Sneak Preview of Winter

In September the cool, wet summer finally turned into spectacular, dry autumn with non-stop sun and high temperatures and blazing colors. Fire season in Montana finally started with several fires in Yellowstone and one in Bridger Canyon. For the last several days, the view of the mountains has been hazy and a fog of smoke hung over town.

All that lasted until sometime late last night. I was in town last evening and the temperature was 80 degrees and the skies were clear and blue. The weather reports warned us that winter was coming tomorrow (today). Everyone kept asking me if I was ready. Still, it was hard to believe that winter was imminent with the balmy air and azure skies. Around 11 pm when I went to bed the temp was still near 70. Sometime during the night all that changed. This morning I woke up to snow. And it's been snowing ever since. It is not accumulating much. It is right at freezing temperature and the ground is still warm enough that the snow on the road and on the rock pathway melts instead of piling up. But it is supposed to snow all day and off and on all week, with periods of rain in between snow storms. I guess it is time to move the truck out to safer territory. Or at least start carrying tire chains.

I am so excited. This promise of winter to come has me positively salivating. I have a fire going in the woodstove and it is snug and comfy inside and dramatically beautiful outside. I can't wait to start skiing and snowmobiling again.

I'm not really ready, though. I haven't finished the gas piping for the hot water heater in the house, which is part of the scheme for keeping the cold water pipes from freezing (I wrapped the cold and hot water pipes together inside the big bundle of insulation) so the water heater is not functional yet. And while there is lots and lots of firewood cut and split, there is not much kindling gathered nor has the split wood been stacked. But I covered the big pile of split wood with a tarp to keep it dry during the storms of this week, and I'm pretty sure the plumbing is protected enough to make it through mild freezes like this one. I'll just keep working away at the tasks still needed and hope for a return of mild weather before real winter sets in. Meanwhile, I am celebrating the snow.