A cold winter day

There's just something about a fresh dusting of snow and a chilly but brilliant morning that puts me in a great mood.  I love our farm even more when it's in that state.  Snow crunching underfoot, animal tracks everywhere. Frosty horse beards.  Sheep sweaters that catch the heat of the sun and give some up to my cold hands when I bury my fingers in there for a welcome scratch. (even sheep get itchy when they wear wool sweaters for too long apparently).

I was only -9 C in the morning, but the wind was howling and roaring through the tall poplars as it hit hard from the northwest.  The horses are sheltered in the south side of the barn, but the sheep are exposed, as their paddock sits at the north edge of our property.  We have two shelters in the paddock--one south facing, so they all try to cram in but don't quite fit, and one east facing, so as to protect from late day sun in the summer, and winds exactly like the one I'm taking about.  I feed them in sheltered places out of courtesy to them, and I'm rewarded every day with leaping and bucking from the young wethers as I walk out with their prize, all of us in a row.  I really do cherish my daily routines, that one especially. 

By the afternoon the wind had picked up, and the temperature took a dive.  NOAA was calling for -21 C overnight, with very cold wind chills.  I took the time to make hot mash for every bird on the farm (except the house chooks).  It was much appreciated, and I really feel like it sends them off to roost with a warm full crop, nicely hydrated, and happy to boot.  Everything about living in this climate is about energy.  Energy in, out and therefore energy saved.  For some reason we have only been getting two eggs per day out in the chook palace.  I have a feeling it's because one day on the weekend they were out of water and feed until late morning, and I've read that can significantly impact egg production for weeks. Who knows? It just means we are even more grateful for every single egg these days, and our egg customers are getting more duck eggs.  

I turned on a heat lamp for the quarantine chickens to enjoy while they ate their mash, and turned an extra lamp on for the backyard coop. The ducks were eager to go to bed early. They aren't stupid!

*****

Later that evening G and I flaked out on the couches in front of the wood stove.  Fern joined us.  I really wish I'd taken photos of her, flat out on a towel, enjoying the heat.  

I asked for G's help to move the sheep into the barn, after a huge gust of north wind blasted the front of the house and startled us out of our torpor.  The arborist was scheduled for the next day, and I needed to have the sheep well out of the way (in case the trees fell into their paddock), and I thought the cattle panel gate might have been stuck with ice, so I needed him along for the extra muscle. Normally he'd be heading off to bed when I go out to do night check.

I dressed up in full snow pants, down parka, fluffy hat, and double gloves.  I knew how bad it was going to be out there! I nagged him to put on better clothing, but it didn't work.  Lately he's been reverting to his coastal BC ways, wearing dress shoes in the morning to bring wood in, not wearing a hat. But as he kisses me goodbye in the morning after stoking the fire and tucking me in I always ask him if he has his cold weather gear in the car...Breaking down out there is no joke. 

We found Oakley in the barn aisle, but that meant Winston wasn't allowed in. All of the sheep were trying to cram into their shelter, but when I called out to them in the dark the most tame among them ran to me expecting treats and attention.  G moved the gate easily, passed me the light, and I headed down the paddock to shoo the flock down into the barn.  It's a little silly when you have half the sheep running towards you, and half away.  They got the hint when I shone the light towards the barn, and shifted over, changing my voice and body language.  We got them safely locked in the barn, blocked the drafty door with hay bales, and even then the wethers came over for some comfort. 

In the thirty seconds or less I had my gloves off to tie the gate shut, since there was only only one carabiner, my fingers froze and were instantly throbbing and painful. I'm happy that most people back home don't know what this feels like.  G was shocked at the intensity of the wind.  It's not something you can ignore while going about your business.  

I feel good when we can do these extra little things to help our animals.  We are still learning though...The next morning I opened the duck house to see that it was only -10 C in there, and poor Aqua Duck was standing on one foot, head tucked, shivering violently. I turned the radiator up right away. This return to real winter has been tough on all of us, and Aqua Duck is not especially tolerant of the cold. They haven't ventured out of their run for days now, even though they always have the option. We might give them a poly tunnel similar to the chickens next winter. What a difference it makes!

Spring is returning in the west-I've seen many photos of cherry trees blooming in Vancouver and Victoria from this week.  That seems very far away....

That's it for now.  I had another very cold day out there today.  The wood stove is cranking out the heat, soup is on and G has made me some bread, so the house smells amazing.