Bison near the Prairie Heritage CenterNow, I would have really liked to have seen the tallgrass prairie before the plains were explored or settled by non-native Americans! It must have been an amazing sight to behold...an incredible world of flora and fauna!
I watched a program the other night on PBS...it was about the Donner Party. Well, I knew where that would lead and I wasn't sure I was up to it. But against my better judgment went ahead and watched. It was such an incredibly horrific tale, but also one of cues not followed...advise not heeded...many mistakes leading to an unbearable winter under several feet of never ending snow!
I know what we've been having is not bad at all compared to that story. We are only past the 50 inch mark for this winter...by a few inches at least. This winter makes one wonder though, we have so much snow to remove and I'd been getting along just fine with a 27" 8 hp snow blower, however two days ago it broke down. The blower's 10 years old so I guess it's due, doesn't make it easier to cope with though.
We tried a fix yesterday, didn't work...we tried a couple more ways to fix today...didn't work. Going to have to haul it to town I guess.
We shoveled out the lane, the turn-arounds, and the parking spots today. I spent some time (while shoveling) pondering what this could be compared to and came up with the thought that we had (if we still lived in town) shoveled out 7 neighbor's drive ways and sidewalks...by hand. I think I have all the incentive now that I need to get the old blower to town for repair!
What did the pioneers do? They shoveled by hand if they had to move snow...that simple. Guess I'll stop whining and just be grateful!
Bison don't let the snow slow them down either...they dig through it and find what's underneath...ask cows to do that and you have dead cows...don't have the wild instinct to survive without us pandering to them.
The Bison in the heading photo is one of the cows (female Bison) at the Prairie Heritage Center south of here. They seem to be taking winter in stride just fine. Hmmm..of course they don't have a driveway to clear out either! I kept the far farmstead in view with the Bison; I thought it was a good juxtaposition comparing the new world of the prairie with the symbol of the once wild prairie.
Speaking of the Prairie Heritage Center, you might want to put them on your blog radar...they now have their own blog going...great to see!
Other good friends, Bev and Dwight Rutter of The Prairie Flower, also have a new blog going!
Winter and loads of snow...a good time to blog don't you think?!
2 comments:
I was out today in 10 inches of snow, walking in the woods with my 6yr. old granddaughter, we grew tired quickly...can't imagine being stranded like the Donner Party.
Snow shoes, warm clothes, lots of food, lots more food! That'd help!
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