Pictures from the Thanksgiving storm on 2019.

Electric service ended at 8 AM, November 27th and was restored by 10 AM November 28th

Sargie and I actually had fun during the twenty-six hours that we had no electricity. It felt like the old arctic camp days as we hauled in snow to melt for water, played cards by lamp light, listened to the radio, talked, peeled rutabagas by lamp light, and went to bed in pure silence and absolute dark.

There's not enough time to describe each picture, but I think each tells it's own story.

Sargie and I revived our games of cut throat Rummy played on the floor by the wood stove. We laughed and had a lot of fun... well, she did since she was usually the winner. Me? I was just along for the ride.

The biggest personal loss during the snowstorm was of my Wolf River apple tree. Nine years old and FINALLY bearing apples this year, two main branches cracked and fell to the ground. I haven't looked closely, but I'm guessing that I'll end up cutting the entire thing down and starting again.

I estimate we received close to a foot of snow, but it was so wet that it quickly settled making for difficult plowing conditions. It also made for downed trees and power lines.

Peeling rutabagas by lamplight Wednesday evening for Thursday's feast

A couple of pictures from the Milligan Thanksgiving Day gathering.

Aria and Auntie Trish

November 27, 2019 – Wednesday

32 degrees/heavy snow/breezy

Pentoga Road

Happy Birthday to my little guy, Luke. It's times like these I wished we lived closer so I could help him celebrate his special day.

Again, happy birthday son. Sargie and I love you.

Whoops, where’d the electricity go? I was in the middle of uploading today’s pictures when I heard a beep from one digital gadget or the other, then suddenly, complete silence. The only sound in the house is the clicking of the keys as I write (using battery power) and the crackling of the fire in the stove.

I can’t even put my easy chair into the reclining position since it is has all electronic movements.

I’m chuckling to myself. I feel SO inconvenienced, yet it wasn’t that many decades ago that I was patting myself on the back for being the proud owner of one solar powered electric light bulb in my arctic cabin. Oh, I was big stuff and there were people riding down the river on their way to the village who pulled to the side on their snowmobiles to witness my modern convenience.

… and today I’m complaining that my chair won’t recline? Lord almighty I’ve gotten soft in my old age.

What a difference a day makes. I enjoyed a gorgeous five-mile walk around the block Tuesday morning. The sun was bright and despite it being deer season, they seemed to be in every field and around every curve.

Arriving home, I changed from my hiking boots to something more appropriate and made my way to the shop. I’d seen a picture of a manger/Nativity scene that I had to try.

It’s a segmented piece, much like the mother/child work that I’ve made for several new mommies, only this one uses various stains rather than paints.

In the end, it came out okay. I'll some other features in future Nativity segment pieces, but this will do for a start.

Sargie had a good day at work and we bee bopped into town for her Coke and to pick up a few last minute groceries last evening. With the storm bearing down on our area, she wanted to stock up should be we snowbound for a day or two.

We awakened this morning to several inches of new wet, heavy, snow. Guessing, I’d estimate around eight inches have fallen, but it’s difficult to tell as it’s wet and settles immediately.

Still having electricity, I made coffee and attempted to get on the internet. There was none. I peered out the windows and saw both the television and internet satellite dishes were covered with snow.

I made my way to the barn for an extension ladder then back around to the side of the house. A few minutes later, all services were restored.

I got my usual early morning emails finished before the power went out. Hard telling when it will be restored.

The county plow has yet to come through and if this storm is anything like those of the past, it could be a day, possibly two, before we’re able to go anywhere. With only three fulltime residents on the three mile long Pentoga Road, it doesn’t rank very high on the priority list for clearing.  

So with that being said and no way to upload today’s blog, I’m heading out the door to begin cleaning the drive. It’s going to be a challenge as the snow is so heavy the snow blower won’t throw it and the four wheeler will be sliding all over the place trying to push it.

Time to get plowing.

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

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…