My World

 I spend lots of time in the kitchen.

Today I pressure cooked some navy beans

that Kyle and I grew in our Florida garden

back in 2021!!

I've been "waiting" to use them until...

I don't know...

So today I decided to cook them up.

And then I made a pot of ham and bean soup.

It was pretty yummy!

I'm loving "soup season"!

And my "office".

*****************************

This afternoon we FINALLY got the title

for the Ford Ranger, Rod ran to the court house

and got it notarized, then went next door to the

police department. They sent an officer out to the

house to inspect and make sure all the numbers

matched, and then another trip to the court

house to get a paper tag.

And now I can drive the truck!!!!

I'm so excited!

I'm thinking a trip to Hays is in order!

Ice is SO PRETTY!

 Ok, it's also slippery and dangerous...

but yesterday Kyle and I braved the road

and drove down to Malay's (grocery store)

and while there we picked up a bag

of de-icer stuff. (basically salt...)

In the meantime, there is ice built up

on all the branches on the tree outside

my front window.

But also, we keep a humidifier running

in the living room because it's DRY here.

So some of my windows are covered

in condensation most of the time.

But then overnight it freezes into 

the most amazing designs.

Of course, today it's currently 35.

So nothing is frozen.

And that's nice too.

The weather is slowly warming up

and the snow is getting slushy, which means

it will probably be gone in a few days.

(Except, of course, where the sun NEVER

hits it, like along the side of the garage.)

I'm doing fine.

I sit in my chair and read, crochet, or watch YouTube

most of the time anyway, so I'm not even noticing

anything different.

But the GUYS are going NUTS!

Hahahaha.

Kyle just headed into Hays to Home Depot

to get the wire so he can move on to the 

next step in getting his house done.

Rod has been working with Ford Credit

and the court house trying to get a copy

of the title for our Ranger (still financed)

so we can get it inspected by the Sheriff

(make sure it's not stolen since it's from

out-of-state) and then the county can issue

a paper tag.

It's been sitting in the driveway since before

Christmas with NO TAG because Florida made

us mail them all back.

We have tags for everything else,

but I miss the truck!

(It will be nice to have it for the drive to

church on Sunday and a trip to Wichita on Tuesday.)

Speaking of trips.

I'm "hoping" to hear from the lady at Vital Farms

to verify there is a new farmer meeting on the 

15th. If there is, we will drive to Wichita on Tuesday for

my biometrics and then on to Springfield for

the meeting on Wednesday.

We will stay there overnight so we aren't rushed

to speak with the vendors and company reps.

And then drive back home on Thursday.

Hopefully the weather will allow for Jim to

join us! (He plans to drive up, but there is a

storm brewing between here and there...)

Anyhow.

I'll keep you posted on that as we get closer.

(Emily, my company contact, is at a trade show

until Friday, so I'm kind of in a holding pattern...)

The story of my life.

Kyle's House Update

 Kyle drove out to the farm yesterday.

He was glad to see his house still standing.

I love the way it looks with the siding all done.

It's the perfect color.

Remind you of anything?

Glad we don't currently have any cows.

Their water trough is a little frozen.

Ok, a LOT frozen!

Kyle said at least 4 inches thick...

I'm sure the "neighbors" aren't thrilled though.

We have a nice herd that hangs out in the area.

(obviously this was before the snow...)

A lot bigger than our little Florida deer.

They were like large dogs... 

Speaking of dogs... Luna really does love the snow.

We got a good amount of snow in our "hole".

He is really looking forward to moving out there.

It's so peaceful.

The water well driller (on vacation in Aruba this week...) 

plans to come out next week and take a look so we 

can get "on the schedule" and get him some water.

Now that he has electricity... that's the "next big thing".

Then we can finish the plumbing and get the insulation

and drywall in and then it's just paint, floors, and furniture!

(Ok, there are probably more steps, but whatever.)

Meanwhile, we are planning to take a trip down the hill

2 blocks to the little town grocery store.

Although we have a good pantry, we are running

low on perishables like milk and eggs.

Can't wait until we can just go out to the barn

for both of those!

Mr Snow Shovel

This morning Rod bundled up and headed out.

We got a good little bit of snow.

Hard to tell how many inches because of the wind.

There were some nice drifts...

but also you can see the grass.

It took him 2 pairs of gloves...

but he got it all done!

Thankful for the YakTrax (coil things

you strap to the bottoms of your boots

to give you a little grip on the ice...)

Those really helped since our driveway is

fairly sloped and there is still a good layer of ice

on EVERYTHING.

Including the branches on the trees...

It sure is beautiful though!

The town came through with 3 ploughs running together

and got all the streets cleared.

There has been a bit of slow, careful traffic

out this this morning.

It was ZERO when we woke up this morning

and has just hit 21 in the backyard.

The high for today is supposed to be mid-20's.

We'll see.

But the sun is shining and some of the ice

is even melting (on the sidewalks...)

Luna continues to be thrilled with the snow.

Beau ... less so.

Although he does still go outside.

And we don't have to DRAG him anymore.

He doesn't stay out long.

Long enough to do his business and check on

the chickens (and sometimes wander around

the yard a little looking things over...)

but then it's back to the safety and warmth of 

a chair in the living room.

Preferably Rod's since it's in the sunshine 

in the mornings.

(And he's a push-over and doesn't kick him out... lol.) 

(Kyle got the Trooper [4-wheel drive] running just now

and is going to brave the roads and check out his house...)

Fingers crossed!

The highway will be clear, but it is doubtful they

have done anything with the farm road...

Meanwhile, I'm working through the Taste of Home

list of 34 easy (beginner) soups.

Today's lunch is creamy chicken noodle.

I didn't have any cream of chicken soup,

so I used a can of cream of mushroom instead.

Hopefully its yummy.

The refried bean soup last night was TASTY!

WooHoo SNOW!

 It's still snowing.

Little, tiny flakes.

Real dry snow.

The kind that crunches under your boots.

Kyle has been staying on top of keeping the walks

and driveway shoveled.

It's a whopping 15.6 degrees outside.

But there is a little sun peaking out

between the clouds.

We might take a dog for a walk in a bit.

(Only Luna. She LOVES the snow! Beau has

to be dragged outside.... and then comes 

blasting back in like somebody shot him

out of a cannon!)

This morning we watched "Teaching With Power"

(a YouTube channel for seminary teachers

doing the Come Follow Me curriculum but we

enjoy it for personal study).

This afternoon we are watching a movie and

getting ready to make a pot of Refried Bean Soup.

Thankful for a well stocked pantry.

And a work-horse furnace.

Weeeee!!! It's WINTER!

 The polar vortex is all over social media.

Jim said it was 40 in Palm Bay overnight.

Our "high" for the day was supposed to be 21.

It was 22 when Rod got up.

And this is what it is has been all day...

It says its 68 in the house, but it's actually

fluttering between 71 and 72.

The little weather station is down on the first

shelf by the floor and the floor is COLD

in this house... so it always shows 2 or 3 degrees

colder than the thermostat that is about eye level.

We just got word that church has been cancelled

for this weekend.

Kyle went to the farm yesterday and brought home

one of our generators just in case...

They are predicting up to 7" of snow.

Which would be fun.

But they also predicted ICE on the roads, etc.

Highway patrol sent a travel advisory last 

night advising against driving this weekend.

Thankfully we are well stocked and ready for winter.

I just put some corn chowder in the pressure cooker.

Smells YUMMY.

I'm bundled up in the yummy snuggie

Soni sent for Christmas, some thermals

(pretending to be leggings)

warm "Kansas socks" knit by Mom...

We have the old Lois and Clark (Superman)

series on the TV (free on Tubi) and I just

put some biscuits in the oven.

The chickens are all fluffed up and outside

eating their food and then they jump 

back inside their house.

The dogs are in their crates in the garage

with a space heater.

The outside hose bibs are doing a S L O W drip.

I think we are all set.

Rod just said they are now predicting 10 inches

of snow. I guess we will find out after its over.

But in the meantime, we are "hunkered down"

(reminiscent of hurricane season...)

we have food, snacks, TV and lots of heaters.

(And nowhere we need to be...)

YEA!

Happy Birthday Sondra!!!

 Happy Birthday Sondra!

(Yesterday...)

I forgot to blog yesterday.

No excuse... I just didn't think of it.

I DID, however, send her a gift

and chat with her.

(And she doesn't read my blog anyway... lol.)

Anyhow.

I still need to wish her a Happy Birthday!

Because she has been such a blessing 

in my life these past years.

For over a decade (maybe even two?)

we have spoken over the phone nearly

every Thursday morning.

(I remember having those conversations

when I was sitting at my desk at MIMA

and then at my desk at Health First...

and I've been retired for... a long time. Hahaha.)

Anyhow.

We have talked about EVERYTHING under the sun.

We usually start the conversation with a

weather comparison.

It was a little more stark when she was in

Utah and I was in Florida.

Now that I'm in Kansas it's a little closer...

but still fun to compare.

We have discussed our families,

our lives, our clients/students,

our meals, our drinks,

(we were making hot cocoa with vanilla paste

one winter! It was YUMMY!)

She has been such an encouragement.

Always cheerleading, no matter what

crazy thing I've taken on.

I love you Soni!

Happy Birthday!

(This will FOREVER be my favorite picture of her!!!)