TROUBLE IN RIVER CITY

Winter finally arrived in my part of the world. Along with the snow came single digit temperatures.

I always find it best to keep up with the snow and plow whenever we get even a few inches. I never know what's coming next. I don't want to wake up and be snowed in because it snowed a foot overnight and the plow can't handle the accumulated snow. Hasn't happened yet but I'm sure it will one day if I am fortunate enough to live here long enough.

I plowed yesterday and it was five degrees. All was well. We cleaned it up like Mr. Clean. We had about four inches of snow overnight. This morning I went out to tackle it and "Mr. Toad" would not start. Mr. Toad is a Polaris 6x6 Series 11. Mr. Toad has been with me since he was new in 2002. He has been the best most useful piece of ranch equipment I have ever owned.

Not sure what the problem is, maybe the Toad is too cold. Put a trickle charge on him and am hoping it will warm his important parts. If not Koty and I could be in for some real fun as there is rain in the forecast and if I can't get the snow off the road before it gets here it will turn in to one of those ice falls I like to photograph. Then we will be stuck.

It's a bit of a witch to work in four degree weather but I wouldn't give up this life for anything. I love Nature and I love a challenge. Here at the ranch I have all that I love. But, a man would be nice to have around sometimes.

Wish us luck!

PS: For you young whipper snappers  who don't remember or even know of that great song Trouble in River City from the The Music Man check it out!

Polaris 6x6 UTV Series 11

©Kinsey Barnard

Fir Crying Out Loud!

Today was a work in the woods day. I chose to tackle a huge fir tree. I think it was more like it tackled me. The thing must have been fifty feet long and had  branches the size of small trees.

The uneven ground didn't do my sprained ankle any good that's a for sure. Hard to believe it's been over two weeks since I took the spill. I was hoping to be back to normal by now. It doesn't appear meant to be. The picture below is me getting frustrated and taking a break. Of course, my person is absent because I have to take the picture. Probably just as well.

I got the beast of a tree limbed up and chopped up until there was about fifteen, sixteen feet left. Then I gave up! Man not even one tree to my credit today. Crikey!

I'm going to have to come back and finish this bad boy off next work day. What a disappointment not to even get on tree finished.

Course then there's my helper who mostly naps in the shade whilst I toil away. I can't even get the turkey to take pictures for me!

But, in all my stumbling around I did stumble onto some very cool natural designs. Below is a photo of an insect or worm that worked on this old fir leaving behind an incredible artwork in it's wake. What you see are actually the tubes that the worms work around in.

This next photo the tubes have been knocked off leaving intriguing tunnel designs. This one looks to me like some science fiction creature with many arms and legs. Human artists would have a hard time making this stuff up!

The last beauty that I discovered was some kind of fungus growing on an old  moss covered stump. Looks like a big old clam shell or maybe some forest troll poking it's head out of it's mossy home with a smile on it's face?

It's hard to believe I have lived, worked and explored this land for eight years and still I discover things I've never seen before.

Awesomely, beautiful day today. Spring has sprung and the grass is turning green. It's great working in the woods even if I don't get much work done!


©Kinsey Barnard Photography

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Saturday Sojourn

Yesterday I spent the morning raking up pine cones, got lots of those, and cutting up yet another big old larch that had fallen prey to insects and wind. I'm generally only good for one or two trees. It's a lot of very hard work, cutting one up and stacking the wood.

Koty, is no help. He just hangs around whining "When are we going for a hike?!" As usual I promised him we would "go". A lot of power in that tiny little word. Koty goes crazy when I say it. Such enthusiasm. Such joi de vivre.  I love him so. If you're not yet acquainted with Koty I wrote a little about My Best Friend a while back that may be of intrest.

Anyway, by the time I'm finished with my ranch work I am not hankering for a forty mile hike but a promise is a promise, and I do not break promises to my dog or anyone else. Late in the afternoon we headed up the mountain. Days are already long here in Montana. It doesn't really get dark until around nine. At this time of year I can work in the morning, have lunch, take a nap and then go all over again. It's like getting two days for the price of one. Which is good because at my age I need all the days I can get.

Deseased Western Larch

We took a route we have taken a thousand times before but the trip is never the same and I  always see something new an interesting. Ironically, the first interesting thing I saw was this rather handsome example of exactly what the larch I'd just cut up looked like at it's core.

My next discovery was lichen on some boulders. The boulders around here look like they come from a another planet. I'd forgotten how interesting they are to study.


Lichen on Boulder by Kinsey Barnard****Click on photo to purchase


It's a well established fact that I am a bit daffy but I truly think this ancient rock is just beautiful, so intricate and delicate of design. I seem to be on a real roll here with natural designs? Check out my Natural Designs Gallery. There's some very interesting stuff in there.


Rock and Lichen by Kinsey Barnard****Click on photo to purchase

An hour out was about all the energy I could muster but Koty was happy and so was I. What more could a country girl ask for?

©Kinsey Barnard Photography



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