Yesterday had horrible weather. 
The wind was so strong and so cold yesterday that a few times I walked backwards from the house to the barn rather than have my face blown off. But thats OK, the Kiwi builder was on the other side of the house so he did not see.
But the little lambs were safe in their little pen. No drafts. No dangers. But very little light.
I had to keep the big doors closed all day. Even the peahens stayed in yesterday. 
The lambs drank and slept. Then drank and slept some more.
Good morning. Today is wicked cold again. 8F (-13C), but so far no wind. And when I was out working with the gang in the night it was cold but calm as well. Thank goodness the winds have gone. I hope.
The home schooled children come today. I am not sure, but I think these will be the first lambs they will ever have seen, can you imagine what it will be like to see something for the first time ever.
I am also hoping that this might be the last very, very cold morning. Please say it is the last. The Tall Teenager said to me yesterday why does this feel like it is the coldest day of the winter when it isn’t. We thought about this for a while and decided it was because we cannot bear it anymore. We are over the winter and that tired admission allows a weakness seep in. And weakness makes us shiver. I was certainly feeling weak when I was walking backwards to the barn with my warm bottled of milk tucked inside my jacket and my 5 gallon buckets of warm water the only thing keeping me from being blown away.
I was certainly feeing weak, when down the back paddock in the icy gale yesterday trying to open the gate for Hairy and just could not lever the gate out of the frozen mud, having to tell him that he was stuck there, best go back down into the root cellar until I could come back with tools and hands that work. Hairy was stoic.
Oh I almost forgot, we began the Mead yesterday. Honey Mead of course! We have so much honey after melting out all the wax. So we are making six gallons of mead. John says I won’t be able to taste it for at least a year. KillJoy!!!
This is going to be good! Thank you bees.
And thank you darlinks for reading every day. You keep me strong. I say this with absolute sincerity.
Oh and ViV your pocket hand-warmers came yesterday afternoon. What an incredible day for them to arrive! Just when I think I cannot bear the cold a moment more. They are being heated right this minute and into my farm jacket pocket they will go for this mornings milking. I am thinking about how we could make big ones of these to warm new-born lambs too. My new french patchwork ones are just so beautiful. Thank you ViV!
OK that is enough for me. I have to stop chatting now and get on with the day.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
78 responses to “Lambs: A Photographic Essay”
I say it’s the last cold day… I love the lambs and think back to the farm days… those lamb warmers with wheat sound ideal for the poor little lads … but keep them inside for as long as possible that cold you’re having sure sounds cold… – 13 C… I would want a bed and cover full wheat heated and that’s where I’d stay… good luck Celi, I do hope the winter is now broken for you…
We have sun today but you are right still too cold for them, if they had been born in the fields they would have been dead very quickly. I do need to shift them to a larger pen this afternoon so I can clean this one out, then they will go back for the night. Though I hope to turn off this lamp soon, it gives me the willies in a tinder dry barn. c
Have a look at Eugene Smith’s 1950’s B/W photo essay for Life magazine “Southern Midwives” http://life.time.com/history/w-eugene-smith-life-magazine-1951-photo-essay-nurse-midwife/#1
The images are stunning and terrible and wonderful.. thank you so much for the link! c
Gosh Celi, you have had a cold winter!!! We have been very fortunate that it hasn’t been so brutally cold here. But, we have a big ice storm warning for tonight and tomorrow!!!! And the ice storms are the scariest around here as they can take giant trees down and take out the power and horrible stuff like that! Sure hope you guys don’t get it up there! Just keep saying…’Spring is almost here!’ and it will cheer you right up! xo
we had an ice storm a few years ago that took us out for 6 days, trees down, branches down, roads closed and power lines toppled like dominoes, ice scares me .. I do hope it is not too bad for you. !
Oh Celi, your 4 babies are just cutypituty!! And love the little warmimg jackets you made for them. I was a little scared for them last nite with these horrid frigid temps….so glad they are fine! Don’t know how you do it, getting up and down often during the night….do you get any sleep???
Keep everybody warm today…….worse weather is com’in our way…..boo..hiss
send that bad weather BACK! c
With a wind as well, I wonder what the temperature is there allowing for the windchill factor?
It has even got a spot chilly here, in sympathy maybe. After absolutely sweltering, quite a relief.
You had better rename the barn the baa-aa-aan!
Well I suppose you’ll appreciate the restorative powers of mead next winter 😉
Those lambs are amazing – they look like several weeks old with all that wool and ability to stand up and walk around.
I said before, dear miss c, that spring soon come, but clearly not soon enough. So happy to see the lambs. Do stay warm.
You are providing those children with indelible memories to be cherished their whole lives long and with them their blessings upon you.
Such sweeties! I can just imagine how soft and adorable they are.
I too am wishing for spring. I’ve had enough winter. Very windy here today and looks like there’s some snow on the horizon. I couldn’t take it anymore so yesterday when it had finally heated up to 30 something and started raining, I turned off the heat and opened the windows for a couple of hours. Fresh air! It was heavenly.
Enjoy your babies. 🙂
Heartwarming photos, c. A very happy day to you all! xx
I was grumbling about the unusual heat wave we’re having here! I can’t even imagine cold as cold as yours. I hope the wind stops soon. XO
It horrible and dreary and cold here too…at least today the sun is shining but still cold. What kind of hand warmers did you get? I’ve broken down and bought the chemical ones but they are disposable and I don’t like that. The lambs look cozy and happy, they are lucky to have coats!
Do stay warm! We are definitely on the back side of winter. In about 4 months, we’ll be roasting in the heat!
what brave people you are! The lambs and other animals looked nice and cosy in their barn, let us pray for better weather…..
Love the lambies!! No winter lasts forever, no spring misses it’s turn! 🙂