The Unforgettable Months of November & December 2006
Never in the seven years we have owned Precious Life Animal Sanctuary have we experienced such extreme weather. Seventy mile an hour winds in our hidden valley blew the canopy off our old farm truck and crashed it into our parked van, smashed the driver’s side window and dented the frame so it was impossible to open the driver door. More winds damaged the east barn doors so they couldn’t be opened to remove the much needed tractor. Snow began to fall and 20 inches quickly accumulated. The wind continued to blow and piled up in 4-foot drifts in front of the barn doors. Ralph was stranded for nine days. Thanks to Donna and Eric Prust who ventured halfway up the snow-covered road to bring much needed groceries and further thanks to Joyce and Michael Huesemann for making several trips to bring livestock feed for the animals, some of which had to be brought up by sled.
If this wasn’t enough, the well froze which meant no water and no flushing toilets. The power went off for half a day and the pipes broke in the barn flooding it with four inches of water.
Through it all, we and the animals survived and managed not to miss a meal. We’ll never again take for granted the amenities of living in the big city.