Happy Halloween!

Christians shouldn't celebrate Halloween you say? Nonsense! What a great opportunity to share the Gospel with friends and neighbors even if your neighbors are fellow RVers in an RV park. Start with some great comic book tracts like a Chick Tract...

Write a Halloween Message on the bags...

Add some candy...

Leave them on your neighbors' doorsteps...

Go back to your RV and pray for the Lord to bless those who are going to eat the candy and read the tracts.

As you can see the weather in Torrington, WY has warmed up and the snow has all melted. It is a perfect evening for Halloween trick or treating. Still 54 at 6 pm as I type this. If you would like to overwinter in Wyoming Torrington is a great choice. The Indians used to overwinter here because the winter weather is the mildest in the state and area. That proved so true with this last storm. Twenty miles south at Hawk Springs the snow depth was 20 inches and the wind made the snow move as if it were the ocean, according to Linda at Pet Pals. Drifts were above her knees just to go to the dumpster and gates had to be dug out or they could not be opened. The snow depth in Torrington was closer to maybe 4 or 5 inches. During the 16 years I have lived in Torrington we only had one really bad blizzard when we were snowbound for several days with no power out in the country north of town.

If you would like to have a truly Happy Halloween, too, be sure to read "A Demon's Nightmare", the Chick tract featured in my pictures, for yourself at:

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0004/0004_01.asp and then ask Jesus to come into your heart and take over your life. He will.

Dreaming of a White Halloween?

Because of the impending threat of a very BIG snowstorm I moved 20 miles north of Hawk Springs back to Torrington, WY City Slickers RV Park on Monday, Oct. 25th. Twenty or more inches were predicted to fall plus 35 mph winds which could make for some very nasty snowdrifts, maybe not the cement hard kind we used to have weekly in Kearney, NE that required a backhoe to dig you out of, but some big ones and the possibility of being snowbound several days in the country and if the power would go out I'd be running my trusty little generator 24/7 since I don't have my Cat heater or solar panels installed yet. Decided it would be much easier living in town until the weather calms down a bit.

Left, Confetti is getting drowsy on this snowy morning. Will she sleep on her head again? We will see.

Snow don't have the amount here yet that was predicted. Talked to Linda out at Hawk Springs, WY this morning and she says they definitely have the 20 inches but the wind hasn't been bad yet. Highways are all closed. Wind is just starting to kick up here this morning in Torrington, WY and the temperature is only at 28 today. It held at 32 almost all day yesterday. So the storm may be strengthening a bit today. It is supposed to snow all day today, which it is. So am glad to be nestled in snugly in this nice, clean urban RV park which was new just a couple of short years ago. It is so nice to have a full 50 amps of power so I don't have to worry about what to shut off in order to run something else and I can also keep my headbolt heater on the diesel plugged in! Water faucets are all heated and I have sewer hookup available at my whim as well. Pure luxury. Ahhhhhhhh. All for $17 per day or $109 per week or $350 per month. Sure is cheaper than house living and no yard work to speak of! Have to say I am really enjoying being here while it is snowing. Might just stay on for awhile until the weather warms up again which it's supposed to do starting Sunday, back to the 50's and 60's. Sure no need to rush off in a hurry. Gotta love the variety, from snow to warm, from country to small town urban. I actually get a kick out of watching the steam rise from the sugar factory into the night sky all illuminated by the warm glow of sodium vapor lights, the sound of the train whistles as the coal trains rumble through town, and traffic's hustle and bustle on Hwy 85 as the beet trucks lumber to and from the sugar factory, it's only a few blocks to my post office box which yesterday contained Netflix movies. I may actually get around to watching one today if it gets nice and nasty outside. Hmmm which one first, Gran Torino with Rowdy Yates, That Hamilton Woman with Vivien Leigh, or Valkyrie with Tom Cruise?

Now that I have a new battery for my camera, Miss Sony Mavica, I can actually take outside shots again. This is my lovely burnt copper truck, Happy, with snow stacked up on her bumper--no wind to blow it off yet.

My gorgeous 5th Wheel, Whimsy, has sparkling icicles adorning her today.

Spectacular Rainbows

Wyoming has all sorts of beautiful weather. Today was no exception. It started out cloudy but in the 40's then the sun came out and I took the doggies for walkies this afternoon when the temperature was in the 50's. During our 3 mile trek thunderheads built up in the west and started thundering as we neared the end of our walk. We made it back to the 5th wheel just in time as it started to rain. The storm didn't last long but the air was clean and fresh and the rainbows were spectacular. There was a gorgeous full double rainbow over 66 Mountain way. The camera couldn't capture the entire arch in one picture so I took several.

Thank you my Heavenly Father for blessing me to see your beautiful rainbows today.

Tonight's painting is entitled "Warm Winter" , even though the weather is more like spring than fall or winter.

Clear Sunset

Twas a beautiful day in the low 60's here south of Hawk Springs, Wyoming, the day following the 4th anniversary of my beloved dad's homegoing. It was his and my mother's dream to fulltime RV but it never was possible for them. Instead they inspired me with their dream and so here I am free as a bird thanks to in large part to them and ultimately the Good Lord. "If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed." John 8:36 . Has Jesus set you free yet?

Today's picture is "A View From the Snake" of the lovely Tetons I painted from a photograph my dad took back in the 1950's.

Attack of the Skeleton Weeds!

We had approximately a foot and a half of snow over the weekend and temperatures down to 8 degrees, but the warm winds yesterday made short work of it and today was a beautiful calm day with temperatures back into the 60's. By the way this painting is called "The Pot of Gold" of a rainbow trout, acrylic on beveled board coated with acrylic resin to give it that wet looking effect. Hope you enjoy it.

Sunshine was the order of the day today with some clouds as the afternoon began so I took the doggies for 3 miles of walkies to just north of the Squaw Leg area of Bear Mountain. It was a very warm walk even with just a sweatshirt. Dog kids enjoyed salad bar, i.e. grazing on the green winter wheat grass growing along the wayside. By the time we turned back home the weather was changing and some little showers were building up. Saw a beautiful rainbow this one was in the clouds, the forever signet of the God of Israel's covenant not to destroy the earth by flood ever again, and then the winds picked up just enough to blow the tumbleweeds once more. Most of them were dead skeleton weeds, in summer these nifty looking weeds are nothing but green stems with no leaves, and they were headed straight at us as if on the attack as we walked back into the teeth of the north wind. We made a game of dodging them as they hurtled at us. Thus today was attack of the Skeleton Weeds. Apropos for October don't you think?

The wind was cool and we got some sleet and rain on us. It felt great after the heat of the first part of the walk. By the time we got home we felt refreshed. Everywhere I have lived the saying has been "In (fill in the state) just wait 10 minutes and the weather will change". Wyoming is the only state where I have really found it to be true.

Below is a picture of one of the skeleton weeds that attacked us. oooOOOoooooOOOOOooo!

Beautiful Snow Morning

It is a beautiful sunshiney, snowy morning and the temperature is way up to 21 degrees. Was supposed to be down to 8 degrees last night which it well might have been. If you love snow you would love this snow as it was not too windy and now we have a winter wonderland, perfect for making snow angels.

Last night I kept my furnace set at about 67 and ran the Pelonis electric heater at 80 degrees all night. Worked just fine. The furnace cycled occasionally enough to keep the basement warm and the pipes and water tanks unfrozen and us comfortable. Will be interesting to see how long the propane lasts with this blast of cold. Last Friday I filled the two 30 lb. propane bottles. Ran the furnace alone without the Pelonis heater all weekend. When the weather turned cold I set the thermostat at 75. I had emptied one of the bottles by Tuesday morning (apx. 6 gallons) when I refilled it Tuesday. Yesterday when I topped off the 2nd bottle I'd been using since Tuesday it took apx. 4 gallons to top it off. Hope that's of help to those of you who would like to try some cold weather RVing. I know not everyone wants to live in the deserts of the southwest for six months. A little snow is something you can really enjoy.

See more pictures of Confetti actually sleeping on her head in my post earlier this morning.

Snow Day Nap

Have you ever seen a kitty sleep on her head before? Neither had I until Confetti slept on her head just like this for quite awhile until she jerked herself awake. Well what else do you do when it's 8 degrees and snowy outside?

Brrrrr! 19 degrees at 9 P.M.

Roads in southeast Wyoming are closed tonight because of the snowstorm. It is drifting and the temperature is to get down to 16 tonight. The day actually started out in the 40's with some sunshine. I decided to run to Torrington to top off the propane bottle that I'd used part of since filling on Tuesday. I had used about 4 gallons since Tuesday I found out when they topped it off at Panhandle Co-op. Our nights have been in the 20's this week with some wind. Tonight the winds are approx. 30 mph. Also filled up the gas can and bought a bottle of 2 cycle oil for my trusty 1000 watt generator should the power fail. We could run the furnace with it if need be. After picking up mail and filling the propane bottle I stopped at the grocery store and restocked the comfort food. Donuts with sprinkles are definitely called for on a snowy morning. When we arrived back south of Hawk Springs the weather was still nice with a little sunshine and only a few snowflakes. After stowing the propane bottle and groceries I took the 4 bigger doggies for walkies about 1:30. We walked a couple of miles with snowflakes falling and not much wind so it was a wonderful walk down the unmaintained road. I heard the girgling call of Sandhill Cranes and saw them overhead heading south ahead of the storm. Their footprints were all over the road as well. We got back to the 5th wheel just as the storm clouds burst with snow, wind and cold. In a period of about 5 minutes the temperature went from 42 down to 27. You can see the view above through our window. The mountains are completely socked in as you can see from the picture with my truck in it. You'd never guess there are mountains out there. Spent the rest of the afternoon doing computer work. Tonight we are snug as bugs in a rug with the furnace set to about 72. Linda brought over some of Larry's terrific hot chili! Perfect on a night like tonight. Time to have some hot tea and cuddle up with the kids and read my book. Linda just called on the radio to tell me it's already 19 degrees and it's only 9 p.m.! It can only get colder. We are still cozy.

Grey Outside Golden Inside

Socked in and grey all day today, with occasional rain and very chilly. Just the kind of day I like to spend inside staying cozy. The only outside chore I did was to replenish the water tank. That just took a few minutes and I got it done before it really started to rain. Fingers got a little cold was all. Always a luxurious feeling to have plenty of water when weather is nasty.

Part of being cozy includes puttering around in my cute little galley. I usually make a pot of coffee but it just smells extra special good on a cold grey day. Made that for breakfast and had oatmeal. Later in the afternoon I decided to make a pizza from scratch. You can see the aftermath of making pizza from the shot of the counter. Made the dough in the bread machine, made my own sauce, cooked the hamburger, chopped onions, green peppers, and added mushrooms and plenty of mozzarella of course. What do you think? Well, I enjoyed it.

The mountains are pretty much obscured as the ceiling is very low. I took a few pictures out of the window of the RV. The strip wheat is very pretty and adds a nice touch of green pattern to a bleak landscape.

Linda brought by a piece of wonderfully gooey dessert. I will have it for breakfast. Would gain 3 lbs. if I ate it tonight after having pizza too. Have lost exactly 50 lbs. in the past five years. Would you believe? Have a long way to go but am making progress. Have lost about 30 lbs. of it in the past year alone. Part of my reason for shucking the conventional lifestyle in favor of fulltiming was in the hope of getting the weight off permanently. As long as it doesn't rain every day that might happen. Otherwise....ooops!

For exercise I did 10 minutes of step aerobics on the bottom step of my inside staircase while I listened to some nice Christian music. Worked great and lifted my spirits to the heavens at the same time! Will do another 10 minutes a little later. It is raining very steadily now. Will check it out in about a half an hour when I take the doggies out for their last "private moment" tonight. Kitties are mostly curled up and sleeping and Rocket Bird zonked out about 8:30 when he made me put his night-nights on (cover his cage).