Only words Friday...

There can be no peace while our every waking thought is preoccupied with the belief that we must live a "profitable" life.

Only words Friday...

We must NOT throw away precious time by lusting after things....

Update on no electricity

Life at the barn is fine.  I just experienced a good 7 days never coming above freezing more than 30 minutes in the entire week.

I was at the barn early Friday morning with only 5 degrees registering at the "local official" news forecast.
I have to say it is normally a little worse in the winter here the more elevation involved.... which includes the barn.

With only 5 degrees being registered... I hooked up my water source and cleaned and filled my 100 gallon water container for the horses.

My father asked me what I was doing with all the ice I broke and fished out of the troft?  I throw it in the bathtub I explained!  It is cast iron and heats up well in the heat of the day with the sun glaring down on it!     I am a simple woman, but not completely stupid I explained...   he just laughed at me.

So far so good.  I have now had three days above freezing as of today...a dreadful Monday!  so the ice and snow on the roof trickles and sounds delightful; as if I had my own waterfall installed.  I enjoy hearing the echo as if falls into the barrel.  Only one more sound of delight at my barn

The hawks fly, swoop, and squawk entertaining us all
The horses breathe, snort, and chew their hay
The squirrels knock snow from the tree limbs and even this makes a enjoyable sound in the silence of a snow swallowed barn.
As the weather has helped the snow to melt, it now crunches under my feet as I make my way through the woods to the barn, trying not to mar my pastures for spring.

I can tell my next barn adventure will be to fence off part of the woods ...
If for no other reason than to have another place for the horses to run, stand, and kill trees instead of tearing up my grassy pastures.

One more thing to add to my to do list.

Sorry there are no pictures today! It is hard in such cold, to take off gloves in order to take a decent picture.
I promise to provide pictures on my next post.

Only words Friday...

Consider life as a sequence of   CAUSE and EFFECT, and never rely on luck

A morning walk in the silence of snow

As I drove to care for a clients dog, the air got thick and froze to the trees as I got higher up the mountain.

While these photos are not black and white I figured there was enough white to make it work. 

From a distance you can see caves... it is a little of a hike up into the woods but still within site of the road.

I decided as I drove back the next day  (yesterday) I would park the car, and walk up to the caves. 

They were amazing! 

While my photos are not up to par... there is no way to reflect these were larger/taller than me. 

Only words Friday....

We must learn not to spoil those things we have with our overwhelming desire for those we do not have.

Life without Electricity...

Of Course I have electricity in my house, but why have the expense at a barn, on the side of a mountain in the middle of no where?

I quickly decided after asking for a temporary permit for electricity just to build the barn, it was NOT going to be worth the money; until I build a house on the mountain. Over 2,000 dollars for TEMPORARY... I don't think so!  If it were forever that would make sense, but not to throw the money out the door.

So I am now learning how to manage my horses in the cold of winter with no electricity for water pump, water heater or for fencing.

The fence is easy.... While the instructions that came with my solar fence said it would take a week to charge a dead battery I find, on a good sunny day it takes only one day.   I got the largest charge I could and I only have it running when the horses are out.  This has thus far taken care of itself, easy to manage and not an issue.

Water...on the other hand... I could have dug a well, around here they start at Ten Thousand and go up.  So this too was out of the question, until I build a house.  Besides... Why share my water with the horses IF I have another source.  RAIN... So for only a small investment I planned ahead and now have a 3,000 gallon tank that is fed by rain, snow, and even the heavy morning dew.   I love it!

I LOVE IT BUT>>>>>> it is above ground and measures must be taken to function!
While we have been well below freezing earlier than normal this year we have yet to be below freezing for a solid week or more.
BUT after only 3 days of below freezing I still have beautiful, clean, water flowing from my exterior source.  As long as I can keep the hose line free of water, not allowing it to freeze itself I believe we will be fine.

I have had several ask how I am doing this.
Easily and Cheaply...
I did purchase pipe insulation wrap, but not only did I wrap the exterior line, I had the water container placed on the SOUTH side of the barn for a reason.  And while EVENTUALLY I will cover my large water container to look more like that on a roof in old cities, western towns, and movies... I have only basic resources to protect it today.  STRAW!
Few realize the wonderful value of a good bail of straw.  I am sure some of you have heard of straw bail homes.  This is basically the same thing... ? not really but the insulation point is.

I have place only four bails on the back, Three on the front, as I still need access to the pipe in order to attach the hose when I need to add water to their container.

I will have to let you know when the system stops working and under what conditions caused its stop.  Otherwise I am happy with what little I have done,  What little I have spent, and what little it cost me each month... ha ha ha...

Life can be simple... But simple is not ALWAYS easy.
Do what you can with what you have!