Winter comes to Yukon

Yesterday morning it started to snow and again this morning it is snowing again! The forecast shows more snow on Sunday and a severe drop in the temperatures on Wednesday (maybe my Freeze Pops will finally freeze :-) ).

From the present mild fall temperature just below zero, the temperature will drop to a high of -23ºC and an overnight low of -28ºC. Next weekend the temperature recovers and the highs will reach zero again.

Yesterday's accumulation

Unfrozen Freeze Pops

My employer bought a new 2011 work truck, got it set up with a cargo box and gave it to me to drive! I now advance from the highest mileage truck to the newest, to the envy of the rest of the drivers.

On left my new truck and my old truck to right.

When they say you shouldn't "over-fire" your woodstove, I guess they are right. When I arrived home Wednesday I was in a rush to rapidly raise the temperature from it's unheated low of zero to 20ºC, so I propped open the woodstove door for quit awhile, in effect over-firing the stove. When the stove is over-fired it will glow red in the dark. Unfortunately so does the stovepipe that passes through the wall, which started burning the wall! 

This Friday I repaired the damage and severely upgraded the fireproofing of the passage, as I don't want to have this happen again. And no more over-firing the stove!

I took a break from collecting trees last weekend and did a little work on sizing and splitting. While falling a large tall tree fills the back of the car faster, it is a little difficult to split a log that is bigger than your chopping block. Instead of the loud report of cracking wood grain when the axe falls, the air is full of the clanking of my sledgehammer on the axe head.

I used to laugh at those electric log splitters, now I wish I had one!  :-(    

With the arrival of Laura this weekend, I am anxious to get back on the road and see the scenery anew with fresh snow. One good place to start is Haines Alaska and the 17th annual Alaska Bald Eagle Festival, celebrating what is billed as the world’s largest gathering of bald eagles. At this time of year, 3,000 to 4,000 eagles can be found in the preserve feeding on a late run of salmon.

Given the temperatures, maybe Liard Hot Springs would be a better choice!

Well, the time spent fixing the wall has delayed my house cleaning, so I better get out of bed and get some work done.

Stephen & Tyson