The Aftermath

First Post of the Day

I am working on another Collections within my Collection post. If I can get it done, it will be posted by 11 AM this morning. If not, look for it tomorrow.

In the meantime, we are still hunkered down. Everything is closed today (grateful for the kids who wait outside for buses!) and it is still and quiet. Well, except for a neighbor's snow removal service who showed up at 4:30 this morning and loudly ran their snowblower. But you have to cut them some slack - I am sure they have a lot of places to clear today.

All in all, we got lucky snow-wise. We got 7" or more but the blowing and drifting has not been as bad as it could have been.

I feel for Pepper and Tammo, though. The snow is so deep that doing their business is problematic - their backsides get into the snow when they squat!

And poor Tammo went from tree to tree to bush to mailbox trying to find a place where he could lift his leg and not be "be buried"in the snow when he did. (Ahem!)

We have snow piled up our windows

And the snowplow that did our neighborhood took out a bunch of mailboxes in addition to the snow.

But what we are experiencing is nothing compared to what Cole and Emily are going through in Tennessee.

When we drive down to visit them, we drive right past Nashville Top Golf. You can't miss it; the nets must be 5 - 6 stories high.

The ice they have gotten in the Nashville area took them down.

Todd's parents, Craig's sister, her kids and spouses, and their children all live in the Nashville metro area, too. They are taking a beating. 

Todd shared this picture that his mother had taken of her neighbor's home across the street.

Emily sent us this video Sunday afternoon of their front yard.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IFuwbGKUtJo

She said the noise that you hear is the ice crackling in their trees.

Back here in Indiana, the storm is not yet over. Currently we are under an Extreme Cold Warning. That changes at noon to a Cold Weather Warning. Then, it changes back to an Extreme Cold Weather Warning for tonight until Tuesday mid morning.

And then... another storm, one worse than this one, is predicted for this coming weekend.

Go away, Winter!

When the Weather Takes Over Your Life

The storm is upon us. West Lafayette and Lafayette have both declared snow emergencies and  there is a growing list of closings and cancellations on my news feed.

Originally we were forecast to get 1-3" of snow but then the storm moved north and we were told to expect 3-6". This morning's update now has us receiving 6-10" of snow with high winds that will cause blowing and drifting.

No wonder that list of cancellations and closings is growing.

We also have an Extreme Cold Warning for Monday and a Cold Weather Advisory through Tuesday. With that coupled with the blowing and drifting snow, surely the local schools will be closed tomorrow.

Indiana's governor has declared a state of emergency and activated the State Emergency Operations Center. Highway assistance teams from the Indiana National Guard are ready to help with anticipated dangerous road conditions.

That may sound extreme or like an overreaction, but about twenty years ago a similar storm blasted through Indiana. Several interstates became so bad that help could not get to people who became stranded or had had accidents, resulting in many deaths. (It was especially bad along I-64 in southern Indiana.) 

Usually our Sunday revolves around going to church and then gathering together late afternoon for dinner. Not happening tonight! I plan to make a pot of chili and spend most of the day reading or writing. (With the occasional foray out into the storm with Pepper and Tammo.)

I really want to get some horsey blog posts written today. They will have to be either throwback posts or model horse related ones. With the winter being so harsh, I haven't been out to the barn for a while - it's been too cold and too difficult to roll a walker around.

So apologies for all the weather report blog entries. As soon as I can get out of the house and resume my normal activities, I will have better things to write about.

Stay'tooned!

The Hobby is BUSY Right Now!

There is a LOT going on in the model horse hobby right now. First, it's time to register for NaMoPaiMo.

Think you can't paint? Have no artistic bent? Those were my own thoughts for years until I took my students' advice and gave it a try.

I painted Sultanna in 2020,

and Hokey in 2021.

I even received a NaMoPaiMo medallion for my efforts!

Don't let doubts about your artistic capabilities keep you from participating. NaMoPaiMo is not about being the best. It's about enjoying the process, learning, making new friends, helping others, and so much more. Give it a try!

BreyerMidwest is taking place this weekend in Topeka, Kansas.

When the dates and location were announced months ago, there were some raised eyebrows and concerns voiced by people about having such an event in the middle of winter in the Midwest.

Those concerns were justified. Fortunately, the heavy snow part of the storm is coming in after people arrived. It will be heading home when the event finishes that will be problematic. (If you're there, have fun and safe travels!)

As always, BreyerMidwest is where two of the three ambassador (formerly volunteer) models are introduced.

Vegvisir on the Georg mold! Palomino and sooty buckskin are being handed out at the event, and the third color will be introduced at BreyerFest. (Photo from Facebook.)

Georg is a very popular mold and so I think prices for him on the secondary market will be very high. 

Breyer has introduced the first Exotic Destinations Series model of 2026.

Lisboa (Portuguese for Lisbon), a Lusitano stallion in glossy dapple bay. 600 pieces are being made and entries close 1/25 at 11:59 PM Eastern.

And, Breyer has a sweepstakes going on, too!

Enter by January 28, 11:59 PM to win Cupid, the 2026 Valentine plushie. Six winners will receive him for free.

I haven't covered any of the releases for BreyerFest yet, but that will have to wait for another blog post. In the meantime, here's a "before the storm" photo from the barn.

Eazy, Penny, and Bogo at the hay racks. Eat up, ponies! The snow is coming!

Stay warm and stay safe, all!

It's Here

The BreyerFest reveals have been coming fast this month, but yesterday's was a bigger surprise than usual.

The 2026 BreyerFest non-equine animal special run is Hirtir, the Red Deer. The Elk mold was last used when 750 were produced as Inari at BreyerFest 2018. Prior to that, one piece, White (a Harry Potter tie-in), appeared in the BreyerFest 2007 auction.

This is only the seventh release on a Chris Hess mold that was first introduced in 1968. So, as you might imagine, there are a lot of happy collectors over this piece. 

I'm intrigued but I'm also wary. This might be a vertical shelf-eater. Just how tall is it?? 

That winter storm is here - the one that forecasters have been talking about for several weeks. (And then they remind us that next weekend's storm should be even worse. Please go away, Winter!)

I spent some time yesterday preparing. I had to get a bone scan at the hospital (where everyone from the receptionist to the tech who did the scan were discussing the approaching storm) and when I finished, I made a chocolate run got groceries, topped off my gas tank, made a bank deposit, and picked up a refill of Pepper's meds.

The cities were both preparing, too. I could tell that the streets were being prepped with beet juice, a natural de-icer that isn't as harsh on the environment as straight salt mixtures can be. 

When I finished my errands, the Arctic front had arrived and temps had begun dropping. They fell throughout the night.

Our high for today happened when it was 18 at midnight. It was 8 when I got up at 5AM; as I finish writing, it is 3 with a wind chill of -17.

And school is still in session. No two hour delay, nothing. The teacher in me is unhappy with that decision. I taught out in the hinterlands where almost all the students were farm kids, and I hate the thought that those kids will be standing out in this weather waiting for their buses. The ground is flat and there is absolutely nothing to stop the winds.

Teachers and staff will have to be out on bus duty, shepherding kids into the building, looking for stragglers, and more. While a two hour delay can be inconvenient to parents (and, truth be told, to teachers who have to juggle their day's lessons), it is far better to keep everyone safe. And temps accompanied by wind chills this cold are not safe.

Heavy snow is a part of this storm and will arrive tomorrow. But at least it's not ice. Cole and Emily live in Nashville and are expecting this same storm to bring them heavy snow coupled with icing of up to 3/4 inch. 

Ever helpful, Cole posted this on our family chat to help us all understand just what that kind of ice could mean.

I can't help but wonder what that measurement would be in horses. Hah!

When I got home from running my errands yesterday, I noticed more evidence of just how tough this winter has been.

The ground has been shifting more than usual and my bird bath is the most recent visual evidence that that is so.

I am so ready for some steady sunshine and temps above freezing.

Cold, Cold, Cold!

Poppy is settling into her new home well. Her first night with Jessie's family, she went into her crate by her own choice around 9:30 and slept all night without any issues.

She is very people oriented - here she is asking Kyle for some love while he works. (In case you're wondering, she got that attention. Hah!)

https://youtu.be/0np7NDjR_PI

Playing with her new toys from Pepper and Tammo.

https://youtu.be/AHL9YMAKZhg

Greeting Cambria when she comes home from school. (Look at that tail - those circle wags!)

So far things are going very well and I hope that that continues, both for Poppy and the family.

Speaking of family... how can this sweet girl be almost three months old?

She smiles, she giggles, and she is just cute as pie. I can't wait to meet her. Maybe this summer? Fingers are crossed.

These two cannot be old enough to be grandparents. But here we are. And they are loving being Elsie Mae's grandparents.

The weather here has been cold, cold, cold. And it's going to get worse - warnings are already up for tomorrow for dangerous wind chills as low as -20 below. I'm thinking the schools will at least have a two hour delay if not a cancellation of classes. (I've been retired seven years now and I still watch the weather with kids in mind!)

It's been a rough winter and poor Tammo and Pepper are not getting much exercise. Truth be told, they really don't want to be out playing frisbee in this snow, ice, and cold temps.

They both enjoy snuggling and we don't mind a couple of warm puppies nestled against us. We're chilly, too!

Zoomies around the couch have to do for now.

In some ways, the weather has been a plus for me.

I finished my eighth chemise, a size 2XL.

This one has the gold and paste (rhinestone) sleeve buttons. 

I have an XL in progress right now, and then will make a size L as soon as the fabric arrives. (I have already gone through a 15 yard bolt of fabric for chemises this month!)

The burn from my carelessness around my iron is healing but still tender. It was worse than I'd thought. There is a shallow groove in my arm - I hadn't realized the burn had gone so deeply when I burned myself.

Today's plan? Nashie and Mama are coming for the day and that will keep us happily busy. I have a bone scan over at the hospital and then will run to the vet to pick up a refill of Pepper's meds. 

I also want to top off my gas tank before the temperatures plummet today.

And then I am going to snuggle with the dogs and Craig and let the storm hit.

Hot chocolate, anyone?

A New Family Member!

Craig and I, all our kids and their spouses, the grands... Everyone was gobsmacked yesterday when Mountain Mama Jessica texted us with these pictures:

Jessica, the only family member without a dog. Partly because of concerns of a possible dog allergy for one of her family members. But visits with the family dogs have always gone fine, so apparently that allergy was something else.

Cambria and Titan have really wanted a dog for some time now. To show they were serious about that, they made a slide presentation for their parents with reasons as to why they should get one and how they would care for their dog.

I had to laugh at reason number nine:

Mom's side of the family would be us, and between us all, there are nine dogs. And when we get together as a family, dogs are always welcome and they always come. Cambria and Titan are the only cousins without a dog to share with everyone else. (Honestly, I suspect this may have also been on Jessie's mind, too.)

Jessie took the kids to the shelter to help walk dogs and in doing so, they met Poppy. Two visits later, home with them she came.

There is little information about her. They think she is around two and was a stray. She is obviously trained and likes people, but there was no chip and her owners could not be found.

Jessica FaceTimed us yesterday afternoon to show us their new family member. As we talked, she did a close-up of a white spot on the top of Poppy's head. "Look, Mom, it's a heart! Just like Abby's hearts!" she pointed out.

It was indeed (and I got teary.)

So... in case you, too are gobsmacked and cannot keep up with my large family of both people AND dogs, here they all are:

Pepper (Craig & me)

Blue & Rhett (Sarah, Todd & Trinity)

Poppy (Jessica, Andrew, Cambria, & Titan)

Tammo (Kyle, Braden, Addie, Cory, Whitney, & Melissa)

Nash

and Molly (Lisa)

Gus (Curt, Vanessa, Ian, Mila & Lukie)

Henry (Cole, Emily, Julie, Kate & Susie)

Oquirrh (JC, Jayci & Elsie Mae)

Welcome, Miss Poppy! I am excited to meet you and give you some hugs. Pepper and Tammo have sent you a "Welcome to the Fam" gift box with some of their favorite treats and toys inside.

Look for it to arrive later today!

Early Morning Beauty

It's six degrees, dark, and I am outside in my nightgown, clogs, and sweater. The dogs have finished their business and are waiting by the front door when my eye is caught by some other worldly beauty in my stepping stone garden.

It takes my breath away.

Such unreal loveliness that I know I must stop and take a picture.

Other stepping stones catch my eyes.

Despite the chill, I stand there and snap away.

And I am grateful that I am an early morning girl and sometimes get to see such beauty in our world.