After the Fall

I am fine today, though sore in a few spots. My chin is still crooked as the swelling will take a few days to subside.

Another weather system is coming. Very light snow has been falling all day and my broom has gotten a workout multiple times clearing the sidewalk entrance to the house. With the snow - warmer temperatures. From last night's low of -12 F, it was in the teens above zero all day and is still 13 F now.

The county snowplow went by this afternoon. Even though there isn't a large amount of snow I noticed the driver slowed down slightly as he came near my mailbox. It imagine if the past they had complaints about mailboxes being knocked over from the flying snow.

With the 'warm' weather I rode 3 miles on my bicycle. Carefully, as the roads are fairly snow covered and look slick. I forgot my ear muffs and my ears got a little cold. Next time I will turn around and retrieve them and not tough it out.

I have gone through much of the firewood I split just before the weather turned bad last week. I know it is hard for you to grasp the amount of wood split, but it was a decent amount. No worries though as I still have a mountain of split wood to use.

I got out my cross country skis, and after my bicycle ride and visit to Bob and Jan, I tested the skis and shoes out. This was the first time I had used the skis and shoes as I had gotten them last year at auctions and the skip swap. The skis and shoes seemed to work well. There are the old 3 pin binding style. It was dark when I got back and it took me a few minutes to find how to release my shoes from the skis.

The pasture and hayfield still have some grass above the snow and that seemed to affect my skis' glide. That and breaking trail. I found the return trip had a better glide. Still I am out of practice as the glide wasn't as smooth as I'd like. At least I think it is me and not the skis' fault.

I went to the river, a sight I don't see in the winter. Along one pasture there were a couple open spots of water, else the river was white with snow. I was surprised as the river is still running and I could hear the water run. I thought the river flowed and rippled enough to remain ice free. I guess not. Then again it has been fairly cold here lately.

I didn't have my camera with me. It didn't matter as I skied at dusk and it was probably too dark for photos. I thought it was quite pretty between the white snow and the dark shapes of the trees. No wind helped make it a nice time.

After skiing one pasture I skied to the south end of the hayfield and back. Near the south end of the hayfield I surprised two deer and they ran back to my pasture and towards the river when they saw me. They saw me before I saw them as it was dark. Still I could make them out against the white snow as they ran then stopped to look back at me.

All told I think I skied a mile. And I had no falls.

I like cross country skiing. I had tried it many years ago in Minnesota with a former girlfriend who knew how to ski and I didn't care for it. I now know the snow in Minnesota is too icy and windblown to make skiing fun. Too bad.