Just Another Snowy Day

This seems to be the winter that won't stop and we haven't even had to deal with the brutal conditions that many have faced this year.  Saturday we got another round--cold, some freezing rain, about five inches of snow.  It made for interesting chore times.  Sunday rolled around and the temperatures had risen into the lower 30s and I was able to snap a few (zillion) pictures.  I have lots of 'help' with the chores.  Here are a few examples.

 Carly & Tang checking for rats in the hay barn.  

Not helpful, but another thing being dealt with right now in this cold weather--Gracie has something wrong with her eye--it seems to be ulcerated but cause unknown.  The vet prescribed ointment and that didn't work (besides the fact it would get so cold it wouldn't come out of the tube), now she is on prescription drops that had to be filled at the human drugstore--and Gracie DOESN'T have health insurance!   Not to mention that she has not been very cooperative about it.  She is thrilled that she finally has gotten on the list--after all these years-- to get grain at night now too--the only way I can bribe her into the 'torture' chamber.  By the way the eye looks much worse now. 

Not sure who is wooliest--Ranger the Shetland (sheep) or Minty the Collie (Dog).  Minty thinks she is the boss of everybody so she was on guard to bark if Ranger moved on inch closer.  He isn't impressed. 

Ashley appears to be helping by pushing the sled, but actually she was waiting to walk in the path I broke.  She is lucky she is cute. 

Dog Down!  A little emergency snow between the toes removal.  Right in my path too. Never mind that it's slick, I'm dragging a sled with hay and coming off a small incline. 

Tang isn't crazy about the snow, but he is pretty serious about 'helping' with the chores.  See he is growing a little!

Fritzi (Center) and a pack of girls around him wait patiently for hay.  The true story is I got a different pair of coveralls and they can't decide if I'm friend or foe.  Fritzi is also trying to look cute and innocent because he has been on my black list since he rammed me one morning.  Long story--but let's just say he perceived an injustice when I let Gracie instead of him finish off some leftover old-folks grain. 

Tang inspects the leaning tower of hay feeder.  Could be a little cleaner Ma!  

Tang checking hay quality.  Not so good in this bale, Ma. 

I think we should feed this bale tonight points out Carly.  She is so pleased with herself because she got up the nerve to jump up all over these hay bales.  She thinks it's so awesome she should get a treat every.single.time.  I don't know why she looks all clean and groomed here, because she isn't--they are all pretty grimy. 

Yikes!  Don't leave me out here alone with this mob!  Run Tang Run!

Meanwhile back in the house the cats are working hard at keeping the bed warm.....  Actually there is a heated 'half' blanket on there so it's kitty toast central.  The one I wanted to lay on it was Meshach my soon to be 18 year old man--but he is stubbornly laying at the head of the bed where there is no heat.  That is Sage's teddy bear laying in the middle, keepin' warm with the cats.  Left to right Trinity, Gabe, Tempe (Torti), Sage, Noah & Meshach in the very back.  Verity and Chaco were probably under or behind the stove......

 

 

 

 

Hope Spring will come soon and that you are all making it okay through this winter!

Winter's Last Gasp....

...or is it?    This wicked winter clings on with long boney icy fingers.  I think everyone is tired of it.

Although I admire a good fire, by this time of the year it's getting old. 

Saturday we had the most pleasant of days.  Almost 70 with sunshine.  I worked at preparing garden beds, and the dreaded chore of cleaning out the inside stove pipes again.

Here I sat basking in the sun just the day before....

I let the sheep out on the front for a brief time for their first taste of grass and freedom since last fall.  They look as I feel--dirty, dingy with strings of wool trailing about and overgrown toenails.  Well, maybe not the trailing wool or overgrown toenails for me...   Ready to throw off the ill used trappings of this long season.  For the sheep that will come in mid-April on shearing day.  For me, I'm already thinking about packing away the winter togs, but know it is not reasonable yet.  

These Grackles & Blackbirds (plus a hundred or so Robins) were caught by the nasty turn in the weather

The weather prediction for Sunday was not bright and sunny, so I hauled in extra wood on Saturday 'just in case'.  I fired up the stove again late Saturday afternoon and admired it's clean bright flame....hoping that soon it would not be needed.

The Sheep huddled in their barn avoiding the sleet and high winds

Saturday night a storm came blowing in.  It rained and the wind blew and as morning dawned the rain started to freeze a little around the edges, then the sleet came in blowing sideways.  The wind would knock your breath away and drive the sleet pellets into your face.  It was nasty.  The roads got pretty slick for awhile before the snow came.  The temperatures hovered in the 20s for the day and the snow fell steady until late afternoon.   The night bottomed out with temperatures in the teens and the whole mess of it was literally a slap in the face.

I think Ashley's face says it all regarding her opinion of the weather! 

Since we had such a warm day on Saturday the snow didn't stick to the roads or paths and quickly melted the next day except for a few lingering patches in the shade.

Carly preparing to sass me, the weather and the world

This week promises to be nice---a dip in temperatures for Wednesday but only in the 'normal' range.  The rain that fell has the grass already greening up and trying to grow.  The sheep are anxious for grass  and we'd all be happy if we were done with feeding hay.  

Minty (always) poses pretty for the camera

Spring is upon us.  Isn't it?

Sage says ho..hum...what happened to our warm sunny catio days?

Yes, bud, I feel exactly this way about it too....

Hope the weather is stabilizing wherever you may be!

Merry Christmas!

Minty says Merry Collie Christmas!

 Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!   I had stories to tell and pictures to post, but time ran away from me.   So here are a few pictures of our ice storm---which thankfully didn't cause much damage and no power outages and was outstandingly beautiful.  The trees were quite festive for the Christmas season and with the cold temperatures the ice has stuck around.  

If you'd like to read a couple of cute stories you can go to my sister's blog, Ruralhood and see a picture of me in my go-go boots and short short dress!   She has posted a couple of childhood stories, and I'm the little sister in the first one.  You decide--was it Santa or the Frisky the Cat?

Have a great day!

Snow

Cardinal In the Snow

We had another odd little storm front plow through last Monday night.  When I left work on Monday it was starting to sleet and snow.  By the time I got home the flakes were coming down heavily and the wind had changed to the North East and was howling.  Literally.  I've never heard it howl around my house like it did that night.  It was very unsettling.  The dogs kept barking because they didn't know what was causing the noise.  I really feared my deck would go sailing into the night.  The wind finally settled down a bit by bedtime, but the snow and rain kept up off and on all night.

I like this one--three Cardinals, a Purple Finch and either a sparrow or Gold Finch in the middle

Again I had to close down the cat door since the wind was howling through it.  In the process Tempe saw what I was doing and ran out into the wind, sleet and snow.  She huddled under the bench in the catio just long enough to show she could take it then ran back to the house.  Lucky her I didn't accidentally lock her out.  Squirrel.

Grand Old Cedar In the Snow (this one didn't lose it's life in the insurance debacle)

Tuesday morning there was about 3.5 inches and it was a very heavy wet snow.  When I looked outside all I saw was a wall of white.  It was quite a sight--the snow was so wet it had adhered to the fence so you couldn't even see the wire.  The top of the catio looked like it had a white roof on it.   I have to admit it was all very beautiful but I was glad we didn't get any more than we did.  The weight of the snow was causing small branches to snap off as it was.  We did not (thankfully) get the awful amounts of snow they had up near Kansas City.

I ended up staying home as the roads were extremely slick --- a semi cab managed to almost slide off the road and get firmly stuck going up the hill down the road.  Our electricity went off for about three hours after flickering on and off for about an hour.

Had this kept up we would have been in big trouble---the snow was glued to the trees!

The birds were hungry.

Watching Create channel (PBS) made me hungry, and I longed to be able to paint as quickly and happily as Bob Ross (used to).

We need the moisture, but I'd just as soon get non-freezing rain.  I think it snowed almost everyday last week, but after Tuesday most of it didn't stick.  Kind of a like a drizzly day only with snow.

It sounds like we might get some warmer weather, and with all the moisture that should help bring the pastures on.  The sheep will be thrilled.   I'm  ready for Spring.   

Minty and Carly acting subdued in the snow--but really they were having the time of their lives!  They loved it.

Verity was chewing me out about something--the snow was exciting but cold.  Can you see how the snow stuck to the wire top of the catio?

These are the snow balls that accumulated on the dogs as they played!  It was a very wet snow.

I think they were trying to warm their toes....

Ashley hated it, and was only out for a bit under duress.

Tempe on the top shelf.  Little snow ain't gonna stop that tortie-tude.

This was the fence--really!  It was a very white world. 

I love this picture......

Now let's move on to Spring!

Scenes From A Snowy Catio

Verity 'disappears' into a straw pile

 A few pictures taken during the last few snow and/or ice and/or sleet storms --sometimes all three--that we have had.   The kitties for the most part hate not to be able to go out in the catio, but sometimes they just pop out and back in.   During the ice/sleet the other day I had to shut the cat-flap with the plastic insert because the wind was blowing it open!   In between storms I would open it up again, and the kitties would rush out and check things out.  

Trinity warms her toesies in a straw pile on the bench

They do enjoy their straw piles when I toss some around in there.    Verity had so much fun the other day that she scattered it all over the place.  She would run and dive and slide on it across the catio.  Then she leaped up on the high shelves and played in the snow!  

Verity lives high and dangerous on the snow covered cat shelf

Then Gabe was playing in the sleet the other day.  He'd run and chase it and have a good old time, then rush in the house and jump up in my lap to warm his cold, wet, icy feet.  

I am Queen of the World!! 

Of course the birds are constant and endless entertainment for them.   To avert the winter blues (aka getting into trouble) for the kitties, I also bought a toy called DaBird.  I'd read about it on several other blogs and thought I'd try it out.  The kitties love it and would play endlessly with it, if only their 'bean didn't wear out.   The toy itself is similar to many 'toys on stick' for kitties, but when the 'bird' (feathers) flies through the air it looks and sounds eerily similar to a real bird in flight.  

Here is the Lame-O lineup---Sage, Chaco & Trinity fear their toes will freeze off if they touch the snow

And Spring will be here soon, with warm days to soak in the sun and long balmy nights to sit outside and watch the deer and other varmints prowl around.   I'm ready for it and I think the kitties are too.  

Tempe in the straw

The Catio has been a blessing indeed around here.  We still 'have issues' but the kitties are sleeker, more alert and healthier looking than ever before.  Noah especially has benefited much to my surprise.  For those who don't know, Noah (the big orange kitty) has seizures--usually at least one episode a week.  He was becoming a fat, lazy and dull acting boy, but with the introduction of the Catio, he has lost weight, runs and plays wildly --making laps around the catio, into the house (clack clack goes the cat flap) through the house then back outside and on and on.  He also takes long lazy naps in one of the little houses outside, particularly when he can soak up an afternoon of sunshine.  He even loves the da bird, and can track it quite well and sometimes even snag it.  His eye/paw coordination has always been a bit off since the seizures started but this effort was exciting to see.  

Tempe sees 'something' moving under the deck!

Hope you all are having a good week and maybe a nice sunny spot to curl up in!

Gabe bats the sleet around---millions of little round play toys!

 

Back inside the kitties patiently work on my continued training--"Now we keep the treats in HERE, and you get them out for us when we need them"!  Gabe, Chaco & Tempe

And the Old Man, Meshach has the right idea as he melts into a puddle in front of the stove

Almost Ice Storm

Poor little outside kitty (not really)  looking in....Tempe 

 Yesterday morning was pleasant--rather damp and cloudy but still at 48 degrees it was a good morning to work outside.   I was even able to get the outside windows washed.  (Yes, I know, that's messed up).

Tempe makes use of the ice--if you can't beat 'em, eat 'em!

By mid afternoon it started raining and by chore time it was starting to freeze on the trees.   Since losing power for 13 days in 2007's mighty Ice Storm, anytime there is ice forming on the trees is a time of dread and subdued panic.   Throughout the evening it continued to rain.  I think altogether we got two inches of rain --some before it froze.   I got caught up on laundry and put everything that could be charged on the charger, and had buckets standing by to fill if it started to really going bad.  As bad as it was looking it turned out fine.  The wind picked up and the rain turned to a sleety snow and then stopped.  In fact the hard surfaces of the sidewalks and paths 'freeze-dried' so it wasn't even very slick.

Chaco cleverly hides in a pile of hay--never mind that the birds can easily spot him....

Today is very cold though, topping out in the mid 20s and tonight will be pretty awful in the lower teens.   It's not too bad in the house, so far I've been able to keep the temp up to about 74.  After yesterdays working spree I'm taking it fairly easy.

Icy Branches

I'm experimenting making stuffed shells and there is apple cider bread in the machine on the dough cycle (to be baked in the oven).  It all smells good anyway.  Other than that and keeping the livestock going it's been a quiet day.  Well, as quiet as it can be with a jillion cats and three dogs (who finally 'talked' me into letting them into the house). 

More ice on the branches against a grey sky

The cats really like to go out in their catio and bird hunt, er, watch so I knew it would be a long day with restless kitties if I didn't come up with a plan.  A square of hay solved the problem and gave the cats tons of 'free' fun.  Setting up several strategic piles allowed them to dive bomb it, tunnel through, hide from the birds and each other and gave them a warm place to rest their oh so fragile toes.

We got lucky...

Still and all it was like having a bunch of little kids that wanted to go out to play but would rush back in because it was too cold.  Only thankfully I didn't have to put on and take off little snow suits every time they rushed in to sit by the stove and then back out again to see what was going on with the birds.  There was a steady click-clack of the cat flap during the morning hours.

Carly says her toes are freezing off!

The dogs on the other hand got booted outside when I got up.  I opened the front yard gate and let them have free access to the place (it's all perimeter fenced).  They had fun rushing about and it helped them stay warm.   I finally relented and brought them in for a few hours this afternoon and they are chewing on a rare rawhide bones treat.  They spend the nights in the house now anyway.  Not much use as farm dogs but evidently I'm turning into a big softie and they are very good.

Please, please let us in!

I need to work on an end of the year post.  Not because it's going to make good reading, but for the purpose of this blog to keep a record of the tiny farm.  It hadn't been a very pleasant year.  At the moment I'm trying to get insurance on my home reinstated after being dropped from the company I was with for ten years.  Maybe I'll blog about that too.  Seems wood heat, a 48 year old home and collies are just too big a risk.   Sure I've simplified it, but in a nutshell that is the problem.  Never mind the building is concrete with brick, cement floors and steel roofing.  And about those rabid collies....

Gabe's Feral Cat Impersonation

Hope you all have a good week!
 

Hungry birds at my (new for Christmas) feeder

Lovely Cardinal under the feeder