More snow! We’ve had another big storm this week. This time the storm wasn’t as much of a blizzard – less wind – but still plenty of snow for Mike to plow. We got 19 inches of snow in last week’s blizzard, and another 10 or 11 inches this week, so he’s gotten to use all his toys.

The big snow blower makes an amazing plume of snow – Mike hadn’t realized how high it goes since he sees it from inside the tractor.

I actually got some seeding done last week, after the wind stopped. Mike drove the tractor up the western valley road so I would have tractor tracks to walk in part of the way to the field.

After that I put on snowshoes, and was able to get seven sections planted.

One great discovery we’ve made this year is gaiters – they make walking and planting in deep snow much easier. Gaiters are pieces of polyester cloth that cover our legs from below the ankles to just below the knee. They keep snow from getting in the tops of our boots. We got ours from REI, but all the outdoor clothing places carry them. This is what they look like.

The fields on top look desolate and windswept in the snow. This is the cornfield with a few weeds and cornstalks still sticking up through the snow.

And here’s a different view of the cornfield in the middle of the blizzard, with the wind blowing clouds of snow across the field.

Everything looks beautiful with all the snow – it’s been several years since we’ve had views like this.

The birds like all the birdfeeders, but they have trouble finding the seeds under the snow. I go out and clean them off, but by the time the birds have dared to come back, the seeds are covered again. About a dozen cardinals hang out in the tree next to the bird feeder deck, waiting for their turn at the feeders.

The Sharp-shinned Hawk shows up a couple times a day to try its luck around the feeders. I haven’t seen it catch anything this week. The flock of Blue Jays that hangs around the house acts as a very efficient alarm system for the other birds. The Jays sound their alarm calls, and the other birds take off in time to escape the hawk.