It's wintertime again... not that it really left.

March 4, 2015 - Wednesday
-6 degrees/clear/breezy
Pentoga Road

After flirting with Springlike temperatures, winter has returned. Yesterday's three inches of snow and plummeting temperatures spelled the end to our sunny and warm (it actually got up to 27 degrees one day) weather. As I've often said, this global warming is freezing us to death.

Snow was actually melting, dripping, from a tarp that was exposed to the sun on Monday afternoon.

I compare the forecasts of various weather services; just a hobby. NOAA, the government agency, has predicted that March through May's temperatures will be above normal. Joe Bastardi, a noted meteorologist, (weatherbell.com) says that March and April are going to continue to be cold with below normal temperatures. Of course, the first is government funded. The second works independently of any political pressures. Interesting.

Monday was a beautiful spring-like day. With temperatures approaching the freezing mark, I took advantage of the sunshine to fashion a longer extension for the transducer of the sonar and used the tailgate of the Blazer as a workbench so I might work in the warm sun.

The added length insures the transducer will be below the ice.

We drove to Iron Mountain in driving snow on Tuesday morning for Sargie's dentist appointment. She's now royalty as the girl has a brand new crown. While Sargie sat in the dentist's chair, I drove down the road a short distance and had the oil changed in her car. The timing was almost perfect. I only had to wait a few minutes before she was finished.

After a quick stop for gas and another at the drug store, we came back home. 

What the heck? I filled up two weeks ago for $1.88 a gallon.

The roads were getting slippery and the visibility was poor.

It was back to winter on Tuesday

Sargie did some housework while I plowed the drive. 

For whatever reason, the electric door opener in the barn decided to quit. It's been failing for a couple of years, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I couldn't move the chain attached to the opener, so I tied a rope to the emergency release with which to free the door. Until warm weather arrives, I'll be lifting and pulling the door up and down by hand. Thankfully, the springs are well adjusted and it's not much heavier than a regular garage door.

Brutus has been paying special attention to something living under the refrigerator in the garage. Yesterday, after a cat and mouse game, I heard a chirp that sounded very familiar. Though I didn't see it, I knew that sound to be from an ermine... a weasel. 

One of my home built weasel traps that will hopefully catch the critter

I have no qualms with weasels and am wise enough to know that they are better mousers than a barn cat. Unfortunately, weasels aren't slow about moving into a house and calling it their own. As some may remember, I had one that lived with me in the cabin north of the Arctic Circle. The mice immediately disappeared, but so did my peace of mind. Elmo the Ermine, and Casey, the Jack Russell terrier, were like two farts in a hot greased skillet. It was like living in a three-ringed circus with a couple of three-year-olds. 

I climbed up into the rafters of the barn and removed one of the ermine boxes. A large rat trap, along with a ball of bait, was placed inside and hopefully, the weasel story will end soon.



It was cold and windy and I headed to the house. I found Sargie had completed her work and had changed into a house robe, ready to resume enjoying her vacation.

I popped two huge bowls of hot, buttered, popcorn and we quickly settled in for an afternoon of watching a movie while relaxing by the fire. It was the perfect way to conclude a dark and wintery day.

We'll be heading north after lunch today to get Grady and bring him home for a few days. He and Brutus can entertain each other, Grandma can spoil him and do those things that Grandmas do, and Grandpa will entertain him a bit and tell the boy stories, a few of them true, of past adventures.

Sargie helping to unload the car during Tuesday's snowfall

Until then, it's time for a cup of coffee and to think a deep thought or two.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...

I took the sonar out for a test drive Monday afternoon. Although it worked great, the fish didn't show up. Other than two bass, this baby bluegill was my only catch of the afternoon.