Merl' and I, staying cozy inside!

Just when 'all' the snow had melted, we got hit with another cold storm!

Again, only a thin layer, but still .. winter is approaching ..

 

 

It did even get a little colder than two weeks ago:

Brrrrr!

I didn't go for a very long walk, but did brave the cold to climb the hill and have a look-see around the plains ..

 

The only wildlife I saw were some footprints in the snow:

Which, for a change, I was happy about because as I mentioned in the last blog, it is hunting season and Miriam, Marian and Sam (our client) have been up bright an early almost every day, to try their luck.
I've changed my walking routines to trails that stay closer to the house, and donned a bright orange vest ..

                    

        

I should be clearly visible, don't you think, especially against this snow!
That's Sam on the right and as much as he looks the part, and as hard as he tried, he didn't even see an elk, let alone shoot one!
Marian on the other hand ...

Yep, she got an Elk cow. I didn't go and watch them bring it in, and certainly not how they butchered it, but I went in and took a peek after it had been hanging in the barn for two days.
Looks like any butchered animal I guess, not too gross ..

In the meantime Hunter and Ronnie worked hard on getting the kitchen cabinets installed and the counter tops cut in the four days they were here.
This was my view from the back window for the last couple of days.

You have to admire Hunter for working out there in the freezing cold, with that cold granite and on top of that with that cold water that the saw needs not to overheat!
And these guys are from Louisiana, where it's still in the 80's!

They were troopers, all of them! 
Carrying the cut counter tops inside was a job that needed every able body, and even us women pitched in to keep the slab from crashing down when it finally got lowered on the cabinets.


 

But it was all worth it in the end. Will you look at this beautiful kitchen!



Like I said, I love that green color for a (country) kitchen, and the brown granite I think goes very nicely with it ..



The 'butcher-block' table got painted the same color and came out very nice too, and the pots-and-pans rack that has been re-hung on the other side of the stove this time, adds nicely to the feel of 'country-kitchen' too ..

Anita, Ronnie and Hunter have left by now and after seeing them off to Boise on Sunday, Sam and Pat came back for a few more days of R&R (and hunting) before they'll leave tomorrow.

Joe is still working with us, although he did disappear for a few days this week to 'help out a friend who's mother had to go in for surgery'? ... we're not quite sure if that was completely true, but he's back once again and working hard so we're just happy to have him!

In the meantime, Merl' is guarding the Home-front. 
He seems a little 'off' lately, just sleeps a lot, a little awkwardly bunched up, but still eats OK and his sugars are fine, so I'm not to worried.
I think his pancreas is bothering him a little, but who knows it might be his teeth again, or it's just all the activity and strange people that are around at the moment and with these temperatures I'd stay inside too!

I've had a few days off, because with so many bodies in the house, I'd be only in the way and there's not too much I can do at the moment.

So, I've done some puzzling (time for the pumpkin-puzzle!), reading and blogging, and even a little spinning, which had been ages!

And since I'd come across this gingerbread-mix in the store, I decided to give it a try. 'Tis the season!

                  

It's not bad, but a little bland, even with the cinnamon frosting I added on top. 
Next time I'll add some more spices. And maybe some pecans ..

OK, there you have it. Enough for this week, me thinks!

We can't say we have a boring life now, can we?