As I sit here and type the only post I have done all year, the woodstove is crackling as the flames dance and outside there are huge flakes of snow trying to see what one can reach the ground first while the wind pushes them as far away as it can. But our family gladly welcomes those gorgeous snow flakes! =)
We have several inches of snow at the moment from the past week and more which have stayed even through the warm snap and rain. Our sledding hill out back is perfect! The drifts add splendid jumps and soft landings. Last week, the moon came out at night shining brightly against the snow, it looked so enticing. Jonathan, Ben, and I decided to go sledding one night in the moonlight. During the walk up the hill, over the fence, and through the hedgerow, it was so neat to look around and see the stars above, the lights shining in the sky from different towns in the distance, the sparkle of the snow, and the moon sailing through a few clouds - everything looked so beautiful! We got to the top of the hill, jumped on our sleds and down we went carving out a track in the fresh layer of snow. A quick walk up the hill and a few more rides down got us out of breath so we all lay on our sleds at the bottom of the hill just gazing around marveling at God's creation. Jonathan took his homemade predator call and seranaded us with some howls, barks, and whines on it - a unique style of music. A few minutes later, Jonathan whispers, "It worked!" I just lay there and thought, "You almost caught me on that one." "TO THE RIGHT!" he tries not to shout out loud. I looked up and sure enough, there just on the rise of the hill was a fox running away through the short cornstalks as he caught our scent!
"Whoa, that was neat!"
"I actually did it!"
"That was cool!"
And many other such exciting whispers were going on all at the same time as we sat up and looked after the fox as he disappeared over the hill. We looked hard through the field to see if there was any other ones when we looked over the bushes in the hedgerow and there in our pasture was another fox! It was much closer than the other one. Jonathan quickly started calling with his call again making little whines and barks and we watched the fox walk a little closer smelling and staring towards us trying to figure out who this new fox was and even what it was. It sat down still looking at us for a bit, then started trotting away up the hill. We stood up when it disappeared when suddenly we saw it again and it dashed away as fast as it could. It must have started coming back down the hill. We were so surprised and Jonathan was ecstatic - this was the first time he had ever called and on a homemade call and he called in TWO fox!!! We had to run up to the top of the hill, make some noise and then slide down the hill to help release pressure. =) What an exciting time!
We have several inches of snow at the moment from the past week and more which have stayed even through the warm snap and rain. Our sledding hill out back is perfect! The drifts add splendid jumps and soft landings. Last week, the moon came out at night shining brightly against the snow, it looked so enticing. Jonathan, Ben, and I decided to go sledding one night in the moonlight. During the walk up the hill, over the fence, and through the hedgerow, it was so neat to look around and see the stars above, the lights shining in the sky from different towns in the distance, the sparkle of the snow, and the moon sailing through a few clouds - everything looked so beautiful! We got to the top of the hill, jumped on our sleds and down we went carving out a track in the fresh layer of snow. A quick walk up the hill and a few more rides down got us out of breath so we all lay on our sleds at the bottom of the hill just gazing around marveling at God's creation. Jonathan took his homemade predator call and seranaded us with some howls, barks, and whines on it - a unique style of music. A few minutes later, Jonathan whispers, "It worked!" I just lay there and thought, "You almost caught me on that one." "TO THE RIGHT!" he tries not to shout out loud. I looked up and sure enough, there just on the rise of the hill was a fox running away through the short cornstalks as he caught our scent!
"Whoa, that was neat!"
"I actually did it!"
"That was cool!"
And many other such exciting whispers were going on all at the same time as we sat up and looked after the fox as he disappeared over the hill. We looked hard through the field to see if there was any other ones when we looked over the bushes in the hedgerow and there in our pasture was another fox! It was much closer than the other one. Jonathan quickly started calling with his call again making little whines and barks and we watched the fox walk a little closer smelling and staring towards us trying to figure out who this new fox was and even what it was. It sat down still looking at us for a bit, then started trotting away up the hill. We stood up when it disappeared when suddenly we saw it again and it dashed away as fast as it could. It must have started coming back down the hill. We were so surprised and Jonathan was ecstatic - this was the first time he had ever called and on a homemade call and he called in TWO fox!!! We had to run up to the top of the hill, make some noise and then slide down the hill to help release pressure. =) What an exciting time!
Jonathan's homemade predator call.
This week, we have some real winter weather coming. Today, it is in the lower 30's, but tonight it is supposed to drop down to 3 degrees and it's suppose to be below 0, not counting the windchill for a couple days. We have battened things down and made sure the animals have a warm shelter before the cold sets in. We haven't had below zero temperatures for such a long time! COLD!!
I'm currently reading a book called The Young Fur Traders by R.M. Ballantyne. The story takes place in the Far North of North America, where in the winter time, they can't use mercury thermometers because the mercury froze. It was not uncommon to have temperatures fall as low as 30-40F degrees below zero and lower! Maybe I'll think of that when I sit in my cold bedroom with piles of blankets this week and perhaps it will warm me up.
5 comments:
Wow, that sounds like a really neat experience. Sadly it hasn't snowed enough here to do any sledding. ): We are going to Minnesota at the end of this month, though, so we'll get a taste of winter there. (:
Angela
Thanks, Angela! I'm sure Minnesota will be a real taste of winter! You could come sledding here? =)
Abby
Abby, that sounded like quite an experience. It reminded me when we were living in a travel trailer on our friends 300 acre farm. Bob would try to call in the elk. The first time hie tried I thought he was out in the woods throwing up!
It's very cold here but no snow.
Janet
Oh, Mrs. Schultz I was so excited to see your comment! Thank you!! =)
Did Mr. Schultz ever call any elk in? That would sound funny.
Abby
Wow, we love your story. It's better than pictures!! How does one live through weather that cold? Being from Florida, we just can't imagine that without a constant fire to warm the bones!!
Sounds like so much fun sledding and just the beauty and stillness, enjoying God's creation. Thanks for sharing it with us.
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