Are you preparing for Winter?

[indy gal preps]

Daughter & Son-in-law came out yesterday to mow grass & trim weeds-It looks so good! DH has been unable to drive for this next month (new meds) and so couldn't use the rider.Maybe it won't need much more mowing before winter sets in,Wva got snow last night.Hope to powerwash the house this week and get the caulking done and a new garage door seal put on,I saw a Mouse out there yesterday! And also need to get someone to paint the trim before winter.

[Christy]

It's officially the warmest 2nd of october since written history today! People in swimsuits at the beach, terraces and restaurants full house.

But I walk our dog quite early and there is a nip in the air. This morning fog so thick we had 10 meter sight. Not an easy time to find the people we walk with every morning. Literally had to shout to find them (forgot cellphone).

So the mind is already thinking of when to shut off the outside tap and drain the pipe. Small window in the kitchen is single glass pane and will next week get boarded up with newspaper and bubblewrap.

Pumpkins here harvested before the frost. In fact I took a big bucket of grapes off the vine yesterday. Normally we let them hang till first frost. They seem to be sweeter after a night of frost. If we waited for that they'd be either spoiled or eaten by birds.

 

No idea what kind of winter we will have but Austria and North-Italy saw snow already last week.

[Dee]

Yes, I'm trying to clean the house and get the summer curtains, etc. washed and put away so I can put the heavy ones up when the time comes. Inside windows are washed as of yesterday but outside will have to wait until harvest is over. Just way too dusty and dirty to bother with it now. It's also time to get the fleece blankets out for DH and I. It's not really cold yet but with no heat on in the house the evenings are getting cool enough the blankets feel good as we sit in the evening.

 

I'm finished with my canning so all of that will be taken upstairs and winter clothes brought down. Which, of course, means summer clothes will need to be gone through and taken upstairs before too long.

 

The living room and bedroom air-conditioners will come out as soon as DH is through in the field. Some of the corn he's harvesting will be saved on the farm to burn in our corn stove this winter. Some will be saved to feed livestock. The rest will go to town.

 

Everything is out of the gardens but a few pumpkins and squash so the gardens need cleaning off too.

 

Yes, it's a busy time of year getting changed over from summer to winter.

[Daylily]

We had our first fire in the wood stove last night. There were snow flurries Saturday morning but we still haven't had a frost. We still have to dig potatoes, pick dried beans, apples, pears, field corn and various greens. It's supposed to be warmer later this week. The men got 4 1/4 cords of firewood cut, split, and stacked but we need to get more for Mom and us both. I like to have more than we think we need. We just don't know how rough winter will be this year so it's best to be ready.

[Mt_Rider]

Tooooo weird. I'm usually the first person on MrsS every year to have snow. We're much warmer than usual. I'm having a hard time understanding that it's already Oct. I'm thankful tho. Our winter prepping is woefully behind. Haven't even got the barn full of hay yet. Aiiieeeeeeeee!

 

 

MtRider [.....bury my head into the covers and ain't comin' out till spring. ]

[Cat]

Everything I've heard so far says that we will have a winter much like last year, but colder. La Nina is kicking up in the Pacific again.

 

No frost yet, but the weekend nights were bordering on frostiness. But then Mt_Rider's heat will be moving in later this week... might have 80s by Wednesday.

 

 

There's just SO much to do, and with the added stuff with Mom's estate and the house contents, never enough *TIME*. DH has the week off, but spending at least half of it up north with his parents. (NOT complaining... he needs that as much as they do. Losing my second parent has made him more sensitive to the blessings of still having both of *his*. )

 

 

We'll just keep plugging along...

[Amishway Homesteaders]

Yes we have just started our Spring Cleaning here too!

 

OK so we are a bit behind!!!!!!!!

Very cold this weelend and so we are starting to hunker down. Getting things put away outside, finishing up garden stuff, turning off the water to outside hoses and getting things moved around in house (uncover vents) so we can start furnice.

It was so cold when we got up Sunday Morning that we went back to bed..................................................

and then STAYED there all the rest of the day!

Other then when I went down to make cinnamon rolls and coffee for breakfest - back to bed with food on a tray.

Up for Dinner (leftover Chinnese and tea)- back to bed with food on a tray.

Snack was homemade oatmeal cake and milk -back to bed with food on a tray.

Supper was Help yourself to stuff from icebox - then BACK to bed- with food on trays!

watch a movie (DVD) read a LOT and even some napping.

Plus a few thigns to keep warm - no heat on yet!

 

man THAT was nice - BUT people keep calling to see if we were alright as BOTH cars were in the driveway.

Or friends that we would see when at the food store getting the sunday paper, even had 1 Amish guy call as we go there some 'off Church Sundays for coffee and a chat.

[Nichole]

We have just started ... We have the majority of our hay put up, but we still need to get about two more trailer loads before we have all we need. Our pastures did better this year than last year though, so we should be able to put off hay feeding longer than we did last year Very happy about that! We really need to get a couple round bale feeders though. The horses waste so much by stepping in the hay, it's sickening. I have been looking for a used one, but haven't been able to find one. I may end up just shelling out the $300 for a new one.

[Jeepers]

I've been thinking about getting ready for winter. So far that is as far as I've gotten. We are STILL getting rain. It started Thursday and it's still coming down. It's all anyone can do to keep up on getting the grass mowed.

 

I've been trying to get to Sams Club for about 2 weeks but I'm not going in the rain because it takes too long to load up the Jeep...especially in the rain. I'm really getting tired of all the rain we've had. Our spring set a record for the wetest on record. This summer will come close. I hope the moisture doesn't continue into winter or we are going to have lots of snow.

 

I like winter but this year I have an uneasy feeling about it. I'm not ready!

[themartianchick]

We've had a fire going in the fireplace for the past couple of days. It has been really wet and c-c-cold! Things are supposed to warm up for us this week,too. I've still got to get the portable greenhouse over the remnants of the garden to extend the season. I am determined to get some bell peppers this year... The largest one is about the size of a dime right now!

[Motherhen]

I'd like to be more prepared than we are but we're in transition of moving from S. Ont to N.Ontario where I am right now--but hubby is south, still packing up and getting things ready to move. Its a big job bcz we have livestock still to come, lawn tractor, and several other pieces of machinery plus still some household contents.

It is chilly up here--been below freezing and on Sat..(Oct.1st) we did have some snowflurries fluttering down. Quite chilly due to the high winds that day. Interesting night on Thurs....nearby was a storm but all I got was rain. Power started flickering on/off until about 8 p.m. when it went out totally. Some of you may be used to life like this but I'm not---where the nearest neighbour was a good 1/4 mile away--otherwise nothing for a good 1/2 to 1 mile and me in the middle of the boonies here with bush all around me. We have 73 acres here. I'm also not used to the possibility of bears, wolves or moose finding me alone. Just me and the dogs to keep each other company. Fortunately it was not cold yet for all I have at this point is a little elec.heater. A wood stove will be installed later--its still down south.

Though we have a house here, I'm not in it...but out in a little house 30' from the back door that is made over into my dog kennel area. Just me, the dogs, laptop and a portable phone. When the power went out, I had nothing so went to bed early at 8 p.m. I HAD candles just for an event like this but not running into a dark house in the pouring rain with the thought of possibly meeting a bear between here and house (little chance but never know) only to sit and watch the flickering light, though I could've read a book, i suppose. The power came on a few hours later.

So...once we are totally moved here, it'll be a rush to get prepared for winter bcz its almost here. its not getting supplies; its finding them and getting organized after a big move.

[Annarchy]

I've begun to take the mylar bubble wrap off the windows, washing them and opening them up. Yup, it is nice to be back under 80 at night.

[Amishway Homesteaders]

it is time!

went aounrd and put up all the window screens and down came all the windows - made the cat MAD! as she can no longer 'smell' outside or hear the birds.

 

'door socks' are put back into place so no cold air coming under the doors. plastic up on some windows upstairs to keep out the draft as well.

Here comes October!

Kicked the heat on last night - no need to get a cold now!

[themartianchick]

We were too lazy to make a fire yesterday and we paid for it this morning...The house was freezing! My mom just informed me that the temps are supposed to dip low tomorrow night. That is bad news for me since I need to get my greenhouse put up over the remains of my garden. The weather has been cold and wet, so I haven't done it yet. I have to work today and the weather may begin to improve later. I may just have to put plastic bags and tarps on things. We're down in a valley, so I'm hoping that the frost stays away.

[Skagitgal]

I am almost to the point of, if I bring one more thing in the house or barn, I am going to have to hold it in my lap.

 

I have stuffed every available space with 'something' for the upcoming winter. NEVER has my squirrel alarm rang so loud as it has this fall. There are beets, carrots, onions and seed beans still on the vine. Garlic and multplier onions to plant, and then I'm ready.

 

There will always be a 'little bit more' I can do; a little more wood, a bit more cleaning, OR I could clean house, garage, or dry a few more items.

 

Whatever you can do, DO IT!! It may not look like enough, but every bit you put back will help you later. Buy rice and beans. They are filling, a excellent 'fall back'; treasure in your stores. Start eating them now to get your system used to the different sugars and starches. Be pro active. Look for opportunities. Help others. If you have a 'windfall' share. Give thanks for your bounty.

[Vic303]

Winter? What's that?? Probably all we will do is take out some extra blankets, and turn off the A/C. Last winter I did not even bother to turn on the heater. Prolly will close windows at night if it is to get into the 30's.

 

 

I'm not joking either...

[Deerslayer]

firewood is all stacked and ready to go--that's about all we have done yet--

 

-we are going to have a deer lease work day this weekend--does that count?

[Mt_Rider]

Oh shooot! We're "raining gold" today. A precursor to the storm coming in. [..there be talk of snow, and other dragons ] The wind is blowing all the absolutely lovely golden aspen leaves off the trees and they blow by the windows like coins twinkling in the sunlight. It's been a gorgeous few weeks. Now....

 

WINTER COMETH Nekid trees are the next stage.

 

 

DH and I will drive in to the feed store and get 3 bales of hay on top of the car. AND, if the hay is decent and we can arrange delivery of THIS load of hay, we'll order 2 tons. If they can't deliver on the hay we've approved, the deal is off until we can approve another load. I will not order tons without approving it first.

 

 

THAT will be a load off my mind and into the hay shed!

 

 

MtRider [.....WHA What happened to August? ]

[CrabGrassAcres]

August was H E double hockey sticks. Lets not discuss August except to say that somehow it was survived. September was not quite as bad but close. October has been slightly better so far but it better not freeze like it did last yr and kill my garden! We normally do not freeze till way past Thanksgiving and frequently not till January. October freezes aren't supposed to happen!

 

I'm just trying to get cleaned up after the brutal summer when it was just too hot to do diddly. Got the farm listed and if anybody came to look right now, they would leave in disgust and today is a really bad, dizzy, tired, can't do anything day after a prolonged can-a-thon. Been emptying the freezer and trying to get DD's meals canned for the next half yr. She was down to only a few jars. Of course the dogs sneaked into the back yard and got into the trash and somebody has to go pick it up. There is only ONE somebody to do it and she is sitting in my chair typing and looking out the window at it. (I don't mean DD, either.)

[Annarchy]

Woke up to 53 this morning and had to put on my flannel shirt. It began a sprinkling rain and rained for a couple of hours. All the birds are active and singing. Windows are all open, the house is airing out wonderfully and it is still under 80! Chilly compared to yesterday or even the 100's last week.

[LindaLou]

Winter, what is winter?

 

Here we are in October and it is still in the 90's here.

 

Snow, fog, frost, what are they?

 

My air conditioner is still running.

 

I must lead a very sheltered life.

[Mt_Rider]

Hey! They said our "S" word wouldn't arrive till tomorrow. DH gave up some sleep time to get some pre-snow prep done today. [well, he had a couple hour nap after working all nite tho] While he slept, I just about blew a gasket while failng to pound in a few U-hooks [...er, fencing staples?] into our plywood-sided hay shed and horse shed. I'm fencing off the small aisle between so that I can remove the big stack of straw bales from hay shed. It can't hold both straw [a freebie from a neighbor ] and 2 tons of hay. Hopefully hay will be arriving soon.

 

But the hammer just bounced off. Even when I got the U hook to stick a bit. Few things aggravate me more than wasting some of my rare energy/time. Especially when tomorrow's storm was so obviously rolling in today! Ack! DH woke up and CAREFULLY walked behind the sheds to finish the job for me with the 3# hammer. [i didn't think of that] And he had to WHACK each one a lot so it wasn't just me. [with his blown knee, he really shouldn't be even walking with the brace on uneven ground but.... seeing how I was about ready to lose cohesion of my molecules...

 

Then we left for the feed store. 'Bout lost cohesion of my molecules there too....at the new price per ton. [more in Country Homesteading about that.] But it was seriously raining with sleet by this time. So we drove to the next small town's Walmart and got a tarp [needed one anyway for my straw shelter]. Remembered halogen lights for the barnyard light pole. Until the days got shorter, I didn't replace the burned out ones. It's time! Also topped off my vehicle's gas tank [it rarely gets into town.]

 

Driving back to feed store, we hit serious, wet, sticky snow. Y'see, the only way we can transport hay is on top of the roof rack. So we pulled into the large drive thru building and they shut the big rolling doors after us. The snow was blowing in. They loaded 3 expensive bales onto the roof and we covered them with the new 9'X12' tarp - closing the tarp in the back doors and wraping the whole thing in ropes. It was windy! Then we still took the back way instead of the highway.

 

At some point, we drove out of the snow. I was grateful that it had not reached our house yet. DH's knee was driving him insane by this time and there is no way he can risk handling the [allegedly] 80 lb bales. He went to lay down. So I dump them off the roof with my cane and dragged them to storage areas on a plastic child's toboggan. [they work without snow, tho not as easily]

 

I also replaced the light bulb, put up the new tarp on the frame - right over the previous tarp roof that was deteriorating. That was a bit tricky in the wind, by myself. We'd guessed at the size needed and got it, spot-on! yea! Took care of all the livestock care. Shut the south goathouse window. Topped off the equine's water tank/drained hose. Battened down yet more things that might get blown in wind.

 

And this morning, I'd given in and moved the milking stand into my garage/basement area. Warm and dry in there for winter milking. [goat was a bit wary of this change but she'll get to appreciate it when I DON'T have freezing fingers while milking her! ]

 

 

So my success at accomplishing pre-winter storm preparations made me a happy camper this afternoon.

 

 

Sheeesh, I'd feel a lot better if my hay barn was full [those three bales will hold us over till we can get a delivery after The Weather!]. I've also still got my root crops in the off-site garden. Gotta get camping stuff outta the living room so we can use the pellet stove for heat! Too much for me to do alllll at once. But, we're making some progress, finally.

 

MtRider [....I wanna go back to 80 degrees - tho, we NEED the MOISTURE in any form. ]