![\"\"](\"http:\/\/mtnmacaw.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/11\/firewood-stacked.jpg\" "\\"firewood-stacked\\"")
<\/a>One and a half wheelbarrows of firewood, stacked next to the sun room door. This will be mostly gone by morning.<\/p><\/div>\n
Filling the wood rack was Dan’s main project for today, keeping the house warm.\u00a0 Early this morning it was -2F with a stiff wind.\u00a0 That is enough to take your breath away!\u00a0 It warmed up to +7F, and now that the sun is getting lower in the sky, the temperature is dropping like a rock.\u00a0 It is already down to +3F.\u00a0 Forecast is -20F overnight, and it seems highly likely we will see that in the morning.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Shoveling sidewalks is so much easier than shoveling a path over uneven ground. And it makes moving the firewood around much easier!<\/p><\/div>\n
We knew we were going to love having sidewalks when it got snowy this winter, and we are not disappointed.\u00a0 Not having to worry about tipping the wheelbarrow over when the front wheel get stuck in a hole in the ground is a luxury we both really appreciate.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Wading through snow to get to the bird feeders isn't that big a deal. A one shovel wide path is all we'll need to make when it gets deeper.<\/p><\/div>\n
The low angle of the sun casts dark blue shadows around every tuft of grass hidden below the first snowfall.\u00a0 Our outside birds are very happy with their seeds and suet.\u00a0 Our yard is a popular place all winter long.\u00a0 A couple of days ago the Pygmy Owl was hanging around on top of one of the tall pine trees, calling and talking to him\/herself.\u00a0 They sound like a small horn, tooting.\u00a0 The small birds in our yard were having a fit about that.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Broom in hand, Dan walks down the hill from the house, to brush snow off the solar panels.<\/p><\/div>\n
The mountain still shades our house but by mid morning the sun has moved far enough around to reach the solar panels.<\/p>\n
<\/a>A light swish with the bloom, and the light fluffy snow covering the panels cascades down.<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>It took two swishes with the broom to clean the solar panels off completely. It is a mini-avalanche. I'm not quite tall enough to be able to reach to the top of the largest solar panel array.<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Just two swishes it all it takes to clean the smaller solar panel array. No snow will fall tonight, it's going to be crystal clear skies.<\/p><\/div>\n
After the panels were cleared of their light snow cover, they began producing power, enough to fill the batteries and power the washer and dryer.\u00a0 Clean clothes, courtesy of the sun.\u00a0 The sun is down now behind the mountains, at 3:35 PM.\u00a0 And we still have a month to go until the shortest day of the year.<\/p>\n