So Far! Last year at this time we were dealing with -15 to -22F temps, not so this year. The temps have been running +11 to +34F and it is taking ferever to freeze up the creek and river. The lakes have been frozen over for over a month now and have 4-6 inches of ice on them, plus 2 inches of snow. It has been windy and clear here.

Last Friday we pulled our boats out of the creek for winter storage, so now it is just the wait for the river to freeze over. We need the temps to drop to 0 to -15f to get that done.

Been seeing grouse and snowshoe hares on walks in the woods. And we have a red fox that visits daily. Been seeing the great horned owl that lives on the creek a couple of times a week. Muskrat pushups are seen on some of the lakes, too.

Getting the horses into the homestead was an ordeal this year. Wolfwoman got home a month earlier this fall and of course we had to get the horses in. The problem was/is, the river isn't frozen so we couldn't ride/walk them across and into home. Sooooo, we brought them in the backway "overland", in a manner of speaking, as the back slough/swamp wasn't frozen over either. We got to within 2500 feet of home and were running out of daylight, horses balking at moving in the quagmire, Wolfwoman and I were wet and tired. So with only 75 feet to go to solid ground and pitch dark, we moved the horses to a dry hummock, picketed them out, told them we would see them in the morning......ifen the bears didn't getem!......and headed home.

Well, morning came and we trekked over to where we left the horses and yes, they were still there, having munched the ground bare during the night. Both were glad to see us and of course since it was daylight and they could see the ground, so they were raring to head home. I scouted out a route that was a little more solid than the muck we had been traversing and move the horses to solid ground. Thirty minutes latter they were in thier corral happily munching on hay and slurping water.

We were quite busy for awhile getting the place ready for winter as a lot of spring chores had gone undone after my bout with the PE last May. We did get caught up and now are just enjoying the short days as much as we can.

I'll be taking Jana or maybe Boomer out hunting for grouse this week and maybe even tumble a hare, too. It is sure good to be home and wearing mocs again.

Keep an eye to the ridgeline......'n' yer toes toasty!

Regards, xfox

xfox,

So glad to hear all is well... Enjoy the "GREAT DARK COLD" as we here in Seattle enjoy the "GREAT DARK WET". Merry Christmas and Happy New Year....

glad to hear everything is coming together at home ya ol cuss, ya had me worried there fer a spell but figured ya was to tuff ta let a little ol thing like a blood clot take ya down fer long. Do us all a favor though, pay attention to what the bodys tellen ya n listen to the doc's ya ain't gitten no younger ya know!!!Tell Wolfwoman Ms Samantha n I said "Hello" n hope shes well, n has a GREAT BIG STICK to beat you with when ya get out a hand haw haw haw

the only reason it is so warm in alaska has nothin to do with that globle warming foolishness it's because I left hay crossfox do you know Smitty and jesse in mendelta

Hiya oneblanket!

Dang, ya must be a real poor pilgrim ta have only one blanket! No wonder ya left this cold country!

I've met Smitty & Jessie a time or two when the Sept rondy was held there at Mendeltna. I would be passing through headed home from my summer guiding or flying and would drop by to say "Hello" to the motly crew at the shoot.

In the 44 years I have lived up here, I've never been to any of the shoots or rondy's up here. Mainly because they are all held during the seasons that I'm working and unable to take the time. For years I tried to get a group to come up to my place for a freezeup/thaw rondy, but they all said I lived too far out in the bush. Go figure, huh!

The overnight temp dropped to -12F last night. First time below zero this fall. Ifen it continues to do so for a couple of more days the river will freeze over.

Keep an eye to the ridgeline......'n' keep them Virginia ticks at baye!

Regards, xfox

I think I met you at smittys rondy last year my real name is shawn I just got a pretty 36 cal from Smitty last week him and Jesse are the main things I miss about Alaska

Hmmmmm! It might've been in late Sept '07 as I did stop by then and I do seem to recall your name. I got home too late in '08 to stop by.

where abouts in Virginny did ya settle?

Regards, xfox

it must have been 07 i am 6'4" and had a big gray beard I moved to sothern VA between emporia and south hill

Pretty laid back life hangin' 'round watchin' ice freeze.

Down here in Buffalo River Country we sit on the porch and watch akerns (acorns) fall; 'ceptin' there warn't hardly any, this year . . . sigh . . . life has ways of slowin' down, I reckon.

Yawnin'sticks