Ramblings of an Ice Storm-addled Mind

Remember this picture taken last summer shortly after we moved into Moogie’s Manor?

Our deck is sheltered, serene, and secluded.  Like being in a treehouse in the mountains.

At least it was until Fall.

This is what it looks like today:

There’s nothing like a little freezing rain among friends.

The funny thing, though, is there are all kinds of houses back there that we didn’t even know existed until the leaves fell!  I feel like we’re on display now! And there have been coyotes trotting along the creek bed, searching for prey. Or a handout.  Seriously, coyotes in my backyard, smack in the middle of the city! Glad we don’t have an outdoor cat.  Several have disappeared around the neighborhood as of late.

Remember the bird feeder that the squirrels loved to dump unceremoniously onto the ground?

Here it is today:

Covered in ice!  I secretly wish the little rodents would try it today.  There would be lots of squirrel carcasses out there!  They could be cleaned and join the others that Pepper put in the freezer after popping them with his pellet gun.

I know, I know.  Arkansans eating squirresl.  Granny Clampett’s world-famous squirrel stew.  It ain’t gonna happen though unless Pepper finds some way to take the fluffy-tailed squirrel image out of my head.

Chickens aren’t cute.

Have I ever mentioned that we live at the bottom of a seriously steep hill?

That’s Pepper walking down the hill early in December after the first snowfall.  He managed to get the truck up the hill where it remained parked so we could get out to go to the store or have heart surgery.  But that is another story, and Pepper just got a clean bill of health after a follow-up exam last week.  Two weeks after doing a half-marathon in Key West, where I didn’t get to go because I had to give up my crown.

Don’t ask.  The man’s stubborn.

Fortunately, we’re not directly at the bottom.  I’d have nightmares about vehicles joining us in the bedroom. We learned shortly after moving here that ours is the street where LRFD candidates are taken to see how they manage fire trucks on steep hills.  Yep.  Nightmares about fire trucks joining us in the bedroom.  No casualties, however.  Yet.  Yep, I’m glad we’re up a hill on the right side of the cul-de-sac and not directly in the line of fire of fire trucks.

Anyway.  I doubt we’ll be going anywhere today.