After pulling away from the Thanksgiving dinner table the scurs fell into deep slumber only to be awakened Friday night by the pitter patter of raindrops on the roof. Will we see more liquid precip or are our options about to dramatically change? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Highs of 40 – 45 and lows of 25. Thursday, mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow in the morning and a chance of snow in the afternoon. Highs near 35 and lows around 15.Mostly sunny on Friday with highs reaching 30 and lows around 20. Partly cloudy Saturday and Sunday with a slight chance of snow both days. Highs 30 – 35 and lows around 20. Monday, partly cloudy and cooler. Highs of 25 and lows of 10 – 15. Tuesday, mostly sunny and cold with highs of only 20 and lows near 10. The normal high for December 1st is 33 and the normal low is 15. The scurs have solved all the problems associated with Black Friday shopping. It’s called Black Christmas Eve shopping.
We did actually receive some liquid form precipitation this past week on Friday night/Saturday morning. At the ranch we recorded a whole .22” and in the rain gauge we’d forgotten to bring in at the Mall for Men, there was a strong .2”. In town we’ve shattered the previous month’s precip record by a tenth and at the ranch we’re within a couple hundredths of catching up to October’s precipitation. It still hasn’t done anything as far as contributing to soil moisture recharge but at this point, beggars can’t be choosers. Some have asked the burning question: With the soils as dry as they are, will the soil tend to freeze more deeply or shallower than we’d expect under more typical fall soil moisture going into freeze-up? I put this question to someone who would know, namely MN State Climatologist Mark Seeley. The answer: “Research shows that the dry soil will freeze deeper in the absence of snow cover than wet soil.” There ya go.
The recent light rains did make it less dusty in the fields of course. Amazingly though it didn’t even track mud back out of the field when hauling out the last of the main barn’s manure at the ranch. That was another mission accomplished. Who knows, we may even get the sheep back from the kindly neighbors pasture before they take their Christmas lights down. Seems like I get a little slower at doing it all with each passing year. It sure feels that way after barn cleaning too. Trying to move around the next day reminds me I’m not 18 anymore. I feel more like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz asking for my oil can.
Before Thanksgiving last week there was already a rash of Christmas decorating as evidenced by the holiday lighting on an evening drive. Too early I thought although with the warm temperatures it was understandable. Still, it’s hard to get in the festive spirit with the fields bare and lawns brown. No hurry, there’s plenty of time to get some snow and brighten the landscape. As most winter forecasts agree, we have an above normal probability of a colder and wetter winter than normal.
Mom visited for Thanksgiving and we made it all the way and back to Spring Valley in the Soccer Mom van all in one piece. I even went sans my driving wig as I figured if someone saw me they’d figure the van belonged to Mom. The highlight of her stay was probably the trip to the store that carries everything that the store where you go to the bathroom in the big orange silo doesn’t. Still don’t know how Jim does it but am sure glad he does. Thanksgiving Day itself came off with only one major hitch: About the time I was ready to head for the sliding glass door and out to the grill, the bottom of the blender containing the basting sauce for the turkey gave way, spilling a half gallon of seven secret herbs and spices all over the kitchen floor. With her cat-like reflexes, Mrs. Cheviot quickly started mopping up the mess and I got the food processor out in an attempt to create another batch of sauce before the turkey progressed too far. Got out there just in time as the bird was beginning to turn a nice golden brown. After narrowly averting that disaster, the meal was exquisite, thanks to Mrs. Cheviot’s diligence in preparation and patience with Mr. Cheviot.
We were also blessed with Auntie Mar Mar’s presence after all on Thanksgiving, even though there were no blueberry bars. She did arrive in time for the annual dumping of the pumpkins however. A little disappointing though because the sheep that usually spend the afternoon chasing them as they roll down the hill weren’t cooperating. They were content to lie around the lot chewing their cuds. The pumpkins really didn’t roll either as they’d lost much of their integrity. Being thawed out and flattened on one side will tend to do that. Not to worry, the sheep found them the next morning and within a few hours reduced them to a scattering of orange scraps.
Mar Mar to the rescue on the blender; a Black Friday special at the store that has less fishing tackle than Betsy’s Dad had one to replace the 30 year-old model that had succumbed. Mar Mar had to take one for the team on her shopping venture though. Her nephew Ben devoured the leftover turkey we’d sent with her while she was in the store.
See you next week…real good then.