Frosty times

We are having an inversion, trapping air in our valley and holding in the particles and fog.  It has been very foggy with little sunshine some days. Yesterday the sun came through and made some beauty.  The frost has so long to build up without melting that it is making long spikes.  When the wind blows a little each of our trees makes a localized new "snow". 

We went to the Piano Guys last night, check them out on youtube if you aren't familiar, very fun and energetic concert. 

Dog fence wire with frosty coat.

Nigerian dwarf goats are making it through so far.

Winter has come and a week in Orlando

Winter has arrived, our hunting ponds are frozen and we had one good snow that has stayed on the ground.  Usually, in past years, our snow has melted within a day or two of falling, but the last two or three weeks have stayed mostly below freezing.  So our snow remains.  The kids did have fun sliding down the pond's edge onto the ice in our back yard.  The goats are surviving with longer coats.

We had a break from this with a week in Orlando after Thanksgiving, along with the Catmulls we met the Sookhoos and Hornes there.  We had a nice rental house with a pool.  It had a few cucaraches to remind us of Florida life. We mostly were able to stay home with one day to Clearwater Beach to check out that area. We did go to Disney for an evening with the Christmas parade and had a day at SeaWorld.  The kids were fun to watch and were really good, everyone got along very well.

This Mallard smacked the ice hard enough to make a nice crack pattern.

 



Iva and Meg on the trampoline at Thanksgiving. 


Pictures from the week in Orlando:
 



Amos and Wardie resting up.

 

 



Kitchen table in our rental house.



Zapping aliens



Catmulls, Shawn, Anna, Iva and Charles.

Waiting for the Christmas parade.

Now we are back home to Idaho, seems colder than I remember, Two winters in the DR may

have been too many, permanently changing our thermostats.

 

 





Carrie is now fifteen and has her driver's permit, six months and
she will be on her own to drive. 















 

 

 

Hunting Parma and Sneaky chickens.

Josh and I have been out to duck hunt on our property near Parma, about 45 minutes from our house.  We have had pretty good luck and lots of fun. 

Morgan's chickens didn't seem to be laying many eggs.  Sometimes they can be sneaky and lay them in places other than their coop.  When production declined Liz and Morgan looked around a bit, but decided since they were molting their feathers they were not laying well.  I have a small stack of hay bales for the cows,  now that our pasture has stop growing we need to give them hay.  Anyway, one day when I lifted a bale to take out for the cows I uncovered the egg hiding place.  There were 51 eggs in the nest. 

Fall fun with Iversons and Catmulls

We had a visit from Jack Frost, and the Snowman.  I don't feel ready for a cold winter.  The Dominican weather has spoiled me for sure.

Frozen fountain foam and water, the real
turtles are safely indoors.

Josh was giving the kids a ride on his feet the other day, reminded my of when I had little girls to give rides to. 

After Jack Frost visited, the Catmulls came for part of a weekend, Shawn had an interview in Washington so he had to miss some of the fun.  Iva is 13 months old, she doesn't pay much attention to her new brother.  She likes to be outside and isn't very cuddly, I have to play chase with her to touch her at all. 

Cindy with Charles W. Catmull

Morgan ready for church.

Halloween

Levi and Josh's spider pumpkin.

Morgan's scary face pumpkin.

The Iverson kids had lots of activities for Halloween, carving pumpkins, school and church activities, etc.

Carrie and Morgan ready to paint.

Ladybug.

Allison and friends run the Spider walk for the younger kids.

Levi as a kangaroo.

Rimbey and Stettler Hunting, Alberta 2013

I returned to hunting this year after a two season hiatus for our mission.  We visited our cousin Rhonda in Rimbey, and had good hunts for geese and ducks with her husband, Bob Tarney.  Coin Ivory and George were also along this year. We moved to Stettler on Sunday and scouted for ducks on Monday.  We had some good shooting, though not as good as some years. It is fun to get together and hear the stories old and new.

Jim and Dave in the Pumper.



Colin, Dave Shaver, Bob and Rhonda Tarney in Rimbey.

Dave scouting.

 

Dave on alert.

Jim and Tux following the ducks in the air.

Charles Wallace Catmull

Little Charles was born on Tuesday while I was in Alberta hunting, so I could stop in Idaho Falls and see him on Thursday.  A few days there were nice, Iva is at a fun age too.  Anna did well and is enjoying having another baby. 

Born October 22, 2013, Charlie was 7 pounds, 19 inches.  He is blond.  He is our thirteenth grandchild, but Kate is busy on number 14 so he won't be the youngest for long.



Meg, Iva and Charlie.

Rodger and Charlie talking a sun bath.

Day to day and hunting trips

We are into the school routine now, Levi has no pre-school Monday or Friday, so we go to McDonald's, Harbor Freight, etc when we can.  Morgan gets home at 4:30, so we catch up then.  Summer is a better time for me.

Batman at McDonalds

Mahana is aging, she has bad hips but still likes to be where the people are. She comes in the garage most mornings with me.  She lets Spooky the cat lie with her, pretty mellow.

I had a hunting trip for geese and ducks to near Plumas, Manitoba with Jim and Jay Shaver and Colin in September. Nice weather and good shooting.  I am getting blinds ready for a trip to Alberta next week, the mud is to dull the sheen on the new camo fabric, it is brushed off after drying.

Jim and Gator's truck

Colin loading the decoy trailer.

Jay and Colin with their layout blinds.

Jim and Jay Shaver.

Snow geese just over there.

Jay readies his Citori.

Colin Ivory

Jay and Colin enjoying the wait.

The view from my layout blind, first light.

Cindy and I drove to Eugene for Ian Salisbury's wedding on Sept 27.  It was nice to see them and some other of our neighborhood and Church friends.  It rained the whole time we were there, so not sorry to be heading home to Eagle from there.

First day of school

The Iverson's had to start back to school while their cousins were here.  Morgan was excited for first grade, and Carrie to start high school (and driver's ed).  Allison was ready to be biggest in middle school as well.

So far school is good, Carrie driving is something to think about.  Like everything it has some good and bad, but who can stop time?  Carrie also has release time seminary.

Eager first grader.

Allison and Carrie, bright and early.

New farm storage and garage

Bob the builder is adding a new steel garage in the back. We need room for ATVs, implements and cars.

The cows like to keep an eye on things. So far
 they haven't busted out. Though one did walk into thepond area, we were able to herd her back.

The barn is now finished, the pictures below show the painted floor.  Sherwin
Williams Tile Clad epoxy, two coats.  Hope it holds up to oil stains.