Llama Plain of Nazca
View from Llamacam South at Yellow Wood West
You gotta wonder if the llamas had any out-of-this-world expectations as they incribed these figures in the snow. Perhaps they have their own intergalactic language and they are sending secret codes to their brothers “upstairs.” How else can you explain the curliques and weaving lines? Too much fermented grain, perhaps?
I noticed the snow cover summary for our area south of Indianapolis listed us as 3 to 6 inches of snow. Never trust a hill-billy weatherman to extrapolate snow fall. (Or spell “extrapolate.”) Tuesday we received almost five inches, followed by several hours of freezing rain, which added about a half inch of ice. Then, after dark, more snow; easily another 5 to 6 inches on top of the ice. Where the wind drifted the snow, we had almost two foot deep snow drifts. I guess our farm must have experienced localized, pond-effect snow. And then of course, the temperature plummeted back to zero, and this morning it is -4.
Our autumn was very cold, and then early winter was so warm I kept anticipating planting my potatoes early this year; like by February! But then the jet stream shifted and we have been flirting with zero degrees and below for almost a month. I think we are actually getting used to it. I must admit, those flannel lined jeans really help. I have closed several of the barn doors on the windward side of the barns, locking in the bored and unhappy llamas. Even when the sun is out and the temperatures reach into the teens, the wind has been a factor. Despite the rumors, I know we have had worse winters. I also know other places like St. Louis have been hit with more snow. But I am tired of this! I guess this must be what they mean by global warming. They are predicting 40 degrees next week, and that will feel like spring, even with the snow cover!
This is the first time in my 27 years at my job in Indy that I have missed two consequetive days of work due to snow. The first day, we were prepared for the weather, and with potential blizzard warnings in the forcast, my husband handled an all-day conference call while I worked on my laptop that I brought home from work. Afterwards, we began trying to dig out. That was when we realized one of our “all” wheel drive vehicles couldn’t handle the snow and ice. We barely got it moved. Our Navigator came through for us, but by the next morning, dressed by 4:30 am and ready to go to work, my trustworthy Jeep got stuck in our drifted driveway! The second day the roads were not plowed either. We gave up trying to get to work, but Fred spent hours using the tractor and front loader to clean our driveway. What a relief to see black top again! He then helped our good neighbors out with their long driveway. By the time all was finished at nightfall, we were quite tired. The next day, the Navigator would not start. Of course, our gator and mule would not start either! I guess the more rolling stock you have, the more problems you have too. At least the roads are clear and the sun is shining. More snow on the way, though!
I had a rush yarn order to finish in time for a birthday gift. With our winter weather finally here, staying inside to work on fiber projects was not so bad. The difficulty was that I often watch TV while I spin, or at least glance at TV while I spin. With an entire weekend of spinning and plying, however, I must have worn out all the satellite channels. When the HGTV programs began to repeat, or at least looked too much alike, I surfed all the other channels in vain. As a science fiction buff, I thought I would find solace in the SciFi channel. However, I was chased away when there was more obnoxious advertising time than movie time. You know desparation has really set in when the best show on was “The History of Tupperware.” I admit it was interesting to learn that Mr. Tupper was an enthusiastic inventor, with many lesser known ideas such as the “Fish Powered Boat.” I thought his “Dripless Ice Cream Cone” had merit, but all in all it seemed a wonder that we ever got our indespensible burping bowls. Mr. Tupper really hit his stride with that one, and continued to develop assorted styles until his patent ran out in the early 1980’s. It just goes to show that persistance pays. That unique product, combined with a powerful sales campaign that gave women a foothold in industry turned out to be a very rich story afterall.
Another not-to-be-missed movie we discovered on TCM was the 1962 original version of the “Manchurian Candidate.” If you have seen the recent Denzel Washington remake, you know the plot. The 1962 version did not have the special effects, but I believe employing dramatic rather than computer generated effects actually makes the original version a more powerful movie than the later remake. It was the first movie to deal with the subject of assasination, especially that of a presential figure. Considering the timing, it is no wonder that Frank Sinatra, who stars in the movie, had the movie shelved for years after the Kennedy assination. What also amazed me was Angela Lansbury, playing the manipulative, power-monger mother of the war hero. Her part was a mature lady of the politically active Washington social class. This is the same actress from the more recent “Murder She Wrote” series, from 1984 to 1996. Her latest movie of that series was made in 2003! She obviously has escaped the ravages of age, as she looks so much now like she did back in 1962, when she was only 37 years old. Grab a copy of this movie if you find yourself snowed in one weekend. But be forewarned: even though you know the plot already, it is best to enjoy each scene of the movie intently and not just sneak a peak occasionally through the spinning spokes of your wheel!
