The snow is here!  Woke up this morning to snowflakes falling and a few inches on the ground.  So we immediately hit the hot tub for a bit of soaking! We love soaking while the snow is falling around us.  (Sorry, no pictures!)  And we snapped this picture of the front of the homestead.

Sadie is taking it all in stride by staying warm and taking a nap

As are the cats.  They love laying on quilts and where better to lay than on Diana's pile of long arm projects waiting for the frame.

We went to our local grocery a few days ago and look what we found!  They are now carrying 25 pound sacks of flour from a local mill that is packaged in real cloth flour sacks! So not only did we have to decide how much flour we needed, but we also had to decide what color and pattern of material we wanted.  So now, when we're done with the flour (and it's really good quality flour -- light and fluffy!) Diana can make a flour sack dress (or after many bags of flour she can make a quilt)!

Here's the back side of the sack.  Maybe it sounds strange to get excited about flour packaging, but we just love the good old ways of doing things!

And on to our next project.  We bought this old chair years ago in Glenns Ferry and have wanted to get it re-caned, but never could find someone who still practiced the art -- until we saw an ad for a caning class in Virginia.  Long story short, Diana and I both went to the class, learned the art of basket making and caning and now the old chair is getting a new seat!

I start taking pictures and look who has to be right in the middle.  (She's also the one who spread all my caning pegs around the room as you can see on the right hand side of the frame).  At least I know the new seat will hold the weight of one spoiled cat!

And with all this snow fallling around us we figured there might be enough for us to venture to the nearby hills for our first cross country ski outing!  Diana and I have been cross country skiing before, but this was Isabel's first time on skis!  And she did really well for her first time.  She only fell once and was gliding pretty well by the end of our trip.  

Here is Sadie, enjoying the warmth and protection of her snow booties!  We bought these in Mammoth Lakes for just this purpose!  She has another pair with rubber soles for hiking as well.

 

Sadie asks why I'm taking pictures instead of skiing?

Here are the ladies at the beginning of the trip up Bennett Mountain.

And further along the trail.  The snow was really cold and slightly sticky, but perfect for getting our legs under us.  The weather was nice as well and the setting was peaceful and quiet except for a few yelps as we fell.

Definitely an activity that will be repeated many times this season and for years to come!  We'll make sure to pack a picnic next time out -- and maybe some Ibuprofen!