Let's visit on the Porch II (Laurel: house, buying, garden)

[Shuffler]

How's everyone faring with this subarctic blast? Thankful our power has stayed on ... my thoughts go to all the folks in ag, freight, maintenance, utilities, etc. who have no choice but to be out working in these conditions. Absolutely brutal.

It's not so much the cold temps as it is the unforgiving winds ... I heard it's really bad on the Highline.

Wondering if the tractor will even fire up, despite being out in the shed with both a battery tender and block heater. I was generous with the anti-gel additive the other day, so hopefully no fueling issues.

Trying to bolster myself with more coffee before I venture out to see what The Blowhole gifted us with overnight, and being reminded why I shoulda gone with a cab tractor.

[SilverBear]

Winter in Montana isn't for sissys.
It's always below zero sometime between Labor Day and Memorial Day. We've been lucky that it waited this late, although last year was good until February, and the biggest blizzard we had was on Easter Weekend.

Living like I do, you have extra propane, extra firewood, extra food, fuel and a heated shop.
I use an old gas tractor, the fuel doesn't gel, and I park it in the shop where it's warm most of the time. I rarely go to town, so I don't need to plow very often.

I've got loafing sheds for all the stock, and feeders along the hayshed so I can feed from a sheltered area and the stock can eat all they want when they want. I just feed when the hay gets low.
I've got heated water tanks so they can drink too. They won't start calving or kidding until March, so it's just a quiet time for them.

I've got a large woodshed filled with wood, and a smaller one just off the house for the wood I use daily. It's just a few feet away from the door. I'm off grid, so no worries about power.

The truck is in the shop where it's warm with the tractor, I've got a lot of good books to read, it's just cold weather if you're prepared for it.

Right now, I've got a stew simmering on the stove, some bread I baked yesterday, a good fire in the heating stove, a glass of good bourbon on the end table by my hand, and Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn".

Winter can be nice if you're ready for it.

[Shuffler]

Friends of ours rent a firewood processor every Fall. We're getting in on that next year ... planning to stuff the cargo trailer floor to ceiling with wood and park it in the yard so I don't have to trudge through drifts and risk busting my ass to bring in wood unless absolutely necessary.

No issues with the tractor yesterday ... Ma Nature was kind enough - negative 23 but clear skies and no wind overnight. Warming to single digits tomorrow and ~6" of snow on the way thru Saturday, then it gets warm and rain forecasted for next week. That'll make a nice mess of things.

Flathead saw some power outages ... seems there was too much load demand vs. capacity. Just another indicator that our Commissioners don't know WTF they're doing approving so much development without paying any attention to the infrastructure to handle it.

Makes me think about getting a backup generator with enough power to run the 'big 3' - well pump, water heater, heat pump/AC.

[SilverBear]

Generator's are a good idea.
I use several for jobs around the ranch.

The house has limited power use, basically just lights and internet. Fridge, freezer, instantaneous water heater, and back up heat is propane. The water is gravity flow, so it doesn't need a pump or pressure tank.

When the temps get dangerous, I hibernate.

Not a lot of people in my area, so power demands are light. They have lost power to high winds though.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Can't rep you, SB, but thanks for those 3 reports! Stay safe and warm, everybody!

[Reziac]

We're all melted clean away here, except not so clean because of the mud... did you know ice spikes on your boots work in slippery mud too?

Hope y'all had a Merry and comin' up a Happy, and keep those chairs a'rockin'.

[Threerun]

Survived the cold snap intact and warm. I think we got down to -35 air temp. A window in the house cracked, put some tape on it to stop the spread and oh well- we’re replacing windows and exterior doors in late 2023-2024.

Just got back from our annual post-holiday trip to Izzak Walton Inn. Both my kids home for the holidays. My son read 4 books, my wife and daughter snow shoed the trails and I pretty much spent my time under a thick wool blanket fighting off a cold that has been migrating from chest to head back to chest and now sinuses.

I’d rather be sick and on vacation than sick and working .

[Shuffler]

Originally Posted by Threerun

Survived the cold snap intact and warm. I think we got down to -35 air temp. A window in the house cracked, put some tape on it to stop the spread and oh well- we’re replacing windows and exterior doors in late 2023-2024.

Just got back from our annual post-holiday trip to Izzak Walton Inn. Both my kids home for the holidays. My son read 4 books, my wife and daughter snow shoed the trails and I pretty much spent my time under a thick wool blanket fighting off a cold that has been migrating from chest to head back to chest and now sinuses.

I’d rather be sick and on vacation than sick and working .

Any notable changes at the Inn since it was sold? Was it busy or relatively quiet?

It's coming up on our time for an annual visit or two out there to spend the night and ski.

[Threerun]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

Any notable changes at the Inn since it was sold? Was it busy or relatively quiet?

It's coming up on our time for an annual visit or two out there to spend the night and ski.

No, other than they are a little short staffed. One of the guys that has worked there for years did say they are looking forward to a change. There is some deferred maintenance that needs attention.

I think Izzak Walton suffers the same issues as other hospitality venues short staffed and reeling financially from the COVID lockdowns, but it’s exasperated by their remoteness.

I would wait on skiing, it rained like a SOB when we were there. Need a good dose of snow to rectify that ice rink.

[Reziac]

Hello fellow Porch People! How goes your BBQ and fireworks?