Puppy Woes

Boss is not a happy camper right now. Monday he went to the groomer, he went from biker Dude to  Mr. Preppy. If you would like to see biker dude go here    When we got to the salon he sniffed at the door and then ran away. I had to tug and beg to get him to go through the door. He was very reluctant to enter the cage, so I had to shove him in. When I came back to pick him up he bolted out of there like a rabbit running from hound dogs. We got in the car and he put his head down on his paws. I told him he was a pretty boy and he looked at me with disdain and turned his head away. He was clearly pouting. All the way home he ignored my attempts to cajole him.   

The next day it snowed  several inches. My hairless baby was cold and unhappy. He shook his body trying to rid himself of the cold wet white stuff. Our trips outside were brief and he buried himself in the blankets when we came back in. The snow continued off and on all week. His looks seem to say why did you do this to me. He hasn't smiles in a week.  It is snowing again as I write. Don't see smiles in my near future.

If April showers bring May flowers, What does April snow bring?

We got hit again last night. Snow started falling around  5:00 by the time I went to bed we had about three  inches. Will this never end? I am so ready for spring!!

Snow Snow Snow

It started snowing about 2:00 a.m. this moring. Was still going srrong until about an hour ago. Boss wanted to go out. So I drug on my boots, coat, hat, and scarf. Geeze I thought spring started yesterday.  The snow was already beginning to melt. Sun shining brightly.

Boss couldn" t decide where to get off the sidewalk. The piles on either side of him were higher than he is. We went around the corner where the building blocks some ot the drifts. He finally found a place that looked promising. Boss plunged bravely through the white, wet, cold stuff that blocked his way. Poor guy he was up to his belly in this unwelcome mess. He couldn"t raise his leg enough to pee in a proper male doggy manner. He truged through the nasty stuff pulling on his lease to reach some bare ground  under the eves of the bulding. Ahh with solid ground under him he was able to do his business as a dignified canine should.

On the way back to our building he became intrested in some robins. A flock of these brave or hungry creatures were feasting on the fruit of a tree near our door. The fruit has been on since last summer and is shirvled with freezing and thawing, but I guess if you just flew in from Arizona expecting Spring and got hit with a 4" snow storm shirvled fruit would look pretty good. Such are the joys of spring in Montana.

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Montana Winter Ain't Over Yet

Old Man Winter beat Jack Frost to the punch and dumped a ton of snow on September 29th. Instead of falls glory of colors we were treated to dull grey brown leaves. The tree branches broke from the heavy wet snow. Winter was here and we had to learn to cope. The snow continued and the ground remained covered with its white blanket.  We fell into the rhythm of  a Montana winter. Dressing for outdoors included hat, scarf, coat and boots, no running to the mail box in your house coat. Going anywhere was a whole new ritual. After bunndling up, the car  had to be started, the snow brushed off and then the windows and mirrors scraped.. Driving slowly became  necessary.  These extra chores had to be considred when timing you arrival at work.

Walking Boss took on a new routine, The paths we had enjoyed in the summer disappeared and the creek froze over.  Our walks were around the apartment building sidewalks which by law had to be shoveled. Here you can be fined if you do not shovel the snow from your home or business sidewalks. When we came in from outdoors my baby had to be toweled dry, his paws pressed into warm water to help melt the snow . He did not like the water dip so I just rubbed his paws with a towel to remove the snow.

As the days shortened and the temperatures dropped I was not anxious to go out at 6:30  for his morning walk. I bought doggy potty pads and put them in the corner. My little man was to well trained, he knew he did not go in the house so he would sit by the bed and yawn or shake his collar. If I did not respond he jumped on the bed and stuck his nose in my face.  I gave up and resigned myself to walks in the dark with temps in the teens or worse.

That started  eight months ago, I would like to say it's over for a few months. Not!!! We woke up to three inches of snow this morning.  Life in Montana will either kill you or make you stronger. Scene from my balcony. 

 

Snow Snow Snowwwwww

November

The song from White Christmas let it snow. My favorite movie. This year I got white Halloween, White Thanksgiving and White Christmas. Be wary of what you wish for.

Let it Snow

On September 30th when old man winter arrived without invitation I was shocked. I had expected fall; a gentle transition; trees turning brillant red, orange, and yellow. I looked forward to an increasing crispiness in the air, the smell of wood smoked drifting across the land, the first frost on the grass; all followed by a light dusting of snow. The New England fall I had read about is not the fall of the Big Sky state. We plunge into winter with a fury. The temperatures dropped into single digits and snow piled up on leaves that were just beginning to turn colors.

I was not prepared. My coat was a jeans jacket. My shoes loafers with no socks. The Fairy Princess had warned me but I didn't listen.

Old man winter didn't care he was here and he did his best work. The heavy wet snow covered everything, tree branches broke and bushes bent low to the ground as winters blanket coated the still green leaves. That snow melted and the leave turned not the fall colors I was expecting but instead a dirty grey brown. Snow fell again and this snow was light and airy. What I believe skiers call powder. It disappeared, bare ground surfaced.

That was all over two months ago. Now I am an old hand at snow. I have three coats, several scarfs, hats, and two pair of boots. Light snow, heavy snow, 32 degrees to 4 below I'm ready. I don't know about the twenty below, I may become a human icicle.

Land of Oz

Now I feel like Dorthy. I'm not in Arizona anymore. I walk around in wonder at this new environment. The snow fell all day, some of the drifts were as tall as the children. One of my little marshmallows fell over and was sticking half in and half out of a snow bank, I had to dig her out.

My car had to be dug out of a snow prison last night. The snow plows had blocked me in.


On our walk this morning I was traipsing through snow up to my knees. Boss just gave up and sat down. I had to do a lot of pulling and sweet talk to get him moving again.


This is no place like home.

Nature Notes

Another day in Montana

Next job get snow off truck, so I can get to work.






Boss had to go so off we went into the falling snow. They said the accumalation was 2-4" but Boss was in up to his belly.





The snow was so deep I could not tell where sidewalk ended. Fell twice but the snow is soft.

More Nature Notes here

Nature Notes Thursday

We had our third snowstorm in a week yesterday. It snowed all day. This is out my balcony this morning.



frost on the pumpkin
falls glory pushed aside
winter wonderland





More nature notes here

Moosh in Wonderland

I feel like Alice in Wonderland. I fell down a rabbit hole and ended up in a Topsy Turvy world. Instead of smearing sun screen on little faces and hands, I am struggling to zip up coats and push on snow boots. Instead of carrying out bottles of water to hydrate, I am telling children not to eat snow.
Instead of seeking the shade, I am seeking the small patch of sunlight to thaw my frozen feet.

This is the scene that greeted Boss and I on our morning walk.


Boss can't decide which way to go. What is this stuff anyway?

A critter must have burrowed here, the mighty hunter is on the trail.

My babies feet are caked with snow. I tried to get him to dip them in warm water when we got inside, but he would have no part of that. I dried his paws with a towel instead.

It's a different world than where we come from. Temperture high today 43.

Nature Notes

Taken from the car window looking up.


We traveled from Cody Wyoming to Bozeman Montana over the beartooth pass. It is not a drive for the faint hearted. The road is like a sidewinder, narrow and curvy. The snow leaves a lot of pot holes. It is also the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. These pictures were taken the first part of June and as you can see there was still a lot of snow.