Co-o-o-ld!

Twenty-four degrees this morning.  Right after kicking up the wood stove and making coffee, I brought the hummingbird feeder into the kitchen to thaw out so the littlest kids can get some breakfast at daylight.  Their juice was frozen solid.  I am so keeping my fingers crossed for the water lines.  One never knows if there's a break until after it warms up a little.  At least I know the lines to the house are okay so far, as the taps and toilet work.  The storm lasted all day yesterday and it wasn't until two-thirty that the hard-working wood stove was able to warm the living room.  Dead as it was, the barn oak provided some protection and without it, hail hitting the metal roof while I milked sounded like machine guns...a lot of them.  This is double-up weather.  Two pair of socks, sweat pants under the bibbies, a couple of sweaters under the fleece vest under the barn coat.  The goats have doubled their fur coats in the last month or so and they seem to be coping well.  I don't know how nature provides for the chickens, but they go about their business in all weather, outside in all but the worst downpours.  The Silkies went punk-rock again, but I wasn't about to stand out there and take their pictures at bedtime. 

These are the photos I took and tried to download day before yesterday.  Perseverance and patience pays off.  This one is just of the pretty fall (winter?) colors of Joel's vineyard and the trees on the hill across the way.

I have a potential buyer for Tessie, my little unicorn, and Nineteen.  Tessie finally stood still long enough to get her portrait, along with Poppy's rump and Lucy's face.  Tessie is a sweet little girl, and I'm very pleased that the buyer is willing to take the pair, as they've never been apart, sharing a stall since birth.








Nineteen had been standing perfectly still, but when I raised the camera for the shot, he also rose.  What he lacks in equipment, he makes up for in enthusiasm.  Ruth was the object of his affection that day.  I'm not sure whether the girls will be sad or relieved when Nineteen goes to a new home.  I will miss him.