Winter in Wisconsin

Hey, I got over 200 readers yesterday so I guess I didn't lose everyone. Although my normal blog count per day is usually 600 to 800 readers. Thanks for tuning in!

We really got whammied by the snow. It started last night about 11 pm. I peeked out at 4 a.m. and there hadn't been even a single vehicle going down our road since the snow started!  The snow was smooth and straight across with no tire tracks. Mind you, this is a state highway through the middle of town --- the main drag that we live on. About 4:30 I heard a semi truck go through. Then at 6:30 I heard the snow plows.

As daylight struck, we could see that it was still snowing, and they said it would continue most of the day.  It sure was beautiful!!!!

Steve went out with the snowblower to try and clear the worst of the snowbank that the plows left right across the end of the driveway. If you don't get to it right away it solidifies and hardens into a huge ice chunk.

He got the snow blower down there to the end of the drive, after shoveling his way out of the garage... and the snowbank was as high as the end of the snowblower!

He went back and forth across the front sidewalk as well. The distance between the sidewalk and the curb is only about a foot or maybe two feet. So when the plows go through, all the snow piles over the bank and back onto the sidewalk. He did the neighbors as well, and met up with Nate from two houses down who was doing the other neighbors front walk. Those are kind sweet men to do that for the houses around us.

From there he went back and forth alongside of the house to clear our own driveway all the way back to where the motorhome is parked. Back and forth, row by row, taking a 24 inch swath at each pass.  I told him to do it in spurts and come back in to warm up and take a break. Of course he didn't listen.

After he got in and got warmed up, we had a little breakfast. After that he ended up going back outside two more times to snow blow again!

Finally the snow stopped falling about 5 o clock. We got around 13 or 14 inches total. But now with the winds blowing it's hard to tell because it's drifting up deep in some areas.

So his last time snow blowing at 5 pm should clear it up before the cold weather sets in tonight.

In the statement from Governor Evers's office, it's said temperatures will fall below zero Monday night and will not rise back above until Friday. The life threatening cold air will cover the state setting possible record overnight lows of -15 to -25 with wind chills from -35 to -50.

NOT FUN!
I don't mind the snow,
but the bitter cold and wind
is hard to deal with.

Speaking of Winter, I finished up a king sized quilt this weekend that I have named "Winter in Wisconsin." I just listed it on my website in case anyone is curious, or knows of someone who would like to purchase a lovely homemade quilt from a little old grandma?

https://kareninthewoods.com/listing/664229640/winter-in-wisconsin-homemade-quilt

I did my favorite free-motion quilting pattern of hooks and swirls on the quilt. It is based on a kit pattern by Bonnie Blue Quilting. I added more borders to make it a king size, or a very generous queen.  I love the country, rustic, homespun style look of this one. If it doesn't sell, I might just keep it myself for our guest room.

I spread it out here on our own king size bed to show how large it is. It would fit on a queen with a generous side drop as well, and be perfect for one with a big thick high mattress.

Steve did a little project for me. He had found me two of these black extension halogen desk lights to go over my quilting frame. They really illuminate my work area, and I found two little shelves at a thrift store for him to mount on the wall to hold up the lamps. Little projects like this, with his effort, make my quilting projects so much easier. We make a good team!

Speaking of effort, after we took down the Christmas tree and put away all the decorations, Steve decided that we should rearrange our living room.  This time we decided to put our mission recliner chairs on each side of the doorway next to the colonnades. My chair on the left happens to be right near the heat register which makes it extra cozy for the winter.

On the wall opposite our chairs is where the big window is that faces out to the front porch. It's hard to take a picture during the daylight of the interior of the room, and also show the beautiful leaded glass above the big window.

He decided that we should put the TV in the corner on the right. It's never been in that corner before, so we did not have an antenna coax in that corner either.  Now with some more effort, he went down in the basement and tried to figure out the best spot to drill a hole up from the basement. The basement walls are so thick from the old stone foundation, he had to come quite a ways inwards to get a clear spot in the wall alongside of the TV.

He was tapping from below while I was tapping from above until we could find a good spot to get access.

He pushed the coax up inside of the wall near the electrical outlet. We made a small hole in the plaster wall to fish the coax through. So now the hole is neither through the hardwood floor, nor through the baseboard.   Preserving the original character of this home is important to us both.

The other wall in this room has the pocket doors that lead to the foyer. Really, all four walls in this room have something structural on them so it makes it a little difficult to arrange furniture, other than in the corners. That is why we moved our couch into the family room, so it no longer blocks the light coming in from the big window in the front.

When you enter the room from the foyer, through the pocket doors, you can see the fourth wall, which is our gas log fireplace.  I got the mirror above from the family who used to own this home... and the rocking chair came from the neighbors out back.  The quilt and pillow rest there until I grab them to curl up with in my comfy chair.

With this awfully cold temperature,
you can bet this fireplace
is fired up tonight!

It is keeping us cozy warm
while I type this blog.

(the reflective light from the tv sure makes it look pretty!)

We will get through these next few days,
and by the weekend it's supposed to warm up again.

Just our normal
Wisconsin Winter Weather
 I guess.
Although the lowest wind chill temps might set a few records.