Posted on 01/01/2025 7:08:47 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
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When I had horses and they had to stay in the stalls, I had rubber buckets, broke the ice out every morning & evening & put fresh water in. I had one heated water ‘bowl’, but it would have serviced one stall and we never hooked it up.
Outside, I had a heater that floated in a galvanized water tank. That heater worked REALLY well, never had a problem, lasted for years, & the horses always had ice-free water when they were out in the pasture - unless the weather was awful, they were out most of the time.
Back when winters were really cold, the water line to the barn would freeze up at some point. I had a hand pump on a shallow well and would pump trash cans full of water to pull (downhill, thank goodness) to the barn. My dad finally rigged up a pipe that would attach to the pump faucet so instead of hanging a bucket to fill, then pouring it into the trash can(s), I could just pump straight into the cans. Those were the “good old days” for sure. At one point I had 5 horses ... winter was labor intensive & prior to winter, there was always the job of getting the hayloft full of enough hay to make it ‘til the grass came out in the spring.
As much as I love horses, I would have to win the lottery (so I could hire help!) before I would ever have them again.
so he’s going to somehow pull it back to level. (Don’t ask! I’m just a Day Laborer, LOL!)
Been there, done that. Old wooden single car garage at a rental house. The landlord was amazed.
That’s PLENTY of snow to deal with. Take your time and don’t hurt yourself!
I’m glad your cold is clearing. I’ve had laryngitis so many times in my life, I can’t count them. Frequently had it as a kid. They used to tease me that it was God’s way of letting someone else get a word in.
When my husband and I first moved to the Midwest from the South, I got repeated colds followed by a week of laryngitis followed by one week well. Then the third week I would start the process over. After doing this 4 times in a row, I suddenly started getting worried that something was seriously wrong with me. I thought that maybe I had throat cancer! So I found a general practitioner and made an appointment. I told him all about the repeated laryngitis. Then he said to me, “Didn’t you say you just moved here from the South?” I answered yes, just 3 months ago. He gave me reassurance that it was just my body learning to deal with all the new little things like germs, pollens, etc. Not to worry! He did give me a referral for an allergist, which I held onto for 3 more years when the S really hit the fan.
Getting back to Snowmageddon, we dug out our driveway yesterday. It’s not so bad when there are two of us, and neighbors are all outside doing the same thing. Too bad it wasn’t the kind good for snowball fights. I’m sure we would’ve had one!
Now it’s time for the really cold temps. This is the part I hate about the Midwest. Growing up in Northern Florida, I rarely saw temps lower than 20. I never owned a coat until I went away to college. Jackets worked just fine most of the time. When it gets into the teens, I don’t much want to be outside. When it gets to single digits, I really fuss. Below zero, don’t even ask me to go outside. It’s not happening, unless there’s a REAL emergency!
Try to stay warm!
I have a can crusher. It’s ridiculous how much I love that thing! I am trying my hardest to get away from plastics. I’ve completely stopped buying water in plastic bottles, unless we are having a big ‘Family Do’ then they are easier and more sanitary for everyone.
Neither of us drink soda, but Beau gets tons of cans collected up at Bear Camp that he always totes home for me to crush. I do like lime sparking water and I’ve switched that to cans only.
Oh, I ran lags into the four corners of that wood frame of the garage, top, bottom and each end of a wall. I only needed one diagonal but wanted the second for safety. Didn’t want to straighten and have it decide to flop over and collapse the other way. I put a come-a-long on one chain and cranked away. Then I added diagonal bracing to the studs. Did that on a second wall because it was leaning in a second direction.
Half a day and it was sitting up straight.
I leveled a rental house once too because the backend had sank over the years and the toilet wouldn’t flush very well due to drain pipes nearly going up hill to the road and city waste pipe.
Both times, I got ohh, ahh from landlords but no offer to knock something off the rent as payment for my work. I did other things too.
One place was on 1.4 acres with about 1 acre being overgrown. I got a mower across the drainage ditch in back of the house and moved it down. Then bought a culvert pipe and some dirt so I could drive a vehicle back there. My reward for leveling house and making that 1 acres accessible? An announcement that the rent would be going up $200 next year(because I made it worth more)
That’s when I decided I wanted to buy land and quit fixing up other people’s places. Couldn’t afford land in FL so we started looking for a place we could afford so here I am in MO on 8 acres with a cabin that needs the floor leveled. When I get around to that, I’ll be fixing MY floor at least.
I texted the snow removal guy at 9:19 & at 11:03 he texted ‘be there shortly’! It wasn’t long & my motion alarm ‘dog’ on the driveway was barking up a storm & mom was yelling that some man was walking up our driveway (he was trying to find pavement edges).
They plowed the entire asphalt driveway (it’s long), cleared the back area in front of the shop garage, dug out by hand what they couldn’t get with the blade so we could get the car out, plowed the front loop sides, dug out the curve by hand, & were going to charge me $60!! When I talked to him last year, he said he usually didn’t charge over $75 so I told him I was paying him $75. Frankly, anything under $150 or so would have been OK with me! They pushed a lot of snow - I think we were about 8”.
We agreed that I would text him if I need him again (snow in forecast for the weekend, but amounts vary). The river is half a mile down the hill from our house & he has a camper somewhere on the river, does a lot of floating/fishing. He ‘knew’ our house because he passes it a lot.
I cleaned off the front porch & sidewalk, got a path across the patio/yard to the cleared area in front of the shop ... that was more than enough exercise for me!
I guess we’re supposed to have our housewarming party the 12th .... we can get out to the grocery to buy food & folks can get in to eat it!
Exceptional service!! What a relief that you e found someone who is responsive and easy to work with!
Partying that your house warming party will go off without a hitch!
I bought a couple pair of those rubber strap on cleats ages ago, still have one pair. Now I just avoid going out.
Thanks for the help on the menards list. I hadn’t thought of canning lids. I have a few things already that will fit in a bag plus a rebate card plus my birthday gift card.
Now that the ground finally froze, I’m going to lay down straw on the garlic and asparagus.
Which one actually needs the protection more, cause I’m not sure I have enough for all my beds? I may need to do wood ships on some of them.
I couldn’t wait.
I started the onion seeds today but they will be a very cool room.
We’ll see how long it takes them to come up.
I’m also going to start the lavender as that takes weeks to sprout.
“When I get around to that, I’ll be fixing MY floor at least.”
Finally!
Thinking back, I’ve only rented once in my life. I was single and had a lovely ‘Garden Apartment’ within walking distance of Lake Mendota. LOVED that place.
I was living off the Army’s ‘Fine Accommodations’ from the time I was 22 until my mid-30’s. Mopped, Buffed and Polished a LOT of floors, stoked a lot of coal-fired boilers for heat and hot water, cleaned a lot of ‘heads’ but the rent was cheaper than cheap, LOL!
I’m so glad you had someone available to do all that heavy lifting for you! $75 for all that was a steal! My gal used to charge me $100 a pop - but she was always dependable and well worth it.
Then I started dating a guy with a truck and a snowplow of his own and that was the end of that. ;)
Viola 'Historic Florist Mix'
I have a planter on the NORTH side of my greenhouse and it is very well shaded, even up against the greenhouse. I always fill it with Sweet Peas across the back (they have a bit of trellis to climb on) and then lettuces mixed with Pansies. It is the perfect spot for production all season long. Found that out by total accident! And Pansies look lovely in a Spring Salad.
I wish we had a greenhouse.
If I was younger.....
“Now I just avoid going out.”
I hear that! I spend Spring-Summer-Fall OUTSIDE. Winter is my time to Hibernate with books, seed catalogs, Free Republic, Hot Toddy’s and my stack of ‘thrifted’ movies I’ve collected all year.
Luckily, Beau loves cold weather so he is more than happy to do the dog, chicken, mule and steer chores in the winter months.
I’m getting a BREAK because we’ve had no snow so far and that means he’s unable to track coyote and bobcat, so he’s home to do chores! ;)
NOTE: See me in February when we’ve been ‘living in each others’ socks’ for one too many months, LOL!
HaHa. Sounds like my winter minus the drinks and seed catalogs. It’s crafts and project time. Just finished my menards list.
“Just finished my Menard’s list.”
Check out the Burpee seeds, for sure! And all remaining ‘Christmas Stuff’ is 50% off. I bought a few very nice fancy and ‘gift-able’ candles for next Christmas. ;)
I think Diana has it about right, one steer and some chicken for meat and eggs. Not too much to do and you will have time to garden in the summer.
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