Wednesday, November 30, 2011

dark days of November...

The grey month of November is about over.
It has been especially dark around here lately...
with storms, and winds and power outages.


We had dinner by candlelight...
cooked on a little propane burner the other night.

Across the fields...
over at the farmyard...
it was business as usual once they got the generator hooked up.
Our extension cords don't reach that far!
Last Saturday afternoon...
the lights went out during afternoon milking.
It wasn't long before I saw the lights back on at the barn
...and knew the generator must have kicked in.
Awhile later...all was dark again.
It seems the generator only works until the tractor runs out of diesel.
Oh dear!
And getting a diesel tractor going again requires more than just adding fuel...
so I have discovered.
And while that whole process is happening...
the cows are having a 'hay day' in the dark barn!
I'm glad I wasn't there.

This I know...
there is not much that can be done without power around here.
I spent my 'dark time' writing a Christmas letter on my battery-powered laptop.

I'm hoping the lights burn brightly throughout December!
But just in case...
I have my candles, lanterns and flashlights handy.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!


14 comments:

  1. May the stormy dark season be over.

    Okay, this probably isn't the proper place, but when did our electric grids become so fragile? I don't remember losing power left and right when I was a kid or a young woman. In a hurricane...maybe, but not even always. Very strange. Another case of the 21st Century not feeling as stable as the 20th or is it me?

    What does the cows had a "hay day" mean? They went wild and stampeded and ate up all the hay? =)

    Elmer looks very efficient at the stove.

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  2. Great picture of Elmer cooking up supper by candlelight. You might have to put extension cords on your wish list:)

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  3. Looks like it coud be a long winter for you, with the power going out so much already. Ours only flickered a few times last week, early in the morning.
    Dairymary

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  4. So far we've escaped any power outages, but the high winds make an outage a big possibility. We're ready, with candles, batteries and a supply of water - I wonder if I can get TGD to cook when there's no power??

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  5. No power outage here...I'm wondering if that's just another way of getting Mr. E in the kitchen, although he seems quite familiar.
    Hoping that we do not need to weather too many more storms.

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  6. We made it through November with very little storm damage...though we have friends who were not quite as fortunate...but all in all I'm glad to see the back of the hurricane season...ready for winter and all she brings...
    Sandi

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  7. At first glance I was thinking your candlelight dinner looked very romantic. I imagine a bit of the romance escapes when the darkness is unintended and the cows are having a "hay day".
    I hope December is a brighter month for you.

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  8. It is crazy how dependent we are on electricity or the internet for that matter.
    My kids loved it when they were little and the power went out ... there is something about not being dependent on it and just enjoying the simple candle glow and roasting wieners in the fireplace.

    I hope not too much damage was done in the milking parlor.

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  9. We've not lost power here, although all around us there have been outages. Having underground wiring seems to help a lot.

    I always think it's kind of romantic if the power goes out for a few hours - provided I'm not baking, sewing, doing laundry, or on the computer!

    I hope all is well in the milking parlour these days.

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  10. It doesn't take but a few minutes to remind us how dependent we are on our modern conveniences. I don't think I would have wanted to be in the barn either.

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  11. Hope all the lights shine bright outside and inside us this Christmas season for sure. I think we need a couple more battery operated lanterns...

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  12. You must feel like a pioneer when you have to live by candle light! of course the pioneers did not have battery powered lap top computers :)

    I hope your weather improves now that it is December. Will an electric generator be in Santa's bag for you?

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  13. Well, you know, Christmas is all about the Light shining in darkness.

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  14. How much we take for granted during daily life in the 21 century. I smiled as I saw your husband cooking by candlelight, thinking how romantic. But like other things, there is more to the picture than meets the eye. I am sure you are all thankful for the generators.

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'The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.'
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson