A fresh layer of snow fell during the night, and I'm amazed that all five blue eyes are on the modem this morning. One would think that winter would be a time of leisure; downtime from the chores. Perhaps there are not as many items on the To-Do List, but those things bring a certain sense of urgency. Get firewood to the porch before it gets wet and keep the pile stocked. Get the laundry done and the dishes washed up and showers taken while there is water (via electricity). Get on the computer before the dish packs up with snow. Enough snow fell yesterday to fill the water trough for the goats, and I took care of the chickens' needs earlier. There were several power blips, those irritating electrical hiccups that last just long enough to require all the clocks to be reset. The two battery-powered clocks keep me on track, or as on-track as I care to be. Now I'm worried about the Silkie eggs. They're due to hatch in just a few more days, and this isn't optimum weather for little chicks. I've learned from past experience with the big hens that it doesn't do to move eggs and hen(s), even with the best intentions. It distressed the moms and they abandoned the entire clutch.
This is the winter wonderland outside my windows this morning. The vulture sitting at the top of the oak seems to be waiting for the sun. More are gathering now and spreading their wings, but I think they'd do better to hunker down, fluff their feathers and try to stay warm. The bottom photo is looking down into the woods, the section of property we left untouched. I don't go down there much anymore (it's the hike back up that gets me), but there is a hidden meadow at the bottom where there are blackberry bushes that protect the small wild things. In winter, you can follow the rabbit, deer, and fox tracks, and find their dens and nests. The pine tree that now towers just off the deck did not even reach the railing when we moved here. It's a visual reminder of the passing of time.
It looks like I'll need the sled again to get the alfalfa down to the goats today.
1 comment:
I'm sure it is not pleasant to have to go out in it, but it sure makes for GORGEOUS photos. It DOES look serene and peaceful. And I do remember those annoying power outages from Ohio...the "Oh crap, not again...I JUST set the clock on the stove and microwave!" Yay for cell phones with the correct time. Hope you can hunker down and enjoy a book or a DVD!
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