Wintertime Arrives ~ in Contrast

As winter peaks it's glorious head around the mountain tops that are in my backyard, I am taken back to where we moved from - a year ago - a farmstead, in North Central Kansas (two photos above.)

Winters are winters in the middle and western U.S.  In Kansas, much of the cold and snow

was accompanied by ICE.  In Colorado, much of the cold and snow is accompanied

by more snow, and that is what it is doing on the high peaks this morning...which is exactly what

it should have been doing last year, but really didn't.  So here's to an El Nino winter here in Colorado!

Bring it on!  This valley experienced it's worst ever drought this growing season.

I remember - soon after we moved to Kansas from Colorado, we had an ice storm that left us without power for a week.  We used the onboard generator of our RV and hooked it up to the electric for SOME of the house, at least the fridge and furnace were working.  Here, where we live near Westcliffe, we will always have power, as long as there is propane in the tank for the generator to run if sun doesn't shine for awhile and/or the sun shines - which is often - gives the solar arrays the power to send power to the battery system.  There aren't days and days of no sunshine. Living OFF GRID has it's perks! Oh, and add, 'as long as we have wood pellets' - having 2 pellet stoves is a real plus.

It's Not Possible..

...but then again, it is - life IS happening here in our new location.  Just LOTS to do.  The studio became 'on hold' until we could get some more pressing items sorted out.  

Energy is the biggest item we are tackling these days, seems just about all systems needed some updating and upgrading as we ventured into the cold winter. We are living OFF GRID with a solar system and generator backup.  It was amazing to us both - as we could picture ourselves living with ONE light on and then having to turn it off to use the next electrical thing, but it isn't like that at all.  

We actually prepared ourselves for the idea of how it all works by our years of RVing.  We 'boondocked' (stayed in the RVwithout plugging into 'shore power') many times so realize what our limits are. As they say, 'it ain't that bad!'  I never thought I would have the need to understand wattage and voltage, it was really a mystery all my life, but I am getting into it these days.  Luckily, we got moved without BAD weather and we continue to pass the days of working on our place without feet and feet of snow. Lots to look forward to, be thankful for and that is what I do everyday.  

And one of the nicest things is the beautiful view we have, pinching ourselves that we are NOW back where we belong, in Colorado, and the garnering the likelihood of staying warm by the comfort of our pellet stove.  Stay tuned.