MAJOR ICE STORM HITS HARD

Didn't get much sleep last night because of the pouring rain and mounting ice on everything it touched. The police scanner chattered all night with trees across roads , power line fires and trees on houses. I went to bed early not feeling well and slept until about 2:45 when the power blinked off turning the big outside light off which completely darkens our bedroom and always wakes me up.
I couldn't go back to sleep for over an hour just laying there listening for a big boom that would tell us our leaning pine tree had fallen on no telling what.
I remember looking at the clock just before 4am and then I slept until 8am. We couldn't believe our power was still on as we walked around the yard taking pics of all the ice.

It was beautiful but also could be deadly if some of the falling limbs hit you when they fell from the weight of all that ice.

Our big leaning pine tree was unbelievably still standing strong .

The roads looked okay but #1 son called and said we had better not venture out to church this morning as a car just spun around and ping ponged off the guard rails on the icy road.

Hubbie and I came back inside to hopefully let some of the ice melt off before we had to get under the power lines and sagging tree limbs to feed the chickens and dogs.

We ate our breakfast and just as we were finishing cleaning the dishes up the power went off. It was about 10am.  

We could now get out and do the feeding chores without fear of the live power line falling on us anyway. We hurried through the chores while listening to limbs break off the trees with loud pops. 

We came back inside a dark but warm house  thanks to this great little wood stove downstairs.

Hubbie and I both tried to nap and catch up on last night's lost sleep but with all the noisy sounds outside sleep was still pretty fleeting.

#2 son came by to check on us and said he had power at his house if we wanted to come home with him. But we decided to stick it out and get out the generator if the power wasn't back on by later afternoon and plug the freezers and refrigerators in.

Thankfully about 2pm the lights blinked back on. It is amazing how much you take for granted while you have power. Even a simple thing like washing your hands, getting a cup of coffee, flushing a toilet made impossible with no power.

We did get a true day of rest today with nothing to do for hours but star out the window and watch the birds at the feeders and the ice chunks falling from the trees.

We got out this evening to get the chores done and the woods are filled with ice that has fallen off the trees and the smell of fresh pine filled the air from all the limbs that have broken off the trees.

Back inside we decided to snack for supper since we ate a late lunch after the power came back on.

Everyone else except  #2 son and daughter lost power also today. Aa sent this pic this morning as BB helped clear wood from a tree that fell on the goat fence tearing it down.

Daughter sent this pic of IR with her cousin Addie who spent the afternoon with them after loosing power at her house.

We officially got 1/2 inch of ice and there was 1 inch of rain in my rain gauge this morning. 

Our area was hit the hardest and there are over 10,000 folks still without power tonight in the county with some not expecting it to be back on for a couple days.

Schools are on a 2 hour delay tomorrow baring any changes in the weather overnight to worsen conditions.

Thankful for the blessing of no more damage than we had and praying for all those who suffered worse damage and loss.

God Bless and Good Night

ICE STORM PREPARATIONS

Got to sleep in an extra hour this morning . The clouds are sure hanging low and the air definitely feels like winter weather is coming as I get the chores done.
We were a little late getting to market but the roads were pretty vacant and market was the same.
I took the opportunity of no customers to catch up on some market board business while hubbie was there to sit at the table.
Actually sales were okay today and I made the most for any January day so far at $86 .
Hubbie left before noon to stop by Ingles to pick up a few things in case we loose our power.
I left market at about 1:30 as we stood and watched a light rain start falling and sleet pellets bouncing off cars in the parking lot. We all decided it might be a good time to head home.
Hubbie was getting in more firewood when I got here and we got unloaded and put things away.
It isn't raining here yet so we came inside and got warm and watched some basketball. UNC lost big to Louisville and then we watched Duke sneak out a victory with a last second shot over Florida State.
It started raining lightly here about 4:30 so we got out and moved the big chicken tractor from under the power lines and got things all fed and put up.
These droplets aren't liquid anymore at 5:30 so this is not a good sign of things to come with the temperature dropping and the rain getting heavier !!!

When we watched the news tonight the forecast for our area had worsened a lot with the expectation of close to 1/2 inch of ice which will be devastating to trees and power lines.

We are preparing tonight to wake up with no power for sure and are praying that nothing gets hit by falling limbs and trees.

I pray for all the workers who have to be out in this storm and pray that they all are safe.

Thankful for the blessings of this day .

God Bless and Good Night

T.G.I.F. AND WRESTLING MATCH

TGIF ,and whew it has been a long busy week.  I got chores done while the kids had breakfast then I took RL to pre-school. I stopped by Ingles on the way home to pick up a gallon of milk and a few other things for baking today.
I had my breakfast when I got home and then while hubbie and IR moved from room to room to outside I swept and mopped all the floors in the house.
We all went to pick up RL from pre-school. We stopped by Burger King for lunch then came home with 2 ill tempered tired little girls. I got IR to sleep by holding her down and rocking her.

But hubbie had no luck getting RL to nap so he took her outside so she wouldn't wake up IR.
They gathered firewood in and let Rocky out for a walk and fed the other dogs early.
I baked 1 pound cake and 1 pan of brownies for market tomorrow and then roasted some asparagus, carrots and cauliflower for a mid afternoon snack for hubbie and I .
D-in-love came in from work and took RL to the wrestling match. Hubbie , IR and I met them there. The match is at the high school tonight and they got to wrestle in the spotlight just like the high school team.
G-son gets to dress out with the team but he is still the second place wrestler in his weight class. He is the wrestler facing this way between the umpire and the word "The" .

Apple Valley won the match against Brevard and g-son acted very happy after the match.

Son-in-love met us in the parking lot to pick up IR as we were leaving the match.

We came home and finished up the chores by flashlight.

We still aren't sure what the weather will bring or when it will get here tomorrow. As we picked up RL today we noticed that they had already brined all the roads with the saltwater brine they use.

All the forecast are for the falling weather not to start until tomorrow evening so we'll cross our fingers and pray we don't get a major ice storm out of Gia.

We had a light supper then I got things ready for market and rested for the evening.

Thankful for the blessings of this day.

God Bless and Good Night

SLOW COLD MARKET DAY

Thursday morning are always hard and then add the solidly frozen water pans in all the hen lots and I was 15 minutes late getting RL to her pre-school and they were getting ready to lock the door.
I met hubbie and IR at the Curb Market and IR was refusing to take off her really warm lamb hat.

But I don't blame her as the wind is really blowing still this morning after a very windy night. I went out to get my security camera just before bedtime last night and when I heard the wind in the pine trees above the garden where the one huge tall pine tree is leaning toward our power lines I just knew we would lose power overnight when it fell.
I even left my bath water in the tub for flushing the toilet I was so sure .
But thankfully the tree is still standing this morning and the wind has died down some.
Connie, IR's other g-ma picked her up from market about 10:30.
Hubbie helped take down all the Christmas decorations around market.

He left to get his dump run done and pick up RL from pre-school. It will good for RL to get to spend the afternoon alone with hubbie.

I kept wondering why I was sitting at market today when I looked down all the empty aisles but I made $39 today which was $4 more than last Thursday !!!

I left an hour early when the heaters cut off and the cold quickly made it uncomfortable inside the old cement block uninsulated building.

I didn't have any regular errands to do so I stopped at Ingles and got some supplies for Sunday's lunch and then at the Co-Op to get some bulk cinnamon and a couple other things. I was disappointed they were out of my favorite beet salad.

I got home at 3:00 and found hubbie and RL putting this stroller together that we had bought before Christmas for the girls to haul their dolls around in.

 The little seat converts to a carrier and RL thought she was really being a good mama to this baby doll.

D-in-love picked up RL and then hubbie and I rode with daughter when she brought IR in from meeting Connie over to check out the progress on her house. She was disappointed at the amount of work that was done on the painting and we don't think anyone has worked the last 2 days for some reason.  The house is really going to look nice when they ever get it finished.

Daughter dropped hubbie , IR and me back off at our house and she went to basketball practice.

Hubbie had already got his chores done early so I did mine when we got back and then the three of us had supper. I have lost 7 pounds with the 3-day cleanse I did and now I just want to keep the loosing up for a few more pounds.

Thankfully I have completely lost my taste for sugar and carbs so I want to continue eating healthy with fresh vegetables as much as possible.

I feel much better without sugar in my diet.

All the news is talking about winter storm Gia and what she might bring to our area this weekend. Right now it looks like we will get a light snow and ice coating as most predictions are for the storm to take a more northern track. Hopefully this will be correct.

I am sleepy early tonight and looking forward to a nice warm bath and bed to crawl into.

The temps are suppose to be around 20 degrees again tonight after the high today didn't get out of the 30's.

Thankful for the blessings of this day.

God Bless and Good Night

BACK TO WINTER WINDY DAY

Up to a regular busy morning and back to winter temperatures and a nasty wind this morning that will take your breath away.
I got chores done and took RL to pre-school.  Today is the only day this week that Deb, other g-ma will be picking her up as she is leaving on a cruise later tonight.
I came home and had my breakfast.  I have a list of "to dos" today some of which are behind since Monday.
I got my ironing done first then IR went down for a long nap giving hubbie some catch up time also to get the trash and recyclables all collected.
I went downstairs to get all the laundry that I washed yesterday put away. I am always sad when the last of the Christmas things are stored away since I enjoy this season so much.
I got that done just in time to have a light lunch and continue with my cleanse drinks. I have lost 2 pounds each day I have done this so that is great.
Hubbie and I cleaned house after lunch then I baked a couple pound cakes and a pan of brownies.
IR has spent most of the afternoon at one door or the other begging to go outside . She can't understand how cold and windy it is out there and only thinks about all the fun she had with all the other kids the last two days outside.

Hubbie and I took turns getting our chores done early and then headed out to the school for another wrestling match for g-son.

He is the wrestler that is 4th from the left in this picture. His team won a very close match today with Flat Rock by 1 pin. He didn't get to wrestle again today but that was okay since it was his weight class that decided who won the match.

We headed home after the match to get IR some supper. She is staying with us tonight until her mom's basketball game at Hendersonville is over since son-in-love wanted to go to this game.

She wouldn't eat any supper but she ate some peanut butter bread.

We took turns getting things shorted out tonight and ready for market and errand day tomorrow.

Daughter and son-in-love picked IR up about 9:00 and then hubbie and I finished our preparations and headed for an early bedtime as the wind has really gotten higher tonight. I hear things hitting the house as I sit here and type this blog post.

Looks like it might be an interesting weekend if this forecast holds true showing snow for Saturday and ice for Sunday. None of the weather folks are saying any amounts yet as it depends on the track of the storm.

Thankful for the blessings of this day.

God Bless and Good Night

FUN OUTSIDE PLAY DAY

Up to get a very busy day started with getting breakfast for all 3 grandkids. Daughter took g-son to school with her and I got the chores done while hubbie fed the other two.
Sadly I found one of my mail quails dead this morning. Seems this winter has been rough on these little birds as this is the 2nd one that I have lost. Now I debate on moving the lone female in with the other pair I have. Some times this works and some times it doesn't .
I grabbed my morning cleanse juice and the mid morning snack balls for today as I headed out to take RL to pre-school.
Hubbie and I loaded all the rugs, furniture and bed covers for the last three months in the Honda last night so on my way home if the laundromat isn't crowded I am going to get them all washed.
Luckily there was only one other car at the laundry when I got there and I got all the large machines except one filled and washing pretty quickly.
It is a very warm morning already in the mid 50's and I was sweating in January as I got things dried and loaded back in the Honda.
I got home about 11:00 and hung out the rubber backed rugs and got everything else carried inside before it was time to head out to pick up RL. Hubbie and IR went along for another park play date on this warmer and sunnier than yesterday day.
The girls didn't eat very well as they were too excited to get to play.
And play they did...…..

IR decided she would let her face show her joy today as she went down this slide time after time.

And her tongue action was on point !!! Big cousin RL was watching out for her closely.

They played longer today and when they asked to leave hubbie and I were ready for a break also.

RL went to sleep on the way home and took a nap while IR and I had a late lunch.

Just as RL was waking up Re dropped BB off to play while she went to a doctor appointment.

All three of these kids wanted to play more outside so hubbie and I went along.

RL and BB were as RL said "partners" all afternoon as they ran from one adventure to another.

Hubbie cleaned off the big blue slide up at the shed and the sliding fun began again.

 Dare deviling with both hands in the air as the other kids went down backward and head first.

D-in-love brought EL home from school and she got to play outside a little while until it cooled off with the sun going down. She loves to take care of IR.

We all came inside for snacks and a rest to wait for Re to get here.

After Re and D-in-love picked up kids hubbie and I took turns with our chores as IR was still here until son-in-love got off work as daughter has a basketball game at TC Roberson tonight.

After son-in-love picked IR up hubbie and I changed clothes and went out to the funeral home for a visitation for one of hubbie's first cousin's son. At 30 years old his mom , Karen, found him dead last Thursday. So sad for his mother and his brother who have suffered the loss already of his dad.

There was such a long line of family and friends we got there at 7:00 and stood in line over an hour .

So sad to see such a young man with a bright future pass away. R.I.P. Brandon.

Back home it felt really good to finally get to get off my feet for a while.

Thankful for the blessings of this day with all these little ones and praying tonight for Brandon's family , may they find comfort and peace in the Lord.

God Bless and Good Night