A Winter Walk in November

In spite of the chilly temperatures - 25 degrees - and the snow

the oak tree still has its leaves. 

We walked out back. 

I needed a picture of me exercising outside for the 

Fitness Center's annual "Punch Challenge."

Members 'earn' a T-shirt by completing 12 of the 18 challenges 

and receiving a 'punch' for each on the Holiday card.

Oh, and maintain your weight over the Holidays.

 

John in his warm coveralls and furry hat. 

He cut a few honey suckle branches away from the paths. 

Paths that had icy branches of honey suckle obscuring the view. 

Branches from our Bradford pear trees. 

John cut up a trailer load of wood.

He used 'slave labor' to load and unload the wood. 

Looks like there may be some more to cut.

The back hoe idled by the cold temperatures and the snow.

High temperature today: 28 degrees. 

The sun was out for a short time.

_______________________________________

The Next Job

Our neighbor across the street has a leaky water line. 

He asked to borrow the back hoe.

John let him operate the back hoe, Tom has done this before. 

This is the Friday after Thanksgiving; a warm, sunny day. 

Janet and I are watching the men at work. 

John cleaned the mud out of the bucket. 

A real mess!

Tuesday, we had a dusting of snow with temperatures in the middle 20's. 

Work has temporarily ceased. 

Tomorrow is a new day. 

________________________________

We Have Our Work Cut Out for Us!

The branches in the front yard are picked up. 

Not too many branches, but I was dodging falling ice shards

as the wind blew.

The broken Bradford pear branches have been taken out back. 

The tree in the front yard will survive. 

Here is the mess in the backyard.

The Bradford pear tree closest to the barn split into five parts.

The top of the branches

brushed the south side of the barn.  

The Bradford pear to its right lost half the branches.
Notice the ice remaining on the ground.

We met the Louisville clan for lunch at a Mexican restaurant. 

Always a favorite. 
My sweatshirt is a Kaitlyn creation:
a Louisville cardinal.
Ellie and I are "matchies"!
Unintentionally. 

Today is my birthday. 

Then home, to clean up the fallen branches. 

The temperatures were in the mid 40's and the sun was shining. 

John hooked a chain from the John Deere to each branch
to pull the branch out back. 

Look at the ice that was left behind!

The south side of the barn escaped injury from the falling branch. 

The next-to-the last branch to go...
Ooops. 
The John Deere is returning to the barn.
The largest limb has yet to go. 

The Cub has been called into service to finish the job. 

The new look. 

And the John Deere with a flat front tire. 

Tomorrow's job. 
_____________________________

November Ice Storm

We woke this morning to the results of an overnight ice storm. 

There is still freezing rain falling. 

Branches are touching the ground, the grass is icy. 

The mailbox is frozen shut.

This small buckeye tree had already lost its leaves. 

No damage, but ice on the branches. 

The Bradford pear near the barn lost all its limbs. 

I was back inside and warm when the Bradford tree to the right split in half. 

My clothesline is sagging with the ice. 

The front yard has branches knocked out of the trees. 
There aren't as many branches as after Hurricane Ike ten years ago. 
But still, a trailer full. 

We took a walk in the back to check the damage. Frozen 
honeysuckle hung over the carefully 
mowed paths. John hacked our way through the honeysuckle 
only to be showered with falling ice. 
Temperatures remain 20 degrees below normal.
We have our work cut out for us...
________________________________

Welcome to my new blog.

What a way to start!

You would think we lived in Minneapolis!
________________________________________-