It's Fun - I promise!

Even though it looks like the inside of a snow globe here at Yesteryear Acres, the puppies still have to learn to go outside and become winter lovers.  At first, the little puppies aren't so keen on the idea, but this happens no matter what the weather might be.  I can take puppies outside for the first time on the most glorious beautiful day ever, and they still won't be so keen on the idea of being outdoors.  It takes a couple of minutes before they realize that HEY!  This IS fun!!! When it is super snowy, it does take a little longer. Today we had Grits to help the puppies figure things out.

Come on little puppies. Follow me!

You mean I need to walk on this white stuff?

Like this?

Okay! I peed! Now what?

We have to wait for everyone to finish

Hey! Snowflakes do taste yummy!

Good thing the puppies like the snow.....

From the look of our pond  - we have a lot of winter still to love!

I Got The Subtle Hint

A couple of days ago my son told me that he was really really missing his sister.  I stood there with my heart filling up with love thinking about that special bond that siblings share when he said, "Because when she was home, she made me cookies."  OH.  I see.  Then two days ago he told me that Laura's kids were having the best day EVER.  I asked him why and he said, because Laura made her kids COOKIES today.  OH. Again.  I see.  This was followed by several subtle hints such as, "Do you know what would make today a GREAT day?" Answer - Cookies.  Or "What are we having for dinner.......COOKIES??!!!!" And "You know what we haven't had in a really long time?" And "I bet you don't know what would give you the title, 'GREATEST MOM IN THE WORLD' do you?"  I got it.  I got it.  His subtlety was not lost on me.  So any guesses as to what I did today before my son came home from school?  Yes.  Yes.  I finally made him cookies.  I greeted him by the door with a plate full of hot freshly baked Molasses Oatmeal cookies and the huge smile on his face was all the thanks I needed.  He got out a big glass of milk and happily devoured his after school snack.  Gee.  If he wanted cookies that badly - all he had to do was ask!

Mr. Yesteryear Acres - you better come inside soon.  The cookie monster is home!

Morning Sparkles

This morning the sun lit up our snow-filled landscape and created a kaleidoscope of snow sparkles. It was so beautiful.  I tried sitting at my desk to get some work done but the outside just called to me. Even though it was pretty darn cold this morning, I put on my snow gear and headed out for a morning snow sparkle walk.  

It's hard to capture all the sparkling snow - but it was so beautiful

Grits agreed with me.  The morning walk idea was awesome.

The ground was so frozen that Grits barely left any footprints and didn't fall through the ice layer.

Ice covered branches

I am so lucky to live here

Grits found the only stick not buried in the snow.  She was quite pleased with herself!

Look who joined us on our walk!

Blackie! My favorite squirrel!

The peacefulness of a snow walk fills me with endless smiles

Icicles everywhere

The cornstalks are about 3 feet tall - so that's a lot of snow. 

You can almost see each individual snow crystal.

Did I mention I love snow?

That's what Grits says too!

I LOVE YOU SNOW!

Ice Toppings

Yesterday I finally relented and broke out the ice spikes that Mr. Yesteryear Acres bought for me and put them on my boots.

It was a good move because even though it looked ever so innocent outside...

This was literally all ice.  Even the grass was frozen. It was almost impossible to walk without slipping.

Of course that never stops Olive from bounding ahead.  She must have built in ice spikes.

She always gives me the look that says, "what took you so long?"

Olive is dreaming about the day when she can go swimming again

One of the quadrillion-and-one reasons I love Mr. Yesteryear Acres...

Here he is bringing me Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows so I would stay warm on my walk. Awwwww.  He is the sweetest!

Good thing I got warmed up yesterday because this is what it looks like today!

Grits can barely make it up the hill as all our snow is blanketed in a thick layer of ice.

Who doesn't love Carsicles?

Here is our pond today - we really got a ton of snow!

Mr. Yesteryear Acres had to pave a walk for us.  The ice was making it so hard to get up the hill.

 

Grits and I spent the rest of the day playing, chase the ice blocks.

She is endlessly fascinated by our endless supply of doggie ice toys.

Catching snowflakes is pretty awesome too!

So That's What The Color Blue Looks Like

Yesterday the most miraculous thing happened.....the sky was the color BLUE!  I haven't seen a blue sky in so long I almost forgot what the color blue looks like! It was so beautiful, I just had to be a part of it. Everything here at Yesteryear Acres is still pretty icy so walking is tough. I am patiently waiting for the impending snow storm so that we can get a nice fluffy cover of snow on the ground but until then, it is almost impossible to take a walk without sliding/falling/slipping with every step.  My son suggested we go take the doggies to the park for a walk so I could be outside surrounded by my blue happiness.  What an awesome idea!

Paved roads!!!  No ice! Yay!

My son asked the doggies if they agreed with his great idea

They said yes!

Ummmmm Aren't I supposed to be walking at least one doggie????

COME ON MOM!

This is my view the entire walk.  They walk FAST!!!!

Awwww - they waited for me at the top of the observation deck.

What Good Doggies!

 

My son's Christmas present - matching collars for his doggies

They look great!

A perfect Doodle Doggie walk!

Thanks for the awesome blue day!

Bring on the Chow!

Juneau's babies are now four weeks old and that means....FOOD!  It is time for some delicious chow for them. At first the puppies act as though we are torturing them with the puppy gruel.  As if how could we be so inconsiderate to offer them this stuff that has to be chewed! They balk at it and even walk through it but then once they get a little bit on their lips - it is game on!  By the 3rd or 4th day they are all running to the food dish with their tails wagging. This will be a big growth week for them.  Here are this week's pictures...

These curly boys are ready for the puppy gruel!

I can't wait to get my paws in yummy puppy food.

Juneau's red caramel girl is patiently waiting

Is picture taking time over yet????

Mmmmm...Something smells good!

AND.....

 this weekend we had NEW babies!

Eloise delivered her Double Doodle Puppies

We have Four Beautiful Girls

And Four Beautiful Boys

It was thoughtful of Eloise to be so even!

Happy Monday!

WHOA.....recover....WHOA!

Oh boy!  I never knew that one of my life's aspirations was to own a 20 acre size ice field.  I mean imagine the amount of skating that can be done in that amount of space.  Ice Hockey could last for days! I knew I was in trouble early this morning when one of our doodle doggies slid all the way across the brick walkway the second she stepped outside. Yesterday's warm weather provided today's solid ice. Each time I have gone outside with the doggies, I have taken small little steps ever so gingerly.  I almost look as if I am not even walking.  Even with this, every step is "WHOA!' and then I recover.  And the next step is WHOA! again.  Our yard is frozen solid and the grass under the ice is frozen solid.  Mr. Yesteryear Acres and my son dug out the crampons for their boots.  Of course, they look like pros outside.  Never miss a beat.  They must be crampon experts.  I however am not that gifted and so today, I pretty much skated and slid my way in and out of the house.  I believe there is a significant chance for snow the next few days and I hope that happens!  I am really good at snow walking!  Ice....not so much.  Of course with our weather we are just as likely to have an ice/rain/ice/sleet/snow/ice storm, so maybe my best bet is to talk Mr. Yesteryear Acres into taking the doggies in and out!  I mean he is the one that has blocked the porch.....Hmmmm.  I just might be onto something here!

Hey - We All Have Our Talents

Today's warm weather brought about the "Finish the Porch" project.  I have to say, I am really really really excited to get the porch finished but at the same time, I really really really really don't want to do it.  Mr. Yesteryear Acres is putting in all new insulation for our porch.  The doggies LOVE being on the porch and this very frigid winter has made the lingering project a necessity.  Today's weather pretty much screamed, "THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!" So early this morning, out came the miter saw and drills and hammers and levels.  My son was vacuuming the entire porch before I even had my breakfast.  That is a little too much motivation for me that early in the morning!  Thank goodness - the project is really made for just TWO people.  I mean, I am pretty positive that I would just get in the way.  Mr. Yesteryear Acres and my son have been out on that porch the entire day.  I believe at least 75% of that time involved the level.  I hate that thing!  Mr. Yesteryear Acres is such a stickler.  I mean that bubble has to be SMACK DAB in the middle.  If my daughters are reading the blog right now they are both shaking their heads up and down while feeling SO joyous that they didn't have to be the level holder!  It is an all day job! Since I was terrified all day, that Mr. Yesteryear Acres would call me outside to help, I made myself QUITE busy!  I mean - we all have our talents, and mine does not involve a level!  Not only did I have to do all the normal Yesteryear Acres work, the entire back porch was blocked off so I had to re-route the doggies out the front and around back every time they needed out.  We made such a mud trail today.  I need my porch back! I also decided that I better come up with a good dinner, lest I be called into action tomorrow.  Tonight's menu - Slow roasted pulled pork, homemade potato buns, handcut julienne potato strings with caramelized onions, and smothered kale. See?  I am SO needed indoors!  Since Mr. Yesteryear Acres and my son are still outside, with no signs of stopping, I think I better get some homemade ice cream going.  I am clearly so invaluable!