday, then this morning, then this afternoon but so far nothing. January is the driest month of the year around here and this year it has been even drier than usual which has worked out well since I have been hauling about twice as much wood as usual. Although we have to push through it to get to the warmer weather February is about my least favorite month of the year and it doesn't even have a thing to do who's history get's made up for it either.

February usually just sucks. We get our worst snow storms and coldest weather in February and the bees are beginning to build up for Spring so they need more food. Most hives that die out over Winter happen in February and early March so I am biting my nails this time of year for two reasons, the bees and the snow keeping me from hauling all the wood I got stacked out in various places.

The signs around are not looking good either. Huge flights of Geese are hanging out in the fields which means they are staying for a reason on their normal return trip back North. The Canada's are one thing because they tend to hang out a while but when I begin seeing a number of Snows and Blues mixed in with them I know something has told them to stick around and wait it out. The Ewes are now really big and eating more than usual both to keep warm and because they are well into being prego. See that damned smug look on Frazier's face? A month or so ago he was beginning to look a little worn around the edges from over work but now he knows his job is done and he keeps asking me when the ladies are going to go back to their place and let him have his bachelors pad all to himself again.

This afternoon the little donkey, you know the one that is old enough to have carried a certain expectant mother to Bethlehem in her youth, refused to leave the barn and that tells me her old bones are predicting something tonight.

So despite the extra chores of feeding the mob I still managed to go out and haul in another load of firewood. All good dry Elm with a little Walnut and Oak mixed in and all of it the size of my leg or smaller so no need to split it.  The down side was I had to haul it by hand a good 30 yards or so to my truck but this small dry stuff is almost essential when burning so much dense split heartwood. The Oak and Locust heartwood is so heavy that what typically happens is the coals burn down too low to keep em burning properly. Throwing a bit of small stuff in every few hours keeps em burning and the heat flowing. I think I have managed to get ahead of the extra use this year but a week or two of sub-zero temps and deep snow will still have me pulling my hair out no matter how much I have ready to burn. I am just that way, which is prolly why I am a prepper honestly.

One more month to go and then I will start working on next years wood supply along with being pretty sure how many hives survived this cold.

Believe me I am marking each day on my calendar this year. Each day crossed off is a minor celebration.

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!


20 comments:

  1. What weather are they talking about?? I checked radar over your state looks clear. The Canadians are staying put cause its still cold here. Our normal temps are 25. Even the open water at the power plants are frozen, a place they like to hang out at. Do you have a name for your little jackass?? If not how about Demmy for the Democrats?? LOL. Have a great weekend sir.

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    1. Rob - I was just out emptying my ash pan from the wood furnace and its drizzling on us. The wife got home and had ice already on her windshield so it's doing something now. Last night the radar showed it snowing on us but when I went outside nothing.

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  2. Hang in there, buddy. You're certainly putting in the long hours, this winter.

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    1. RP - Ya it's been a bad Winter this year. Thanks Man.

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  3. I wanted a cold winter this year, but I think I got more than I asked for.

    Y'all can blame it on me.....

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    1. Matt - Heh well you certainly got your wish. Thank the Lord it's been dry here or I would really be screaming about wood and with this propane shortage I would be using that and paying out the nose for it.

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    2. And here I thought it was the fault of that Darn Sasquatch...

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  4. I won't be sorry to see January go, February sucks but wood use starts to taper off some.
    I heard that all this weather is george bush's fault and that congress would work with obama, we would have warm weather by now.

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    1. SF - LOL. And yes your right. I dread the snow in February but we have to get through it so I am glad when it comes around. Kinda a love hate relationship like I used to get so much of in college :)

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  5. Preppy - At this rate you should have enough material to write a book on the proper care and feeding of firewood and a fire...

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    1. TB - Oh I could easily write a book but the problem is it would only be worthwhile to those who live around here. So many different ways of doing things or mandated by terrain.

      I always love those authors who talk about people getting an entire year's worth of wood in at once. Trust me it maybe possible in some areas but around here no way. You cannot even get into these woods here until at least October.

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  6. hahah...I have a bucks named Frazier, Niles and Marty...also known as the Crane Boys. January is usually our worst month and it certainly has been so far. I hope both of our hives are just fine. I'm opening mine up this weekend and having a peek. Ours sometimes start swarming in February if it warms up enough but with this crazy weather I don't know what to expect now. Maybe I will set traps out later this month just to be on the safe side.

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    1. MB - I have seen late March swarms up here but that was after a very mild Winter that was proceeded by a wet and plentiful Summer. I doubt I see a swarm before May this year.

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  7. PP,

    We had a real mild winter last year, I guess this year is pay back. The wonderful weather people from NOAA here state we are to expect some snow Sunday early morning and extreme snow Tuesday. Hang in there my friend, maybe we will have a mild summer??
    I hope your critter make it through this winter okay, that also includes the rest of your bees.

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    1. Sandy - I am sure the sheep will be alright and I know the damned horses will thrive even though they are ancient. They do this just to spite me.

      The bees are going to keep me up at night until I know for sure though.

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  8. PP - you sure have been belted this year! i only wish that we lived closer so that we could help! our great weather forecasters are predicting anywhere between 10-30cms (that's helpful eh?) over wednesday and thursday this week. it hasn't been too terribly cold this winter but we sure have gotten way more snow than normal. i am glad that you are such a softie and taking extra special care of all of the animals.

    your friend,
    kymber

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    1. Kymber - I appreciate the sentiment :)

      Really though this harsh Winter has been a good thing. It has reminded me that what I had planned as being normal may not be as normal as I thought. I have adjusted a few things and fixed some things I didn't know needed fixing. The first really bad cold snap was the worst after that it got much easier.

      Someday we will be glad we are in areas that have true Winter. Trust me on this it really is more of a Godsend than people realize today.

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  9. Slow Hurricane Season = Harsh Winter, Harsh Winter = Rough Hurricane Season. Just sayin.....

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    1. JuGM - So your saying this next Hurricane season is going to be bad?

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    2. I need to check the almanac...but murphys law would say so.

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