Preparing For Snow

We had another delivery this week but this time, we did all the work.

That's our floor in the back of the van, well some of it anyway. We still have another load to pick up when it's ready. Sometimes, having a huge van comes in handy (lots of times, actually), those pieces are 14 feet long!

We can't put it inside just yet but we couldn't wait any longer to order it because the mill shuts down for the winter.

That's actually the bottom of the floor you're seeing. We flipped the pieces over to face each other so we could slide them in and out of the van without scratching them. 

Matt built a retaining wall out of the large pieces of rock that were leftover from the blast.  So glad we can start using them up.

Phil is building a scaffold so they can work on the second floor from the outside.

Don't these look like they were worth all the fuss? Phil is not convinced.

But I really like them. They are so bright.

The light reflects off the tin inside...

...and it actually looks like there's a light on.

We won't put the covers on them until the ceiling is finished but in the meantime, we are sure enjoying the extra light upstairs!

In other news.....

It's quite something to watch the snow get lower down the mountains.

It won't be long now.

It's time to get ready for winter. We picked up shavings for the stalls at the mill. See that small bag on the pile? We paid $9 for that bag of shavings at the feed store. See that pile of shavings it's sitting on? We paid $10 for that at the mill. There's economy of scale and then there's ridiculous! We had to do the work of loading it ourselves but still!!

Emily and Julia are getting ready for a visitor. 

We borrowed a ram from our neighbours. I hope the lambs will have those beautiful black markings. We'll see in the spring, hopefully.

Still no snow but it can't be long now.

 (If that hydro pole looks crooked, that's because it is. They leave some slack in it until they hook it up to main line and then they pull it taught which will hopefully be soon.)

I'm not going to lie, snow is not my favourite. I mean, I love the excitement it brings on the first day as everyone gathers around to watch it come down in big, white, fluffy flakes. I love the commotion as excited children search for their gloves and hats and scarves as they endeavor to get outside with such intensity of emotion. I love having days that we can sit and read and not feel too guilty. I love how life slows down and we are together more. I just don't like how much more work snow makes just about everything. Like, walking, for example. And driving. And staying warm. Not to mention the aftermath of said afternoon playing outside in the snow. (I know you went out with gloves and a hat and scarf, now where ARE they?) And snow is going to make finishing the house much more challenging. Not impossible, just more problematic. And slippery. Maybe it's the just the anticipation of the snow that I don't like. Planning for it and having to factor it into everything. Maybe once it starts falling, I'll resign myself more to it and look for ways to actually enjoy it. To stop being so anxious about it and start appreciating it more.

Maybe. 

What?? It could happen.

**As I publish this post, it's snowing. :-)

She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

Proverbs 31:21