We Changed Our Mind

It wasn't two hours ago that I posted "Not Interested" when I mentioned anything about walking in the snow, shoveling snow, watching the snow ... anything with snow. Yet when you live in "5 minute windows" like I do anything is possible. So .... Stella and Sadie were THRILLED that I changed my mind about going outside for a hound walk in the deep (deeper than we thought) snow.

I was not to the field yet and the snow was up to the top of my boots. They are built for this so I had no doubt that my feet would stay dry and stay warm ... onward ... the hounds were already in the back of the field knowing we were going to go on a walk.

The longer I walked, the deeper the snow got. I could tell watching the hounds it was much deeper than forecasted or what I thought it was by adding 2" to the 2" to 3" we already had. The snow was almost up to the elbows of each bloodhound.

Stella was more interested in the wooded area and the gully rather than the field. I had to yell loud for her to change her mind and her direction.

She was having fun running through the snow around the field from the wooded area to the middle of the lower field. In past years I have seen and walked through this field when the snow was up to the bottom of Sadie's stomach and higher than Winston's back ... but today's snowfall although not as deep as that was deeper than we have had in recent years.

First I couldn't believe I was seeing sparrows on the ground up ahead. If you remember, Sadie LOVES chasing birds in the heat of the summer if she finds birds at ground level in the field or yard ... she was going to get some sprints in today.

As I looked down at my buried boots ... Sadie took off.

I caught her over by the woods behind the neighbor's house but she came sprinting when I called her name.

Of course today was one of those days where one hounds is in the opposite direction than the other. Once Stella realizes that is happening, then it's her chance to escape. By the time I found Stella all I saw were her two rear legs and her butt ... she was about to go down into the gully.

Yelling her name with a stern tone and saying "get out of there", she turned around and ran toward me through deep snow, thorny bush stems and anything else in her way. She does not run, trot or walk around anything ... including me ... when something is in her way.

Sadie ??? Well one of "her birds" had escaped and had flown back across the field back to the area on my right side just ahead of Stella. I had to do a little convincing to break her focus otherwise her chase could lead her to parts unknown if that bird had gone airborne.

I decided to turn around before the back of the field. I thought but was wrong, I had seen Stella raise her paw slightly signifying that she was cold ... but she had other ideas.

They too live in "5 minute windows" so their focus soon changed to the neighbor across the highway that was brushing the snow off of his windshield. Only mom gets to park in the garage.

I could measure the distance from the ground to Sadie's elbow or I could go outside and drop a tape measure into the snow to get the depth ... but she would never stand that still, assuming I was about to cut her toenails ... and ... I've had enough fun in the snow this afternoon. So I'll just say the snow is deep and leave it at that.

Stella was ready ... I only said "let's go home" and she ran over to the path we had made and took off.

Sadie had to explore more on the way home.

Their time in the snow with a walk and some wrestling was satisfying enough to them that they ran to the door to go back inside ... but I had some work to do.

Doesn't look like much snow but it is sitting under the roof, plus I needed to clean up what I could in the carport before those rain showers show up later this afternoon and tonight, then turn to ice.

I only shoveled the area of the carport I spoke of early today ... but when you get distracted like I do outside, I decided I needed to clear out the required space around my mailbox that is requested by the post office to get the mail delivered ... 99.9% junk mail anymore.

The only problem with that is ... as the plow moves further out to the edge of the asphalt with each high speed pass, what I have shoveled around the mailbox will be covered with salty, sandy, slush ... that will freeze over tonight with the lower temps. It will be a disaster tomorrow when the mail carrier returns to work after a holiday off.

Before going back inside I kicked my boots hard and often against the concrete steps to get as much snow off of them as possible. My feet were dry and warm inside them.

Since we have had our unexpected walk, the carport is shoveled, a 2nd blog post within hours there is nothing more planned outside for today. It will be some reading, a few games of Mahjong, and maybe a game, movie or two transferred from my DVR to DVDs.

The hardest part of today will be explaining to Sadie why she cannot have any of my Oreo Golden Double Stuf Cookies. (THEY only use one 'F'). When you have to go out late at night, snowing hard enough that you cannot see when you drive to buy some kind of 'snack' food ... you know that you have fallen off of your diet wagon head first.

Enjoy the photos, there are 40 of them ... hope this didn't soak up too much data for those readers with data limits.

Waiting for those late afternoon, early evening "snow showers" here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

The Hounds Are Snowed In !!

I was up late, like very very late ... so we started the daily routine by me jumping out of bed to feed the hounds at the normal time, glance outside to see how bad it was then sprint back to bed. I know they told us a couple of inches of new snow by noon today so it wasn't that much of a surprise ... but looking at the hounds in the snow and how much of their legs disappeared ... it was deep.

The Intellicast radar was showing the front was about finished and would pass through but up in the upper right corner it was telling me there would be "snow showers" this afternoon. Well that will be an interesting concept. One that will cancel any late afternoon walks.

Stella had to make sure she smelled snow before getting to far out into it. I could tell the tire tracks I made last night after a quick trip to town for snack food, had disappeared. If I shovel anything it will be the carport floor out to the edge of the carport/driveway. I am not motivated this year for working outside in snow. No snowmen will be built, no snow forts ... no playing in the snow.

Stella decided to get a little stretching in before taking off for the back of the field. Sadie was already gone but she had to go and go bad ... it was right after her lunch and she was trained as a 12 week old puppy to go outside after she ate or woke up. She still does that on her own almost 10 years later.

I could see from her running in the field that the snow was deep and would be over the top of my North Face snow boots if I were out there in the field. Not interested. I've been on walks where the snow is up halfway my calf. Not interested. Yet, the hounds are. They have been sitting quietly staring at me to let me know they want to walk. Not interested.

January 13

Today at noon

Neither hound was interested though in going for any walk when they were outside. Once they were finished dumping their tanks, they sprinted to the house. Check out Stella's legs to have some idea how deep the snow is.

IF ... IF I decide to shovel some snow out of the carport ... I will go along the edge out to 'Winston's Patio' ... those 6 red brick blocks. But I think I might wait and see if those snow showers help me out clearing off the snow. Of course it is going to get colder tonight after midnight so that is telling me all of this stuff is going to turn to ice.

No ... I didn't screw up. It was late in the fall and the Z4 was dirty enough to wash. I only do hand washes, no car washes ... but it was too cold to wash the car at the time. I thought I'd at least get one day last November to wash the car and the put the Z4 under the car cover like I do every winter, but that one day never appeared until last Thursday ... wasn't interested.

I wasn't going to put a dirty car under a car cover, giving the wind any chances of moving that car cover a little and scratching the car's surface. I have seen sports cars left outside in all kinds of weather in Chicago, Boston, NYC ... so a few inches of snow won't hurt.

Yet, it does hurt a little to see this much snow blown over the back of it. Maybe I could slide down the driveway and take it out for a high speed run today to blow the snow off of it. That was typed 'tongue in cheek' by the way for anyone not able to pick up on my sick humor ... I don't even like taking the FJ out because of the amount of salt that you see mixed in with that dark colored sand on the highway to the left.

Heidi ????

She went out first thing in the morning before breakfast but she had seen enough ... she turned and sprinted for the couch after her lunch when I said "get outside" ... Not interested.

Well the snow has stopped at this point of the post. It feels pretty warm at 22° and a wind chill of 14° ... it is temping to put the boots on and see how far we get on the walk ... but its quite a mess to clean up between the two bloodhounds feet, legs and stomach, then the snow sticking to my boots, jeans etc ... no mudroom and to cold to clean up outside.

So ... not interested.

It's pretty and white today in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana today.

The Hounds Lasted 3 Minutes Outside

Sadie started her "stare down" at me right after her breakfast. It's her way of 'begging' to go for a walk. It happens various times during the day if I am not on her schedule. I kept telling her "we are not going outside today, it's too cold" and she kept staring. At 9:30am it was up to 1° but with the bright sunshine the temps would creep up near 20° later this afternoon. She didn't know that would NOT change my mind about taking our half mile walk.

With Stella joining her later at the entry way into my computer room, it was confirmation that both bloodhounds had to go outside to dump their tanks. I glanced at WeatherBug at 11:50am and it was up to 12° with a wind chill of 5°. I decided that was warm enough for no longer than 5 minutes ... that should give them enough time to do what they had to do ... and give me enough time to take some photos to blog about.

As you can see both of my vehicles have remained parked since Friday at noon. That is not deep snow by any means but I haven't had any place I really needed to drive to. This sunshine is suppose to disappear while I am inside this afternoon, watching the NFL Playoff game and an IU basketball game at 4:30pm. With that change we are suppose to see snow start falling and give us another 2" by tomorrow at noon. The deepest snow I have ever had here is 26" around 15 years ago.

When Sadie saw me putting on the Mountain Wear down parka, she was positive we were going to walk the half mile. That is an example of her "stare down". Based on the temperatures and our experience yesterday in similar temps, we were not taking any walk anywhere this morning. I had a gut feeling that neither hound would be out very long in wether like this. There was no wind but the arctic temps cut you to the bone outside of the down parka I was wearing.

So while they wandered in the field slowly looking for that magic spot they always need to find before dumping their tanks, I stood at the back corner of the house watching them. All I could really think about was getting back inside and fixing two more cups of coffee, doubling my daily consumption.

What a shock !!!

As soon as Sadie was finished fertilizing the frozen field ... she came sprinting to the house. She had enough of the arctic feeling. That is very rare for her. She is the hound that never wants to come inside.

I never called her name, didn't even whisper under my breath but she came to the house on a full run.

She was lucky that her tongue did not stick to her nose in the freezing temps. I am not sure she would have liked having hot water poured on her nose to get her tongue back inside her mouth.

Stella took a little longer trying to find that special spot that all dogs have to find before they relieve themselves. I kept watching for her to lift any of her paws from being too cold. She didn't run as fast as Sadie when she was finished ... but she ever stopped until she nosed the door to go inside.

Although snow is forecasted for later today and tonight ... I have hope ... it is suppose to be 50° next Sunday.

Like in the past winters, the hounds can only be pinned up inside for so long before that cabin fever sets in. While I made more coffee and downloaded these photos, Sadie and Stella started some hard wrestling along with some playful growling and barking. It was only total silence when they stood like statues staring at each other while they thought of their next move.

How did I know we were outside for only 3 minutes?

The time stamp on the image file in Apple Photos, told me my first picture of the field across the highway was at 11:54am and the last picture here of Stella trotting through the yard was taken at 11:57am.

It's pretty amazing they were both satisfied with their time outside with it being one of their shortest trips outside in their lifetime. Heidi in the mean time is where you saw her yesterday ... just substitute the photo of her in yesterday's post to this one. Nothing has changed with her and won't until the temps are back in the 40's at least.

I have 7 different towns in AZ and NM listed on my iPhone Apple Weather so I can see all the temps/weather of each town including where I live ... makes me wonder if a move is not in my future.

Another beautiful day here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.