Yesterday, tiny crystals of cold jaggedy ice rained down out of the sky, clattering through the trees and onto the ground, tinkling like the harnesses of a hundred prancing celestial horses. It was a curious sound. As they fell they packed into each other like sharp gravel, like rock salt on a fish. Then as the temperatures rose the frozen rain turned to molten rain. 
I went out into the rain, carefully skating on the wet ice, without Camera house, (we have all seen rain, though not very often lately but the camera was not coming out in that weather) and fed the animals. The barn is a lovely place to be in the rain, all cosy, with everyone munching contendedly. Daisy’s water trough is set up to fill from the rain water that runs off the barn roof so I scooped water from there to fill all the other water buckets. So much easier than lugging buckets of water from the house. 
As I went to and fro between the buildings the rain turned back to ice again. My wet farm coat became quite confused and began to freeze solid with me in it so inside I went.
While my clownsuit and coat steamed in front of the fire TonTon and I spent the afternoon doing Sunday things, visiting as many of you as my poor beleagured slow-as-a poke internet connection could manage, writing and reading. Bliss.
Good morning. I am always so grateful to you for dropping in and yet sometimes all I have is a little ice, a little more rain and a warm fire. It is blowing outside as I write this morning. I was hoping for a sunrise through those piled up ice crystals and frozen rain but I think my weather event has been blown away.
Today Hairy MacLairy, the big Dorset ram, is being moved back in with Daisy. Hairy is such a big sheep and yesterday, when we were in the barn, I saw him back up and launch himself straight into the side of Mia to shove her away from the feed. This is one thing when they are out in the paddock, but when they are in a pen due to the weather – he is smashing her into a wall. Not good. Plus, now that the Mia and Mama are moving into the latter months of their pregnancies, they need a little extra feed and that Hairy MacLairy is quite fat enough.
It takes a wee bit of reshuffling and there will be protests but it is better in the long run.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
54 responses to “Rain and Ice, Ice and Rain”
The Coupe is prgressing well. Looks great. You’re going to have to take severe steps with Mr.Hairy – tough call:)
Ahhh BIG COW AND RATHER Middling Ram…I’m sure Daisy don’t put up with much.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
They are the perfect balance of size vs power. And seem to share very nicely. c
Snowing here in the North-East…a light fluffy snow.
“Daisy’s water trough is set up to fill from the rain water that runs off the barn roof so I scooped water from there to fill all the other water buckets. So much easier than lugging buckets of water from the house.” Brilliant idea! I will try to set something like that up in the spring. The ducks pool is filled from rain water run off…why did I never thing to fill the llamas waters from rain? Silly me. Enjoy your day.
J
We have a 3000 litre sunken tank half way down the garden, (with a pump) which takes all the water from the roof of the house, workshop and garage, and another 1000 litre above ground tank taking the water from half the roof of next door’s barn. But we don’t get the extreme low temperatures that you get in North America.
Wow, that sounds wonderful; I think I would have to find a way to empty all of the “lines” before cold weather set in…I will have to look into something like this.
Thank you.
Your first sentence was picturesque. Stay warm
morning priscilla, i shall.. you too! c
Snow right now, ice tonight…
It’ll be spring soon, right?
That crazy Hairy MacLairy – I do love him even if his manners are a little wanting. We have freezing rain here in southern Ontario. All the neighbours who wanted to be considerate were out shovelling their sidewalks which instantly became skating rinks.
Well, the warm fire would only be half as nice without a little ice and a little more rain.
It’s so odd to see any construction during cold weather. Everything in Chicago stops by Thanksgiving with nothing starting up again until around April.
I thought freezing rain was rain (wet, not frozen as it falls) that lands on icy ground and then freezes…. what you describe sounds a little like hail: or have I misunderstood? Sounds treacherous anyway!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freezing_rain
no it is ice, tiny little shards of frozen rain drops, smaller than sleet which is long and sharper.. very strange and very scary and quite noisy! c
I sort of imagine it as musical….
Yes, there is a difference in frozen rain and sleet…The Tree House is so Cool, though, it would provide little protection from the frozen rain. Speaking of your slow computer? Is that due to the wet weather? Have you cleared your cache lately?
Bless You
the slowest internet connection in the western world, we are in a bad spot! morning darling!! c
After nearly four days of no phones, no Broadband, no emergency help and some strange creature called Oswald trying to wreck the parts of E Australia the bushfires had not managed, it is pure and absolute joy to see how the coupe has grown and how well Daisy and Hairy are messing about together! Back to normalcy 😀 !
I’ve never heard of ice tinkling down from the sky! The picture you paint of being in the barn with the animals munching sounds very comforting. Reading your posts, I can understand why in so many rural societies, people have lived with, or right next to their animals. Nice to have you visit my blog; you are always welcome. Have just done one on heat and dryness – how different our seasons are right now. Your posts are always worthwhile, even when you don’t get the weather event you want. I’m really gaining an understanding of what serious winter looks like. Thank you for being there.
Everything about you and life on the Farmy is interesting – even ice and rain!
Hey, Celi! I took the day off yesterday and didn’t do any blogging. I’ll pay for it today but that’s the way it goes. That ice was something else. I stayed indoors until it was well past and the ice on the streets was gone. There was nothing I needed so desperately to justify going out in that mess.
Glad you didn’t lose power or anything as a result of it. The weather gods can bring on the snow and rain but keep the ice storms to themselves.
Wee house is coming along fast! 🙂