ongoing

 

Azalea with a frosty muzzle.

Barncam snap taken a few minutes ago.

6F.

Halfway to the barn.

Lily helping fetch in the hay.

By getting between me and the sled.

Someday I will post photographs that don't feature snow.

Can't say when, but someday.

~~~~~

stovewood

After morning barn chores each day, it's time to fetch in more wood for the stove.

Got to the bottom of the first pallet this week.

Started on the second pallet:

Every morning I load up the smaller cargo sled.

It's enough stovewood for one day.

The next step is pulling the sled around to the portico and unloading it stick by stick into a log tote. It usually takes five or six trips with the tote to empty the sled. Since I can't walk through my house wearing cleats, the boots and gaiters have to come off before I can carry a tote through the kitchen to the parlor.

And there's another warm day and night for Moxie and Della and me

 and the water lines (so far, fingers crossed).

How are your mornings going?

~~~~~

one more time

We had more hours and inches of snow yesterday, but the forecast is for flurries only for the rest of the week. So just one more roof-edge snap of the total accumulation:

I've been trying to persuade Violet, one of my two oldest goats, to wear a coat - made from my old fleece coat - at least at night in this ongoing extremely cold weather. So far I am having limited success. She has been patient about fittings only up til the moment when a girth strap of soft fleece goes around her rib cage, and then she says NO THANK YOU GO AWAY and we have to negotiate every time. I am persisting because I am worried about her, and one night last week I got out of bed and shuffled along the ice-path to the barn because I saw on the barncam that the coat had shifted around and was bunched up and Violet was looked justifiably unhappy. The design modifications have been ongoing; during evening chores tonight I was out there with a needle and thread making on-the-spot adjustments by the light of my headlamp, with Mallow as spellbound audience. The temp is dropping into negative degrees again tonight, so fingers crossed the coat stays in place this time and Violet enjoys the warmth.

Remember when I used to make little fleece coats for the babies who were born during very cold weather? I distinctly remember kneeling on the hard cold ground in the original paddock, cutting up fleece scarfs and designing on the spot. Very quickly, very simply. Turns out cobbling together a coat to fit a 120 pound doe is a little more complicated. Who knew?

~~~~~

following up

 Well the snow started again before I even got out the door.

I think the last time we had this much snow, Piper was out doing chores with me.

I miss Piper so much.

The vantage point chair on the Upper West Side.

I did not sit and enjoy the view today.

The house seen from the barn, with smoke rising from the chimney.

I stayed in the barn for a few minutes sharing out peanuts to these two:

Azalea

and Azalea's mum, Lily of the Valley.

Many of the goats will be going a little stir-crazy if we don't see the sun soon.

When the sun appears, the goats will all be out regardless of the snow.

None of them have to be out in this weather, but maybe you could see the snowflakes on Azalea? And here is Bud, wading between the stilt barn and the temporary shelter:

I don't know if you can see it clearly in the snaps, but the wide shadow 

along the edge of each roof indicates the depth of the snow. It's a lot. 

But as long as we don't lose power (and therefore water), we're fine here. 

Plenty of access to feed, shelters, and water.

Plenty of wood for the stove.

All's well.

Touch wood.

~~~~~

weather happening

 

Terrible phone snap taken through window.

We've had quite a lot of new snow, and more expected today. 

I'm heading out during this lull to do the chores and break trails for the herd.

And put out more seed for the many birds like the jay above waiting a turn at the feeders.

Hope all is well where you are.

~~~~~