• Everyday Life
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Beverages
    • Breads and Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Cookies
    • Desserts
      • Cheesecake
    • Salad Dressings
    • Seasonings and Sauces
    • Soups and Stews
    • Vegetables
  • The Journey Girl Travels
  • Life in Germany
  • More Categories
    • Memories

The Journey Girl

CATEGORIES         COOKBOOK         CONTACT ME

Time of the First Snow

November 5, 2017 by Karen Giebel 14 Comments

Snow……up here in the north lands we silently start thinking that word to ourselves well before the first frost. Silently, slowly we start looking around…..thinking. Mentally, we draw up the lists. “To do. Must do. Must remember. Can’t forget.” We watch the summer birds leave, one..by..one. The days grow shorter and the nights have a crisp bite to them further signalling that “it” is coming. Apples, pears and plums ripen. Deer being embolden and venture down close to our houses eating everything they can find to store up fuel for the winter. And then comes the first frost. You wake up in the morning to grass that crunches underfoot and puddles with crisp crackling surfaces. In quick succession the frosts continue. Closer together. Deeper. Then daily and then the after noon sun no longer warms. The lists lengthen and the pace picks up. No longer silent, we speak aloud what needs to be tended. Pull the garden. Place the storm windows. Pack the shelters with straw. Set up the heated water buckets. Tons of Orchard Grass for the Alpacas stacked and covered. Find sweaters, jackets, hats and insulated boots. Patio furniture is stowed. Chimney cleaned. Cords of wood stacked. Snow tires on. Oil changed in the cars, trucks and tractor. Ice melt bought. Snow shovels out. The lists go on and on and as fast as we work, there is always more to be done. And finally we openly discuss when. This month? Next month? This week? Looking upwards we speak, ” those look like snow clouds.” And ” the air smelled like snow this morning.” And for us Northeners, yes, we can smell the change and know when snow is coming. We first see it on the tallest of mountain peaks and quietly acknowledge it with each other at the grocery store, the bank, the feed store and wherever else we gather.  No other season announces itself  so dramatically as does snow and winter.

And then one night we go to sleep only to wake up the next morning to find there is no more time to prepare. This was our world at 6am Friday morning, November 3rd.

SNOW

The willow tree that provided our only shade during our blistering hot summer magically transformed into this winter beauty.

 The Hawthorn thickets on the lower hill where the deer have bedded down.


Our unfinished and unlived in house still offers a warm glow.

“Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, how lovely are your branches.” The tiniest of rose glow off in the distance heralds the start of a new day.

My beloved Mount Elizabeth remains stunning but now foreboding and no longer entices me to climb. The pasture gate telling me that I’d better have gloves on.

Our new neighbors just turned their lights on. Animal tracks meandering the yard.

Snow can just stun us with its own beauty.

The tree is still loaded with brilliant red crabapples. Full of nourishment for Bohemian Waxwings, Turkey and Quail. So gorgeous it made me gasp!


The Road Less Traveled takes on a whole new perspective as the seasons change. This is not a black and white image. Just the way it looks in the early morning light. If you look at The Journey Girl Facebook Page, you can see just how different snow has changed this picture.

The snow came early this year. A full month early according to history. And with it came cold temperatures with a vengeance. 16°. 18°. Never above 25° and that doesn’t look as if it will change until mid week when hopefully we will get up in the 30’s. It’s still snowing. Our gazebo collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow. But it is what it is and we adapt just as those who live in the land of hurricanes and tornadoes. The barn cats are wandering happily all over the yard. The dogs are rolling in it and chasing each other around. The Alpacas are hunkered down in their straw filled shelters. Sparky is finishing insulating his workshop in anticipation of long winter days working on projects. And I…..am sitting here in my co-pilots seat in our motor home typing away wearing hand knit fingerless gloves made from Alpaca yarn. A cup of orange spice tea at hand. No, we were not ready for snow. Yes, we have so much more to do before we can move into the new house. Fingers crossed that the new plumbing won’t freeze before the furnace is finished being installed. Yes, the plumbing did freeze in the motor home but a little heat tape fixed that one. But, it is all good in my world up here in the back of the beyond. I love living here where we have all 4 seasons even if once in a while a season arrives rather unexpectedly.

Thank you for stopping by today friends. I love sharing my life and my journeys with you all. In whatever the season of your life, I wish you joy and the eyes to see beauty around you and a thankful heart.

Journey On!

Hugs and much love from me,

Karen, TJG

PS: Please stop by my website at www.thejourneygirl.com and leave me a comment. I love hearing from you all!

 

 

Share this:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Print
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: Back of the Beyond in Ferry County, Washington, Everyday Life Tagged With: Crabapple, Scenic Washington, Snow, Western, Winter

« Alpacas, because why??
Karen’s Family Favorite Chili »

Comments

  1. Katie says

    November 6, 2017 at 5:00 am

    I love the photos. I wish that the fall would have lasted a little longer.

    Reply
  2. Karen Giebel says

    November 6, 2017 at 5:07 am

    Hi Katie,

    Me too 🙁

    Hugs,
    Karen, TJG

    Reply
  3. Cindy Hunt says

    November 6, 2017 at 11:40 am

    Beautiful photos! I’m never ready for winter, but then again, I don’t have to prepare like you do. I hope that you get to move into the house soon!

    Reply
    • Karen Giebel says

      November 6, 2017 at 2:13 pm

      Hi Cindy,

      Buffalo gets far more snow than we do but it is so much colder out in Republic! Thanks for taking the time to comment and I hope you have a mild winter!
      Hugs,

      Karen

      Reply
  4. Sharon Paz says

    November 6, 2017 at 11:58 am

    Karen,
    I love your writing,, such a gift. The photos are beautiful. Several photos look like Christmas cards. Keep the blog coming. I love reading your stories.
    Hugs,
    Shar

    Reply
    • Karen Giebel says

      November 6, 2017 at 2:13 pm

      Hi Shar,

      Thank you for your sweet comments!

      Hugs,

      Karen

      Reply
  5. Carolyn Bach-Schultz Bach-Schultz says

    November 6, 2017 at 1:59 pm

    Hi, Karen

    Once again beautiful photos! I have always loved the snow! As a girl growing up in Indiana we got plenty of it! Can’t wait to experience it again! Your house looks almost done! Move in date?

    Reply
    • Karen Giebel says

      November 6, 2017 at 2:16 pm

      Hi Carolyn,

      You will have plenty of opportunity to experience, snow, ice and sub zero temperatures when you move over here! It sure is beautiful right now.
      No move in date yet. Need 3 weeks of dry wall installation 🙁 Really looking forward to moving in!
      Hugs,
      Karen

      Reply
  6. Miranda says

    November 6, 2017 at 2:14 pm

    Love the story and your pictures!

    Reply
    • Karen Giebel says

      November 6, 2017 at 2:27 pm

      Linda,

      Thank you! You just made my day 🙂

      Hugs,

      Karen

      Reply
  7. Lin says

    November 6, 2017 at 2:42 pm

    Great narrative and text. It is beautiful up here! Hope you get to move in soon!!

    Reply
    • Karen Giebel says

      November 6, 2017 at 4:46 pm

      Thanks Lin! Already planning the first neighborhood party!

      Reply
  8. Eileen Sande says

    November 8, 2017 at 2:32 pm

    You captured our onset of Winter 2017 – 2018 perfectly!

    Reply
    • Karen Giebel says

      November 9, 2017 at 1:49 am

      Thank you Eileen!
      I appreciate you taking the time to comment and glad you think I captured it .

      Hugs,

      Karen, TJG

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Nice to meet you

Karen Giebel, the Journey GirlHello and "WELCOME" to the Journey Girl! I'm Karen, a happy, optimistic retired RN living out my dreams with my husband Dan up here in the back of the beyond in Ferry County, Washington. High up in the mountains just 20 miles from the border with British Columbia, Canada. I enjoy writing and sharing with my friends all about our lives raising Alpacas, growing our gardens, all the gorgeous birds and wildlife that surround us. Sharing stories of our daily lives as we travel this journey through life. Cooking is my passion and I solve all the world's problem while standing at my stove and I love sharing my recipes with you. I am glad you are all here with me today and every day. Journey on!

What’s New?

Journey Girl Cooks Cookbook page link button

Let’s Get Social

  • Facebook

Get Blog Updates

Categories

  • Back of the Beyond in Ferry County, Washington (40)
  • Everyday Life (51)
  • Life in Germany (21)
  • Memories (5)
  • Pickles (3)
  • Recipes (226)
    • Appetizers & Snacks (26)
    • Beverages (7)
    • Breads and Baking (28)
    • Breakfast (27)
    • Cookies (9)
    • Dairy and cheese (3)
    • Desserts (23)
      • Cakes (7)
      • Cheesecake (2)
    • Jams and Jellies (1)
    • Main Dishes (23)
    • Pickles (4)
    • Rice (3)
    • Salad Dressings (10)
    • Salads (10)
    • Seasonings and Sauces (11)
    • Soups and Stews (22)
    • Vegetables (15)
  • Side Dishes (29)
  • Soups and Stews (5)
  • The Journey Girl Travels (72)
  • Washington (8)

Copyright © 2023 The Journey Girl · Privacy Policy · Website by:Web Radish