How you fellers fairing this morning?

We are just getting started with the storm. Not too bad just yet.

Supposed to be much worse at higher elevations and over west.

Rocky Mountain Front supposed to get hammered.



Feel free to check in with a report if any of youse guys wish.

Good luck!

paradise valley MT...…..by emigrant mtn ….39 raining right now.....clouds so low on mtn cant see how much snow.....bob

A report I saw yesterday predicted as much as 2' in some high areas. I don't know if it will move west far enough to hit so. central Idaho. We'll have to cover the tomatoes tonight at any rate.

Hang in there. Here is the first decent temperature in awhile.

Wont do much good to cover anything here.

Predicted to get down into the teens by Monday night.

Snowing here...big wet flakes....

40* Wind 10-15mph Cloud cover at ~6200ft.
No rain or snow yet........

I'm with you guys, in spirit at least. Report from home, 37 and it's coming.

Our mountain passes and higher elevations are getting hammered. I’ve been watching rafts upon rafts of geese going by overhead and today is the opener of pheasant. I expect that this weather will get the migrators moving and come October 12th hopefully a nice mulie or two show themselves for the kids and I.

Long as the Taco Johns stays open in Billings all is good

Rainy, humid, breezy and cold.

Was on the eastern slope day before yesterday and they were expecting 30"+ of snow. I have been snowed in there before and got the hell out because I didn't want a repeat of that.

Even more important is the rainbow bar..... on the south side....



N.W. Mt. has 20 + winds, power was out a few hours last night. Skiff of snow with flurries. 35 deg. at the moment. Suspect a lot of tree's down before it's over.

I am waiting it out near Pinedale, WY at 7,000 ft.

The higher passes up on the "Rim" will get hammered.

Hope to drive up I-15 to the Highline mid week.

FoxNews calling it life threatening. Be careful down there!

Snow in the hills around me, looks like about 4,000'snow line and I'm at 3500' .

I'm getting scared and considering moving to Florida.

I must admit I am glad I am not in elk camp in the backcountry......

You guys be safe up there.

Eerily similar situation!


First week in October 2017.


Heavy wet snow....driving winds. Power out for weeks in some places.


The storm that spawned Flave's tree house and hilarious The Chad updates.

Winters Coming....😎

Hell, these days, three inches of snow gets called life threatening. West of the Rockies, it's blustery and not a nice day. Snowing pretty hard on the mountains. East of the divide, it's pretty ugly though but when is it not? GD

Wife just messaged me asking how to turn on the heater... Bless her heart.

Looks like the real storm hits tonight here in the NW. I already anchored everything down, probably should make a booze run today before it hits. Nothing worse than the liqure store running out of power and shutting down.


I think I'll put in my fancy new SxS heater with defrost this weekend. Trying to plow with a frozen windshield is getting old, plus the heat might be nice once in a while .

Cool here (47), occasional breeze, and thus far 0.18” rain! Pretty much as expected. memtb

Stormin Norman, You will quickly learn to love that heater! memtb

Ok, she's located the furnace!

Progress!

For the past 30+ years, the first major winter storm has come within a few days either side of October 1. After this, there'll be two to three weeks of "Indian Summer" ending right about Hollow Weinie time. It almost never fails.

This morning in Ogden, we're temporarily in a clear zone. Heavy bands of rain passing SW to NE both sides of us. As that front slowly drifts to the SE, we'll get drowned. Might hit within the hour, if I judge the radar correctly. Once it starts, I expect rain through tomorrow night.

Fishing will be hammered - I hope to get in one more September golf game Monday.

Low 40's and raining here.

Saw a lone Humming Bird on the feeder while I was smoking my pipe out on the deck this morning.

Came over the continental divide Thursday in a rain storm the wipers wouldn’t keep up with at 50mph. Waters was headed east.

No snow in Columbus--just steady rain and 39 degrees. Looks like most of the snow is around Lewistown and central Mt. It is snowing in Red Lodge, but not on the Roscoe Hill!
There are up to date webcams on Big Sky Fishing---also all of the state highway cams.
Jim, is it snowing at your place? I don't know what the nearest web cam to you would be. Hell, I am not sure where Blaine County is!

https://www.bigskyfishing.com/montana-web-cams/

Ken

Also, I will check on the Rainbow Bar and Taco Johns this afternoon. Costco run today.

Forecast for 20-30” here. It’s only snowed a few inches so far. Wind is picking up now over 20mph.
Friend sent picture from East Glacier. He has 2’ and it’s a complete whiteout.

Good man kenny, Slumlord will appreciate it......

Well, she stopped responding, either got it going or froze trying.... Which switch on the furnace? THEE switch.....

Boomer I can feel your frustration

we could stand some relief from the mid nineties and no rain.

kroo88, where do you live? I see on the Cut Bank webcam they have quite a bit.

Thanks man...

Snowing now at the Silos.

I got two wild turkeys, two old Granddads and two Jim Beams.

One black one white.

I have a package of Rocky mountain hotdogs...a new brick of velveeta and a 30 pack of Bud.


Just the staples.....

A man who knows how to prepare... the hi line is no place for fools.... good job Jim

HMMMMMMM- - - - - - -it appears there's a good reason most intelligent people live south of Kentucky! Winter is still a couple of months away here in Tennessee! Temps in the high 80's-low 90's here today!
Jerry

You should have a ham or three stashed somewhere, too. Suggest doing a grid pattern search until located. Good Luck ! 😎

Most of us prefer it up here.....it helps minimize our “riff-raff” population! I never claimed to be smart, but moved here from Louisiana.....a move that I don’t regret! memtb

Jim's a "seasoned" Montanan and knows how to prepare. Take note, no avacado's or kale on that list!

Okay, family is safe, she got the furnace going! There goes the summer price propane! It'll be interesting, our first winter in the new place. Not sure where the snow drifts.

80 and steamy in MO.

I built a fire in the stove and had an extra whiskey...... to survive the storm..

Pard over there has family in browning, said they got 17” already

Still very windy here but snow seems to be stopping at the east side of the trench. Temperature has gone up to 38. Guess I'll think about putting the winter tires on the car. We will be travelling east of the mountains to pick up our new pup and might need the traction. GD

Ugly weather...
Northern Rockies East Slope Winter Storm

THIS^^^^^ I like the missoula news station " severe weather center" every single mourning.

Have you found that '72 Craftsman snowblower yet?

Shiits gettin real in my corner of Mt.... had to fold up the umbrella and rummage around the bunker for whiskey and canned ham..... I hope I survive.. wish me luck

36 here. Cloudy, breezy, but still dry here in the valley. Looks like some new snow up higher.

Prayers sent.^^^^^^

Stay strong brother......grin

Is that hemp back there, irfubar?

It started snowing in Great Falls about 0700 and a 25 mph easterly wind and 34 degrees. Slushy roads to a bit before the Belt hill then quite a bit more snow than slushy. Back to slushy at the bottom of the hill. By about Stanford it was mostly rain. Snowing south of Eddie's Corner but little accumulation. Rain to Billings. Several dead cows that a FedEx truck hit last night at the Bos Terra feedlot between Hobson and Eddie's Corner.

And 'Boomer, the arrow is not working on the PC.

Shsssh , that's my stash..... dude

Got about three inches at the moment.

About the same ammount of snow on the ground too.

Jim,
If you use your wanger to measure snow depth do you factor in shrinkage due to cold? you hi line boys are tough sob's

So far it hasn't amounted to anything here, a few flakes this morning melted hitting the ground. and a bit of wind. Maybe this will get the elk going. Word from the archers is they aren't doing much yet, and I was at Slippery Ann Wednesday evening, I doubt there were 100.

It all depends if the belly or the wanger hits the snow first.

It looks like an upside down turtle impression in the snow.

I’m not going to comment on the proportions of Montana turtle anatomy.

I hear that.

90s here til Friday, then "down" to the low 80s.
We need to split the difference in temps and sure could use the moisture.

Keep an eye out for a string of classic sports cars!

No, I spent my snowblower money on an AR pistol, red dot, and ammo! Just in case, not for the for sure....

Can't blame you, as long as it's shoveled when you get home.

Don't wear four inches of clothes.

You’d better break out that ole red union suit Big Jim ! 🤠

I think you have that backwards..........most of the intelligent people live NORTH of Tennessee.

Since slumlord and renegade wander over into Kentucky sometimes, they get a pass.......lol.

Bastids!!! It was 100 here yesterday. 😬

C, this morning we had to turn the furnace on for the first time this Fall.

Had lightweight long johns on the other day while moving cows.


This might sound crazy but I'd LOVE a week of 90-100F right now.



The douche just rolled in here, rain/wind and 45F.

Can't get anything done......

I’d sure trade you Sam. The older I get, the more I hate the damn heat!
Hate deer hunting when it’s hot outside. Archery Season starts here next week. Supposed to be in the low 90’s.

Rain turned to light hail about 6 this morning in Helena. Then later, to smaller flakes of wet snow. It stopped for a few hours, but has since started up again, with a bit more gusto. Still, it has been melting more than sticking. The temp has dropped a few degrees, so I bet that changes.

What'chu reckon?

Whiskey or Beer?

Cuzzin, just finished the first Black Butte Porter of the day here.



If'n I had whiskey a snort would be nice.



Do a shot of that Jim Beam Black!

I guess but dont see no Pork Rind on that list. What you gonna dip in the melted velveeta? Not to mention a bottle of Tapatio to top it off.

1' at the higher elevations this weekend. Start of general rifle up there. Glad Im waiting for a few weeks.

A buddy of mine packed in on an elk hunt to the Bob Marshall on Tuesday.
Bet he's having a good time right about now.

All part of the plan.........

Snowing here, north of Hayden. About an inch but a neighbor a little higher up has about 3". Off to an early start.

Sam, We just turned the heat on, 65 degrees in the living room. Today’s highs in the 40’s.....so not likely to warm up the house! I guess it was time. memtb

Not MT, but I'm about as close to there as one can be and still be in Cali.

We're catching the outer bands of the system. Winds are up to 22 right now. Light rain last night here at 4400' or so.

Went over the pass to the farmers' market this morning. Snow at about 6000' ft:



We had some sleet hitting the car on the way up.

More on top around 7000-9000' but harder to see with it being cloud level.



All you folks up north, stay warm. All you folks driving, stay safe.

Fall is most certainly here. Calling for hard freezes here next couple of nights, but sunny days after Monday.

Geno

Well gents, I'm pacing around inside the house drinking beer and looking out the window. Wife has the TV on but she fell asleep so I switched it to a college football game.


The furnace was back on.



Thinking about the ultimate rain coat for this chilly sort of weather....

No old fashioned oilskin slicker Sam?

What would Sitting Bull do?

Richard, that's what I'm thinking about buying.


A heavy weight version that can stand up to barbwire, general work coat.

nuthin but wind around here........25 mph +

three hrs north of me at the City of Salt........

that's about as far south as the wet is coming......

Start heading south...

Carhartt don’t stand up too well to barbwire in my experience.

Sam, GrandDad always called it Bobwire. Said it would reach out and scratch ya like a Bobcat. 🤠

82 and? Whatever Illinois amounts to. No offense intended but the moron factor was thru the roof in Missouri! Bunch of damned halfwitts from one side to the other. Potterfield says hi.

Probably cost 1000 dollar in folding cash!

Dats a lotta booze!

Believe it or not, I think it's in our genetic makeup to migrate to warmer climes, or at least down the mountain.

I'm not quite ready yet, but with the right incentive (lots of CASH!), I think I could be induced to migrate to AZ every winter.

I'm hoping this upcoming winter is as mild as last winter. It only reached 0F a time or two. No real negative temps.

There'll be the second fire of the season tonight, as there isn't any solar insolation today.

Geno

Real rain clothes are rubber.

Got a house with a frige and a stove.

What better rain gear is there?

Only if you’re not wearing a stitch of cotton. 😉

Made me chuckle.

Years ago, when working in a job I didn't particularly like, cases of beer was how I measured every half hour of mandatory overtime.

Geno

Back in the olden days, '80s, I don't know how we survived!

C, I have all kinds of Carhartt stuff and my main gripe is none of them are waterproof!

Wore cotton jeans, cotton t shirts, and cotton flannel shirts for quite a number of years under my Helly Hanson's, for a lot of hours a day, in cold and heat.

I'm not ded.................Roy and Donna are though.....................maybe they wore synthetics?


Geno

Roy's dead. I cant believe it!😉

I have a sweat shirt or two from Carhartt.

Rain guard or some such stuff.

Rain beads off em some.


They feel gross from the chemical.

Sorta like a big Eskimo has been wearing it all summer and never washed it.

Sorry for the delay but we just chowed down hard on the hi-line.....







$4 or 5 bills.

Oz or two....



Can't decide between L or XL.



Shot of the Black cuzzin'!

Sammy
Have you tried spraying them w campdry? Might make them resistant at least

That’s how kids happen, ...

Is there still wheat standing in Montana?

You would ask that question....wouldn't ya!

Yes....it was still standing as of this morning!

Its turned into an absolute wreck......

Filson makes damn good coats.

I had an absolutely gorgeous crop of Millet ready to cut.

A beautiful spring wheat crop....and a top notch safflower crop.

We will see......

Budweiser, Velveeta, canned ham and whiskey.

Man, you guys really know how to hunker down.

I aint got no canned ham.

I do have sardines and potted meat though.....

If you substituted Coors and Tequila for Budweiser and Whiskey, it’d be a lot better. 🤠

Haven't tried that, looking for an all day, stay dry, chitstorm coat.

I have a few that will keep you dry for an hour or two but then you're screwed.




C, looking at a Filson. It's not one of the trendy gay ones......

Grandpa used to keep a yellow slicker tied on his saddle.

I hope your falling numbers stay up.


It's been nothing but low dollar feed wheat here. Amazing yields but $3 wheat.

Corn to chop but the fields are too soft, wheat left to cut but it's too damp to bin, 2nd cutting alf hasn't even started yet, hay barley bales to haul, bunch of feed pen cleaning and corral work but it's too damn muddy and wet to do any of it!




And they suck for getting in and out of the pickup or wheeler and or fixing fence or doing other stuff.


Horse back though they work!

Look at what the hardcore climbers/skiiers are using. If you have to be outside where you live that expensive stuff is an investment in yourself. The good stuff is easily patched in the field and nothing is barbwire proof unless you can knit it out of steel wool. I would think that you could deduct a great set of Bibs And a Jacket every year. I did.
Think expedition weight 3 layer Goretex or equivalent.


mike r

Yep. My GrandDad did too.

For all day campdry ain’t your huckleberry. Bead for a few hours but wet by days end .

Yep, thats right.


Day to day general work on the ranch is no good for a slicker.

Because we were kids. Being cold, wet and miserable is fun when you’re a kid but sucks ass as an adult. I can afford good gear and don’t have to suffer foolishness anymore. 😁

Thats all I wear.

Cotton.

Sam, just get a few tins of Filson wax and coat your Carhartt......

It seems to work OK for all day drizzle on a wool jacket. But I wouldn't want it snagged on barbwire. And it gives up the ghost after a couple of hours of rain much harder than a drizzle.

I ain't a rancher, so if that's the weather of the day, I stay indoors.

Standing all day, in a rainstorm, in a fish pond in coastal Central Oregon, or in a stream in SE Alaska calls for rubber. Yellow, green, orange............take your pick.

Geno

Wonder if that would work on my Wrangler Riggs pants...........................to help the salsa I just dripped out of my taco run off and not stain?

Geno

Damned straight. I've fended off a lot wearing good rubber!

Filson tin cloth may do the trick for ranching.

Never tried it. Do you just rub it in kinda like mink oil on hunting boots in the old days ???

Sam gottobe something with a heavy canvas outer for sure. Cheers NC

https://www.amazon.com/Carhartt-Men...qid=1569721737&s=gateway&sr=8-16







https://www.amazon.com/Grundens-Bri...a1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==





https://www.amazon.com/Grund%C3%A9ns-Neptune-Fishing-Jacket/dp/B01AB33AUW/ref=pd_cp_193_2/138-8773020-5833535?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01AB33AUW&pd_rd_r=38f80b50-f39b-4cb7-ba2d-c91b52f6cbb0&pd_rd_w=YWELM&pd_rd_wg=qKAWX&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=4V7AS57M0NXS093M1FMB&refRID=4V7AS57M0NXS093M1FMB

Sorry, Boomer. I do agree. We started hitting them before we even got back here a week ago. I HATE driving here, the most refreshing part of the trip west was the driving...

Y’all stay warm up there, we are looking at high 80’s here for the weekend and first part of the week. Frigging summer into October. Like usual. Cannot wait to fly this coop and get me some of that weather y’all got out there.

Filson's tin gear kinda sorta works in the coastal forest, for a few hours...but when you get up in elevation and inland, you expend most of your energy trying bend your arms and legs...it gets so stiff in the cold it is very difficult to move. Timber fallers and chokersetters gave up on it 40 years ago. You see a lot of light tough raingear with wool or synthetics underneath. Usually the top unbuttoned for air circulation and no pants or bibs unless it is snowing or raining hard.

Jim,

where does your millet go and what is it used for?

Africa for human consumption?

Bird seed? Chicken scratch?

Sorry about the other two grains too. I hope the snow mostly misses you.

So far, only a little graupel , not even enough to cover the ground.

Geno

Got any ideas on what brands, assuming three-layer GoreTex?

From my experience its hard to find a true 3 layer. Most of the junk now is the 2 layer paclite gortex. I wish tnf still made the original mountain light gortex jacket

Its a German foxtail millet.


Was planning to make hay out of it.

Millet does not keep well after a frost, not like corn or sorghum sudan grass.

Boomer, To be honest, most loggers can't or won't spend the money for premium gear. They just don't make anything as tough as Grundens that you can move well in, and the premium gear like Grunden's, Hansen etc is heavy as hell. Way pricey, you only see it on fishing boats and tugs. Filson...around 400 a set, and poor performance. Most guys have gone to cheaper knock-off gear that is slick on the outside but the inside looks kind of like the fabric made of ripstop nylon. Tough, cheap, medium weight. Bailey's the chainsaw/forestry supply people carried some made in China I guess. One of the industrial / safety uniform supply mail order houses carried several versions. Sorry, can't remember their Co. name.

Thanks! Appreciate the follow-up... Maybe HH;s lighter stuff, Impertech...

I have a few "like-new" sets of rain clothes! Prefer to set out the storms. LOL


I can't think of a better Hi Line hat....

Trust the Gorton's fisherman.....

No no, it's not Hake, it's Pollock, much better...



Oh, down to 82 now in IL...

I'd love one of those Sou'wester hats made of a waterproof and breathable fabric in camo or OD or the like

https://www.musto.com/en_GB/breathable-souwester/80045.html


Oops, didn't see you color request.... Hard to find a good SW'r ....

Dats some high dolla whisky son.

😎

For Missoula boys...

Hoping the ham in a can is honey baked.

😎

We have a winner....😎

That's a Jones hat. I've got a good one of those.

That screams Frud!!!!

Jeeze fellers....thanks for taking this seriously.


At about 1950 hours a representative of the US Census drove into the yard.

Just wanted to verify our address for the upcoming.



Frogsnacks....

Government SOBs!

Use Carhartt standard clothing, and spend the money to spray it with a can of "super hydro-phobic" durable water repellent. It's like the old Scotchguard, only on steroids.

That's as good as you're going to get for ranch work.

Maybe, but I mowed the damned grass for the last time this year yesterday. You poor bastids have months of it yet. And snakes, skunks, and other associated vermin, 2 legs and 4.

I

I think this would complete Freds ensemble.......

Coons, lots of rabid coons!

I find this hard to believe, why just last month I was all through Montana on a friggin’ bicycle, no problem......

No Schit!

Some road cam pics here...

https://www.foxnews.com/us/montana-snowstorm-feet-of-snow-officials

Birdy: Jim shoulda told you...if you don't like the weather in Montana...wait a minute...

Didn't know millet made good hay Jim. Learn something new every day if a fella tries. Even up here in the zoo.

That stuff you planned on making hay with have the seed attached or do you cut it before it ripens?

Hope it doesn't go too bad in this storm.

Lit the second fire of the season just a bit ago. Temp down to 38 after a balmy 53 or so today. Harvested some cabbage at dark, everything in the beds is on its own. The greenhouse plants will hopefully be OK.

Geno

Geno, the millet is ready in the soft dough stage. So yes, headed out and good seed formed.

I dont believe that we will get it to that stage!


Yes, hope your farming goes well and the frost does not get them.

Thanks Jim..............my "farming" = gardening on a minor scale for me this year. Greenhouse has some tomatoes and peppers, both of which I don't expect many ripe ones. Likely, depending on if I don't lose them tonight, I'll be picking everything of any size green tomorrow so I don't lose the whole season.

Between the cold wet spring, last frost on June 16, my knee operation in March and long recovery, the greenhouse blowing over before I had a chance to get anything in it all while I was still hobbling around from the knee work, and my general procrastination this is a mighty poor season.

I'm hoping to get some decent horseradish at least. And taters too.

Time for a hockey game and a nap.

Geno

Millet (birdseed) is a food staple in the semi-arid parts of Africa and also used to make pitou, or millet beer. Actually not bad.

Look at the Filson waxed cotton, the heaviest is that ‘Tin cloth’ I think

Flakes started hitting the ground here ( north of the Medicine Line) about 1:30 this afternoon. Cypress Hills area quite a bit earlier

It’s snowing and blowing pretty hard now

Hopefully get the deer moving through the Okanogan.

East Glacier MT. Earlier today.

4 feet of snow is a big deal.... is it going to warm up soon or will it be with you awhile?

Yah, that'll be a mess! Chit!

I might head up there on a road trip to see this storm - will all the roads be plowed -i'll be driving my old 2 wheel drive pick-up with bald tires .

THIS^^^ one of Missoula's news station every single mourning it's the " Severe weather center"

It's been a yawner so far here. I watched T-storms pounding through all day 20 miles north of me - they got hammered. I got zip. I've recorded a half-inch of rain in 24 hours. Sun not up yet so I can't check for snow on the peaks.

Less than 1/2” on the ground in The Helena valley. 26 degrees right now with snow coming down. Getting ready to go help my brother pack out the bull he shot last night south of Butte.

Sam, the military Gen 3 Level 6 ECWS gear would probably work well for you and is tough and affordable. The Gen 4 is the same but fire retardant. Many sources, the real stuff is US made.

Kingston, try an Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero, the Sea Kayakers friend.


mike r

Only .65" of rain out here on the barren tundra and maybe only another 2-3 tenths today. Nice breeze with it though, 38F, glad I didn't have to sleep outside last night.

They were calling for +2"(liquid) so if we can get away with half of that it would be REALLY nice!




Thanks for all the rain gear suggestions. I have various gore-tex, H/H and some other stuff but they all have weakness. Hell, for as a little as it normally rains around here I thought a sure way to get it to stop would be to invest in some new gear...

I hope all you folks in the path of that storm come out of it as well as you can.

ROFLMAO!

4'?? Dang

How Far East did the white stuff go?

I am not in Fairview this weekend, I went to the Devils Lake area.

40 miles west of Billings has about 1 1/2" of wet snow, still snowing. 32 degrees and just about 20" of moisture for the year. Not too shabby!

Rained here all night, no snow. The neighbor started chopping corn yesterday, quit after a few truckloads. Doubt he'll get at it for a few days, now.

Lots of rain here.


Probably about 6 inches of snow this morning.

Been settling though.

Sorry to hear about the crops.... Good luck.



27 and white with snow all day expected at home.

We got a skiff of snow in the flathead, just a sprinkle of rain. big meh in the banana belt. There were some decent winds around flathead lake, knocked some trees down and power was out for some folks. Looks like East Glacier got 3'-4' of snow.

So far, we’ve received the highest amount of annual precipitation in the 20+ years living here. We just went over 11” and we’ve got 3 months to go. We’re loving it, I wish it would be like this every year. I wouldn’t mind Palmetto replacing some of this Greasewood!
memtb

So far, west of the divide, it seems to have been the typical "sky is falling" scenario. We have gotten a few drops of rain. When the veil lifted and we could see the mountains, I half-expected them to be all white. Instead, there appears to be just a few inches. It is still snowing up there this morning so there may be a significant accumulation before it's done. We have had two days of very strong winds. Too windy to get out and hunt
These severe storm warnings are usually so exaggerated that it has become a classic example of the little boy crying wolf. Forecast accumulations of snow are virtually always exaggerated to the point that people seldom believe the warnings. Sometimes, they get bit.
A few years back, we started out on a trip to North Carolina. We had to detour through Pincher Creek so the plan was to head straight down to Browning. The winter storm warning was, to me, just as meaningless as the last dozen had been so I didn't see any problem. At the Border crossing, the Border Patrol guy told us there was a severe storm warning and it might be prudent to detour east. In my mind, I thought, "I might do that if I was a candy as" and headed straight down, as planned. Well crap! It wasn't long before we were pushing snow with the car. I stopped once to take a leak and wasn't sure we would get going again. We didn't see another vehicle for fifty miles. In fact, the only living thing we saw was a wolf which, I pointed out to my wife, was just looking to pick off stragglers. This was one time the forecast was not exaggerated. Usually, it is though so I'm generally not real concerned. We have travelled across the US and Canada, in the winter time, many times and there is usually some bad weather somewhere along the way. GD

I am keeping myself busy with odd jobs around the house.


One complaint though......why dont they make thimbles in xxl size? My thumb is bleeding all over my sewing.


Two.....extra buttons sewn on a shirt should be sewn on the opposite side of where the buttons for buttoning are.


That way you dont get confused and cut off a real button thinking it was a spare.


You have to sew three on instead of just two at that point...

Doesn't look like a fun end to September in E Glacier. Glad I'm not there.

To anyone who might have relatives or friends out in the woods up there, I sure hope they all get out OK.

NWS nailed the forecast in regards to snow here last night. Called for little to no accumulation. I've got between one inch and two on the cooler areas of the property, anything that absorbed what little heat there was yesterday is clear already. Temp was only down to 33 under the eaves where the sending unit is. Maybe a little cooler at ground level.



Hope y'all farmers end up on the good end of things.

Geno

Doing your own sewing? Rosey Greer would be proud of you.

I wonder if he had man sized thimbles?

Geno

Same here.


First task of the day.....
(about 3 hours ago)

Wife asked if I would cut her hair. WTF?

Okay baby, just don't get mad if I fuuck up!

Mans gotta do what a mans gotta do Geno!



Great idea on the magic marker Sam. Your wife sure trusts you!

It took some digging, but I understand the reference now!

I bet no one gave him schit for liking sewing!

They do.
They just call them "beer cans".

Is your wife drunk ??????????


My wife would never trust me to do that, for pretty good reasons

Potted meat is the correct birth control product to counter-act all the booze.

#Dutchoven

W/Momma starting and in sole-control of the furnace, it'll be 80 and steamy in the house when you get home too!

That damned propane ain't free! If'n it wasn't for the plumbing, I might not have explained that the furnace is the thing with one switch and the breaker box is the thing with lots of switches....

Not to be a nit-picker but I believe Rosey Grier's passion was needlepoint.

Lots of issues around our house....that ain’t one of them. The dear wife sets the thermostat @ 65.....and that’s the warm part of the house. 🥶 memtb

Jim conrad: I am so glad i got the Idaho Falls, Idaho gunshow and gunshops all done yesterday (Saturday)!
It is bad here in SW Montana today.
Started spitting snow last night when I returned home.
As of now (noonish Sunday) it is snowing HARD and 6"+ on the ground and no word on any let-up!
Even had a somewhat rare sighting in my yard just now of a dandy young buck (3x3 plus eyeguards - so an "8 pointer" I guess) Whitetailed Deer.
The Mule Deer are thick and constantly in my yards but Whitetails are somewhat rare - he was pawing through to grass. Probably hasn't eaten since yesterday as it was heavy rain and then turning to snow.
He is double chubby though as my place is surrounded by Alfalfa and Wheat fields.
VERY unusual this much snow and two days straight of moisture, this time of year, here in my neck'o the woods.
Hearing word of 2 to 3 feet of snow up in NW Montana?
29 degrees now at high noon and snowing hard.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

1+ on the thimbles!

Given that there are now a couple inches of snow on the ground in my yard and driveway, though it is still only September, I have opted to put myself out of my misery. It's just too much suffering for one man to bear. I hope the rest of you fare better. This is just the worst thing ever, exactly like the fearmongers said it would be.

Gentlemen, my wife has total faith in my hair styling abilities.


Just call me Vidal Sassoon....




I went with Bender and Don's idea. Found some wax in the cupboard and went to town on an old Carhartt. Holy chit the smell..... gave me a headache.

Used two tins of Filson and had to finish up with Obenhauf's. Hopefully the latter wasn't a mistake.

(hair dryer was used but it didn't make the pic)

Good luck with that Sam.... 95 in Tennessee.

https://www.filson.com/tin-cloth-short-lined-cruiser-jacket.html#sku=11010762-fco-000000047

Boomer, it warmed up to 39F here.


It would be nice out if it weren't for the wind.


This is the one I was looking at.

https://www.filson.com/tin-cloth-packer-coat.html#sku=11010001-fco-000000047

Since ya got the time Sam, you could knit some wool socks. You seem to have found your kinder, gentler side.

I like the shelter cloth versions. Maybe not as tough, but a whole lot lighter and more flexible in the cold....

Couple inches here. Drove from Jackson, WY yesterday in snow. Ground is warm, so no big deal. It’s Fall, snow is normal.

Richard, I was actually just knitting my lap dog a new sweater!




Don, I figured the tin cloth might be a little crunchy in the cold. I haven't worn the tin cloth pant in cold weather but they are uber for the wet days. That's what got me to thinking about a coat.

For now I'm gonna try the waxed Carhartt.

Hope you are not terribly flammable now....

I have used Thompsons Water Seal on the front of bibs, it shucks snow, and water, but washes away after a couple washes.

A family friend was good at crochet, he used to make fish landing net nets while watching TV.

I feel your pain brother........ prayers sent

would that make one a Flammer ...…….bob

That one even has Sambo doing the modeling.

Our lame a$$ governor just declared a storm emergency, including my county. We only had a few trees blow over. So every time it snows and blows it’s now an emergency, WTF?

It'd keep one's ass drier. Bit long for pickuping... Always wanted a lined one... Got tin pants and sometimes they're just right...... But I have it pretty easy anymore.

Trees? Sure you're not in Idaho?

Slow burn.


Like a candle.

Made in China :-((

Sunburst Montana, north of Shelby.

Holy Sunburst not!

Yes,

and while I'm not 100% sure, I do believe needlepoint involves a needle and thread (yarn?) . Depending on what is being needlepointed, perhaps some thick fabric, one might just need a thimble.

In Rosey's case, one to fit him (and Jim maybe? ) could serve double duty as a shotglass too.

And, if his needlepoint didn't involve thimbles, I'm sure Rosey would still be proud of Mr. Conrad for engaging in the manly art of stitchery.


Conrad at least has changed his avatar so as not to be accused of being less manly, especially when combined with mentioning his taking up sewing. He's a brave man for letting us in on his clothing repair hobby.

Geno

While perhaps the emergency title is not warranted, I'm glad our Western storms are finally getting some due respect by "the Media".

So many years one would here about the "severe weather warnings" in the Midwest, or tropical storm/hurricane warnings on the Gulf and East coast. Yet hardly ever a word about the huge storms coming down out of the Gulf of Alaska every year, with hurricane force winds on the PNW coast and over the passes in the mountains, storms that cover all or part of 6-7 states, drop temperatures multiple tens of degrees, drop feet of snow and rain, and generally wreak havoc.

Bias abounded, might even call it "Coastist". As if we Westerners didn't amount to much, because after all, what's the storm hurting? Some forests and few cows maybe?

Geno

Jesus...5'?

I just got a call from Garfield county in MT, "Come on out for antelope and stay in my flooded basement."

Billings is a big town, hope it's not bad there.

Just drove through my 1st blizzard of the year, Sideways snow, 50 yards of visibility and a semi passing @ 1mph faster than the other semi. On a 2 lane road. I don't think it was 'Boomer. This was south of Wells, Nv.

JC, my FIL was a coal miner from Yorkshire and had the largest hands I have ever seen. He used a shot glass for a thimble, a true multi tasker.

Sam, good luck w/ that jacket. I once spent too much money on a Barbour Jacket for MC racing, it was horrible and I gave it away.

Kingston, it rains in China too.

To all; a good cowboy hat works great when peeing in a snowstorm!

mike r

To be completely honest I've been inside the house pretty much all weekend.

Kinda nice actually.


ZERO guilt about being a lazy ass......

Just wait until retirement.

It goes from zero guilt to negative guilt some days......................






on other days I actually think I should have accomplished "something"

Geno

PS, break in the clouds now, I think I'm going out to do something.

I chased the census woman off the place at 2000 hours last night.


All I have done.....cept a little sewing and cooking.....

I’m looking forward to the low getting under 70. It’s been a long hot summer!

Geno, some of the best help around is retired guys!

They generally don't wreck equipment and show up on time.

It works quite well when you let them work on their schedule, they aren't looking to do any overtime.......grin







Jim, you had more company than we did!

Pork roast and squash in the oven.



Current survival methods...

Got another inch of rain up here no snow yet. Been a nightmare harvest. Rain every week. Have the biggest durum crop There has ever been but basically all sprouted and feed quality. Been quite the year. Have 2000 acres yet to cut. Ugliest grain Ive ever seen

Colt, it makes me sick.


The only guys I know that are done cutting farm south of the river(Missouri).



It's a major wreck north of here.



I'm more worried now about haying than the little bit of wheat we have left to cut.

Still nothing here. 40 degrees. The mountains are looking fairly snowy with most of the snow on the eastern slope. Wind is down a bit so I think I'll walk out and see what the elk think of it. GD

Cooling off, 88 north of Atlanta. Oh, it's getting darker too!

Ya Sam we got a complete disaster happening up here. I would guess the average guy is 50 Percent done. Am also worried about getting the hay home. This storm crap better straighten out.

Jesus....


That is one helluva a crop.

Slow cutting when you keep the headers low?



I've seen a few fields where they got in a hurry(with brand new red machines) and clipped off the top foot of spring wheat and left damn near 2' of stubble.





What model combines?

The guys that cut our little wheat patch have two 770's(?), MacDon headers. They are 2018 models with dual front tires. Got 'em stuck 3-4 times so far here. I haven't been around for much harvest or there would be pics.

They are both 2012 jd s670. Too small for this year. Running 35 foot flex Drapers. And can only go 3-4 miles an hour. The durum has been running around 70-75. Been insane. Lentils got too much rain and were diseased didn’t yield good at all. The peas were also extremely good. My dad got stuck once. We unloaded the tank into the cart and somehow drove out. Kind of hoping it freezes up and a guy can travel again.

You mean like the sun is setting?

I think you're better off with one big fat front tire?


(keep a spare on hand.....)

I will put up wheat hay if anyone wants.



My millet is probably on the ground now.

Probably settled to 10 inches now.

We got about 10 inches that stuck. Heavy wet stuff. Several medium sized branches down. One Aspen fell over into an old shed. Looks like my apple trees might be gone. Wind came up this afternoon and broke some more branches off. In the 40s now and supposed to be in the 40s during the week so this won't last terrible long.

I was trying to figure out how many bushels of wheat would be in a 1600lb bale.

Say you had 50-60 bushel wheat.



Grind it up and blend with some silage and alfalfa for calves this winter.

Used to figure that 2/3rd of a bale of ripe wheat hay was grain.


Rule of thumb anyway.



We have fed a pile of wheat hay over the years, by itself.


Its good feed, but can be a bit bitter.

We talked about baling a quarter or something as well. Would definitely have to be ground as it’s already ripe so mainly
Straw but I bet a guy would put up a pile of bales in a hurry.

Never mind that Jim beat me to the punch I’m surprised how much wheat would actually be in it. That would add up in a hurry

Wheat is digestible with out grinding or cracking.


Grinding does not add enough to be economical.

Whole bales ground for a ration would be good too, but ground kernels can cause digestive trouble and bloat.

Uhhhh, yah, that....

Are you channeling your inner Al Sleet, the hippie dippy weatherman?




Tonight's forecast.............Dark.

Geno

I’ve never heard of feeding wheat hay, do you use it as a supplement to grass hay? I know they use low grade wheat for different animal feeds.

Wheat can be put up in the binder stage. That is fully developed kernels but a greenish stem. Often put up in the dough or soft dough stage as well.

Its high protein at that stage. Wheat itself usually being 12 to 14 percent protein.


When we usually hayed they wheat was when it was fully ripened. Either it was too weedy to mess with or the quality was too poor to combine.


When fully ripe, I believe the total protein is lower, but the hay is high in energy.

Indeed, it makes a fine high energy supplement to grass and alfalfa hay.


Fully ripe wheat hay is not normally used as a complete ration, but it makes very good feed.


The beards have never bothers us much.


We have actually always preferred to buy, feed or put up fully ripened grain hay.

Grass or alfalfa hay is usually available......but easily accessible "energy" is often not.

When I lived in Eastern WA, there was an outfit there that put up the big square bales of wheat straw after the grain harvest. In asking around I was told it was baled up that way to fit into containers for shipment to Japan........................for feed for them fancy cattle they eat over there.

Not being raised in the cattle world, and having used plenty of consumer sized bales of wheat straw for assorted things like archery backers, animal bedding, and mostly for garden mulch because wheat straw was always a coupla dollars a bale cheaper than any type of hay, I never figured it would make good feed.

Interesting stuff I'm learning here.

They seem to put up a lot of rye hay here in NE Cali.

Geno

Rye makes good feed....but it seems like it can have some disease or defect that makes it bad for cattle?


Straw is a good feed for cattle. Normally people prefer barley straw, as it is sweeter and more readily consumed.

Barley straw is not always available though.


Cattle will readily consume wheat straw in winter. It's mostly a filler, but does have some feed value.


We try very hard not to put up any straw any more. Now that we calve on green grass the need for straw is way down.

Also, we try to graze all year if we can, supplementing some hay as needed. Straw does not fit the plan as well as it did.



Another problem with baling straw and hauling it home is the fact that a good deal of the nitrogen or N in your field is stored in the straw.

When you haul straw off your field, you have to then replace that N with synthetic fertilizer. You already paid for that fertilizer......might as well leave it there for the next crop!

Some of the farmers up there in WA are finding out about that N thing Jim. More and more every year, for the 8-9 years I was up there, were leaving the stubble in the field. Fewer were burning it off or baling it. Seems they just leave it there and plant through it or I think some roll it down if winter didn't flatten it.

Makes it rougher on guys like me that need straw for other uses. Costs go up every year is seems. I actually have let some of the grasses around the place grow long, then I cut it for "straw" for the chickens. They really like it if it's got some seed heads on it.

The aftermath of the deadly Montana storm.... I feel lucky to have survived....

Geeze....show some compassion why dont ya!

Sorry big Jim..... ;(

Is the crop situation in the East as bad as it seems?

Hell... I was just teasing you a bit! I shoulda used a smile icon.



Yeah, its a bit of a schit show here....but Young Daniel is having a blast this morning in the snow!

See? Making lemonade!

Just thought I would mention that is has been snowing here most of the day. The ground gets white and then it melts.

Thanks for the update!

Feel free to check in fellers.

Young farmer across the road from me planted and harvested two crops of wheat hay this year. Had every bit of it sold before he even planted the second one.

Green barley hay is like cow candy. They'll eat it until they bloat if you don't restrict their access.

Well the kids live between Choteau and Conrad and spent the weekend trapped in their house. Snow blew the driveway closed. Got a pickup out to go check cows and horses. I have been told you guys have a far amount of grain still in the field. In Idaho south of Coeur d' Alene there is still a lot of standing grain and a massive amount of Garbanzos still on the ground that may not get cut if our weather still keeps up.

And the straw thing is getting to be a big thing in our neck of the woods. There are two schools of bailing going on right now. One school does what is called Com-Bailing which is attaching the square baler to the back of the combine and everything that comes out of the back of the combine goes directly into the baler. It is used for feed in the feed lots. The second school is swathing the stubble and bailing it for use at a straw plant that when up and running will take straw and turn it into a fiber paste that can be used to make fiber board or a plywood substitute, and can also be used for making paper plates and other such stuff.

Saw some kitchen bowls recently made from straw fiber.

I bet Jim could weave a mean basket.....

and sew a button to it....

For a button basket...

I bled all over that stupid shirt.

Damn eye side is dang near as sharp as the poking side.


Wife's thimble didn't fit too well.....

I saw a blurb on the news a couple of years ago praising the practice......new jobs.....no more burning fields and the air pollution that goes with it.....less logging of immature trees to produce OSB...etc but after reading Jim's post about having to replace the nitrogen in the soil when the stubble with it's natural nitrogen is removed makes it sound less than the miraculous break through that the media portrayed it to be.

Get super extra thick bologna FOR THE LOVE OF GOD,MAN

https://www.joann.com/sewing-101-thimble-size-xl/12142105.html

Thanks for the link but my communist vegetarian friend in Denmark is gonna make me a thimble out of boxwood.

That stuff is good.

Take a slice and roll it up with a American single.

Use a frilled toothpick if you are fancy.

Big. Jim, you ever have a fried bologna sandwich with a fried egg on top? Good stuff!

My last sewing project made me think I needed one of these, sailmakers palm.

pictures or it didn't happen!

He looks kind of bored. Trying to spot the cattle.

You could sink another pole by that utility one, put a cross pole high up from one to another and hang a swing for him. Tell him it's almost like a TREE.

One of the things we have learned over the last 20 years about crop residue is since burning and removal of straw, is we see less disease in the soil and our yields have increased. We were running fall wheat/dry pea, garbanzos rotation and maintaining a 65 to 75 bu proven. With burning or straw removal we have gone to a 3 year rotation of Winter wheat, spring wheat and dry pea, garbanzo rotation and our yields have risen to 90 to 100 bu proven with some years we have had 140 bu dryland yields. Yes we are putting more nitrogen in the ground than we use to but the plants are able to use much more of than they use to.

Yesterday morning east of Shelby.

How come Canadians don’t get their boxers in a wad over a little snow?

Ain’t it worse up there?

Maybe Montana is like Canada Lite.

Birdie, we bitch to scare away Texans and Californians

Southern Canada is the tropics of the nation. Relatively speaking, those Canaydjuns have it good. They could never get away with whining because their northies would embarrass them.

Dave:
Good evening to you sir, I hope the week was a good one for you and this finds you well.

Pretty much I'd have to opine you nailed it.

When we had snow at the end of September up on the mountain behind the house it was, while a tad unusual, not entirely unheard of down here in the Okanagan, which is more or less the only true desert in Canada.

Our neighbor comes down from his summer job in the Yukon in early October most years as it's freezing up to much to placer mine.

My brother who's in Saskatchewan and still farming the family land where I grew up is typically happy if there's no snow by Halloween.

Indeed those of us with less snow are kinda quiet about it when it does snow, cause most of us moved here to escape the usual 7 months of winter the rest of the country has to put up with.

Anyway, that's just one Canuck's thoughts on the matter, but either way, Merry Christmas to you and yours sir.

Dwayne