I noticed a front passed through the Coteau des Prairies and hunkered down at Coteau Valley Farm, the other day. It brought high winds and something..., white. I was a little confused as to what the white stuff was, turns out it was snow. I felt like deja vu for a second, didn't this just happen? Regardless of those thoughts, I found myself swinging on my clunker boots and running outside in my sweatshirt. The wind whipped against my face and snow followed it like tiny pelts of sand. Aaah yes, I remember this, I thought. I must admit, I was somewhat thrilled to see how violently it rolled across the prairie and how determined it appeared to be to destroy the Fall weather. I almost thought we might get some accumulations of snow, as it began to resemble a beautiful snow globe. I will say however that the temperature outside was not maddeningly cold or anything, it was not bad at all. I was able to stay outside for some time without freezing and enjoy the weather in just a sweatshirt. By evening the ground had turned white and at bedtime, I could see a lot of white in the fields. I wondered if we would need a shovel by morning or perhaps dig ourselves out from a massive snow drift. By the time the rooster was crowing, there was a lingering cold wind and some snow scattered about in the grass, but zero snow accumulation. As the day warmed and noontime took over the snow was nearly melted and there was not a single sign of the "blizzard" that the white powder had threatened just about sixteen hours earlier. I guess it was just a little wake-up call for everyone, one to help us get used to the idea of Winter. There I've said it. Nobody wants to say that word, winter, Winter, WINTER, on account of the white knuckle clutch it had on us last year, beginning at about this time. I am going to throw the word Winter around, as if I adore the sight of it, for the rest of this blog as a way to help me juggle in my mind some projects I'd like to accomplish in the Fall. Chores that need to be done before that one, "WINTER" takes the reins and closes the year. For example, one of my windows has had a zillion flies flying gleefully around between the screen and the window. These flies were soon met by some nasty bugs, cute ladybugs, and some other insects. I had an entire ecosystem in my window. The screen was very loose, that is how they barged inside and time passed, like the Summer, and the bugs all passed onward. What I mean is, I think they starved to death. The window now looks like... well I am not even going to say what it looks like, sickening. I need to get the vacuum and suck them out and refit the screen. I'll be using a dozen or two Clorox wipes on the sill and other nasty spots I find and I'll wear gloves. I hope to get that finished quickly because it's wildly gross. Adding to that disaster, the pantry is a total pit and there are cardboard boxes, empty water bottles, and food completely disheveled on the shelves. There is also some white stuff on the shelves, it's flour, nothing alarming, just gross. Plus, flour causes salmonella and I do not want to accidentally touch it or fall into the flour mess, on account of the cardboard on the floor. Then perhaps I could somehow eat it and get sick from the flour germs. I guess what I am trying to type is the pantry, it looks like the window, only I am supposed to eat what's in the pantry. I will not eat what is in the window so don't even think it! There are so many things to keep me spinning, like the little show-off of winter weather. Coteau Valley farm is a lot of work and I need the Winter to come, at best to get a nap! Let me know what you are doing to endure what's ahead, www.winter...!
Coteau des Prairies
South Dakota Hobby Farm
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