Ridin' The Weather Channel Pony Today

According to plan, some of my North Dakota family members were going to take off today at O-Dark-Thirty, driving to Idaho for a visit. But an explosive blizzard has taken any kind of plan out of the picture.

Native Nodaks know better than to leave safe shelter during one of these killer high-plains whiteouts, so the would-be travelers are on hold. No doubt listening to the wind howl around the corners of the house and snuggling back under the covers. (Still, for me, one of the most evocative sounds in the world.)

It's too early yet for me to go out and feed the horses, so I'm curled up with laptop and SBD (Small Black Dog), catching live reports on the blizzard from The Weather Channel while writing this. It's clear that we won't be seeing the family as soon as we thought, and the whole trip could get nixed.

That's the way it goes, though. A lesson you learn early when growing up in a place that gets fierce winter weather: As long as everybody's safe, count yourself lucky and just wait it out.

Gives me more time to get the barn clean (notice I did not say house) before I can expect to get company!