Frozen Pipes, Lost Driveways, and Warm Ocean Breezes

It's been a cold and snowy Vermont winter so far…and we’ve got at least two more months to go! We've had lots of days and even more nights with below zero temperatures. Add in the wind chill, and it's been down right chilly.

Living in a 200 year old house is a pretty nifty thing most of the time, but with temps this low, we reminisce about draft-free windows, protected pipes, and super insulated spaces. 

A couple of weeks ago our main water line from the well into the house froze. It could have been a disaster, but fortunately our drilling company was able to thaw it for us quickly.  Thank you, Chevaliers!

A couple of days ago we discovered that our so called frost-free hydrant in the barn was frozen. Guess the frost line has gone really deep this year. So, until we can get that working again, we're hauling water from the house in buckets for the animals. 

And yesterday, our tractor wouldn't start.  Seems the tractor's diesel fuel gelled in the fuel filter from the consistent, bitter wind chill. Fortunately, my husband knows all about gelled fuel in fuel filters, and he had the tractor running before long. 

After a couple hours of plowing today, we have found the driveway and our goats are happy to have a path around their exercise area. I'll work on freeing the gates and clearing the areas behind the barn tomorrow.

A couple of weeks ago I had the very good fortune of spending some time on a little island, part of the Yum Balam Nature Preserve, off the northern Yucatan coast of Mexico. While it always feels great to come home to Vermont, I have to admit that I've been spending a lot of time lately day-dreaming about warm ocean breezes, pink flamingos, and breakfasts of locally grown papaya, mango, and baby bananas. 

I'm not normally one to post vacation photos, but given our current weather situation, I thought I'd share a couple. Maybe they will warm you up just a little...and give you hope that summer is indeed coming!

Stay warm!

Ocean treasures....

Native iguanas.  Did you know they always travel in groups of 4?  Three females and one male.  

Warm water. White sand. Can you see the juvenile heron? The island is a breeding area for brown and white pelicans, herons, pink flamingos, and others.

This is Max, a scruffy but debonair little dog I got to know. I expected him to bark in Spanish.  

Flowers! FLOWERS! Gorgeous, wild bougainvillea. 

My hotel.  Coconut palms. Palapas roofs. GREEN foliage. 

This is El Castillo, a temple that dominates Chichen Itza, a Mayan ruin located on the Yucatan peninsula, and a World Heritage Site.  This has nothing to do with islands and warm ocean breezes, but if you ever have the opportunity to visit, take the time and go. The site is hard to describe, and photos just don't do it justice, but it is truly something to experience.  It will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. And if you're into the paranormal and extraterrestrial, just do a few google searches to learn all about the documented activity over the years, particularly at the time of equinox. National Geographic also has some good info. That will get your mind off of the cold for a while! :)