Working the Chain Gang

"Grunt" is the sound of the Men on the Chain Gang

Making big sticks into little sticks

It's the sound of the men working on the chain gang.  All day long.

Brrrrrrrrr

-30 f This morning

Brrrrr says Bubba, winter is still here  huh

Flying Squirrels at the Feeder

Friday Night at the Feeders

The flyers are bouncing off the poles on the side of the house and the feeder.  It's suppose to fall to -20 F tonight here on the old Permafrost Ranch.  It's really good weather for the Permafrost Crop.  It's a shame the price is down on Permafrost.   

Life in the Boreal Forest

Winter has settled in here on the old Permafrost Ranch

It's here, the hawk as it is called.  The hawk of winter.  Winter comes early and leaves late in this part of the Boreal Forest.  It sure changes the pattern of life for the squirrels and birds who frequent the feeders.  As the daylight hours shrink towards the long winters night the snow covered forest grows quieter.  At least that is the way it seems except the cold air really transmits sound quite efficiently.  You can hear the neighbors better, the crunch of footsteps out in the road or drive way.    The cars passing by out on the road or the trains lonely whistle over three miles away, all come through loud and clear.  The barking of dogs at night carries for long distances in the deep cold air that comes with the season.  The old squirrel agrees with me when I say us humans are a noisy bunch.  

Bottom fell out of the Thermometer

Frost on the Pumpkin

There is more than frost on it this morning said the old squirrel.  It's down right frozen.  

New Heater

New Monitor Heater

The old squirrel asked me how the new heater did last night.   Well, I'm sitting here at the computer without any socks or shoes on.   It's like sitting on the beach I told him.   What a difference it makes in the back of this house.  No more fans trying to move the warm air from the wood stove in the front of the house to the back.  No cool drafts and floors...  hip hip hurray

Winter Mode

Winter is locked and loaded

The old squirrel was telling me this morning over coffee.  Winter has locked and loaded and we are getting both barrels he feels.  ACS, tore up the road in front of the house and had us blocked in the drive way all day yesterday.  They were laying new cable and my driveway took the beating of all the digging.  I don't think they will put it back to normal it's going to be a mess next spring he said.  They had to dig under the culvert that was there.  They dinged it a couple of times.  Not only that they didn't compact the dirt under the area they dug and  or over the pipe when they recovered it.  It's liable to subside with the moisture in the spring and cave in the pipe.  I suspect I'll be asking for relief from ACS before it's all over with next year.  Not only that they still accidently got into the cable for the phone lines that run around Victoria Circle.  It didn't affect our service but the rest of the neighborhood was down.  I suppose then they had to splice the cable before they reburied it.  

Installation Complete Except Fuel Source

New Monitor Stove 

Ok, I've got the stove installed except for the fuel source piping.  Will try to pick up all needed supplies to finish that and the fuel source drum.

Getting Ready for Winter

Squirreling Away for the Cold Weather

This old squirrels has it's work cut out for it.  Already, the old back is starting to complain.

Decreasing Daylight Hours

Days are growing shorter

This old squirrel was complaining to me today about the increasing hours of darkness.  He said, he didn't want to hang around the feeder when the crowd of flyers shows up.  I asked him, why he felt that way, and he said  "you know they are a rowdy bunch always jumping up and flying off the handle so to speak"

Termination Dust

First Dusting of Snow Today

It's here, and the Hawk of winter has returned to the Permafrost Ranch.

Awww cool clear water

Cool Clear Water

It dropped way below freezing last night to 21 degrees and all the water was hard.  They sure appreciate me putting it out fresh water for them this time of the year.  

Midnight Raider

Red Squirrel in the Dark

Caught this little guy on the feeder long after dark.  Our days are growing shorter by the minute, the leaves have mostly fallen and there is a hint of snow in the air.  The hawk returns.

Snow Fall

We have had a snow drought, this winter and last, but in the last week, we have had plenty of snow fall. It's something we have to deal with, and here in the interior of Alaska once the snow falls, it doesn't leave until breakup. So, now it's up to me to make sure the sheds and even the house roof is cleared. The first picture is the snow fall on the cam2 feeder for 17 Jan 08 and the second is the snow fall last night on the 20 Jan 08.

Cold, cold, cold

There comes a time every winter when the cold weather really gets to me, and I wonder why and the hell I live where I do. Well, it's that time. The Squirrel Cam Thermometer says it's -39 F or -39 C, the only time the two ever meet. That meeting doesn't do anything for my mood either. It's cold enough to spit and hear it crack before it hits the ground. A friend of mine who lives in North Carolina, sent me a few pictures in an email of the flowers starting to bloom and grow in his yard. My spring is so far off for anything green to grow I can't even imagine it. The only thing growing here is ice and the permafrost. Sigh

Cold snap

The permafrost crop is blooming, with this latest cold snap we have had. Last night, the tempertures dropped down to a cool -48 degrees F. No matter how one looks at it, that is cold. Extreme cold and its suppose to fall in the same range tonight.