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.