Oh Snap!

A cold spell has recently hit the US. Here, at 7400 feet elevation, we didn't get missed.

Don't you love digital evidence? It doesn't tell the time, nor the wind chill, nor if the sun was shining... and each of these factors does play in how cold it "feels". Regardless, understand that -12 feels COLD. Your nose hairs stick together, as do your eyelashes. You can't breathe too deeply without coughing. Your outdoor animals look like they're crusted in ice, but you've still got to remind your Remote Western children to bring a coat to school.

It's too cold to snow, though the snow that's already here isn't melting.

I worked cows with a friend one day, when the weather was this cold. Regardless of the temperatures, ranch chores must be done. As luck would have it, I fell in the (I believe, anyway) only non frozen solid stream and froze the lower half of my pants solid. We're talking about crunchy, flick-ice-off-with-your-cow-poker-stick, pants-can't-move-or-they-break solid kind of freeze. The upper portions steamed off some in the sun, but please believe me when I say "I FROZE MY @$$ OFF!!!" We worked cows some more, bringing in the heifers for vaccinations, getting them in the chutes and vaccinating them. It's a lot physical, hard, dirty work, but great when the sun is shining and the wind isn't blowing! (Helps if a person is also dry.)

The kids took the school bus out to the ranch, where we loaded up and drove off to hunt the elusive Christmas Tree! Success! We found one that would make Charlie Brown proud. Our settling was most likely spurred by the fact that the sun went down and all three of us had had enough of being cold (Remote Western Children didn't bring their snow boots, one was missing a coat, and neither had gloves. When will they learn???)

Another beautiful day in paradise.