Yesterday was officially freezing. Real freezing cold. Not that fake cold when your dressing gown is in the dryer and you have to run to the toilet in your nightie and the toilet seat is cold and you shiver and say God that is cold. No, this was real cold. Razer cold that shaves at your face and leaves it stinging for an hour after you come inside. Cold that keeps your mouth closed because there is no word for it. Cold that brings pain. When you come in you take the boots off your numb feet and then with your jacket still on you walk to the fire and stand there, trying to get your gloves off, waiting for the pain to lift so you can move again. Real cold.
I took this image at dawn yesterday. I did not know at the time that the sun on the left was a Sun dog. Having never seen one before. But annoyed that I could not fit both in the frame. 
And thought very little about the shot for the rest of the day. We proceeded through the day. It was way too cold and way too windy to get the tractor out and move snow.. 
and the roads were not plowed anyway so we were snowed in, engaging in the usual low grade bickering about who makes the best coleslaw that comes from being locked up with too many dogs in the house for two days, yet hauling about getting things done. But being snowed in also gives one permission to do nothing at all so lots of that was done too, letting the wind go about its business of making snow drifts then unmaking them. 
When I was out and about doing chores I noticed the dogs lifting alternate feet and running on three, then running on another three, like chickens raising one leg to warm it but at full speed. Doves had come into the chook house to sit as close to the warm lights as they could. A starling was seen sitting next to a chicken sitting next to a pig. Peahens perched on precarious beams directly above heat lamps. Sheila the pig was allowed a warm beer with dinner. Daisy and Queenie ate twice their normal amount of hay. Mama The senior ewe clouted Tilly around the head and told her if she did not stop the whining she would be put out into the snow.
When I came in I had to be careful not to put a wet hand on the door handles of the outside doors inside the house, for fear of freezing to them. Doors were frozen shut and put off limits, windows covered in ice. Eggs froze solid in the nests. Water froze in the buckets. Table scraps turned to ice before they were eaten.
Then after a harrowing day fighting the elements the wind slowly died down towards the evening, the temperatures also rising to -10 by nightfall. A certain peace fell over the farmy. The laying down of arms.
Then in the evening as the sun was setting I saw this.
Another Sun Dog. Isn’t that just amazing. It is caused by ice crystals hanging low in the sky when it is very cold, creating reflections. I am sure the phenomena itself is much more complicated but that is a simple explanation. Does this bode well to see two in a day?
The animals went very still yesterday evening. The pigs slept deep in their straw surrounded in dozing chickens nestled into the same straw. The sheep went into a pause watching the wind go past their immovable door and not come back. The cows stood and chewed their cud, their tears frozen into chandelier drops on their cheeks. The dogs lay at the door, watching their sticks and waiting to go home.
After all the wind and its stinging cargo of snow, fighting, screaming, scrambling, nipping wind trying to stop me getting to the barn, or getting back home, it was like being in an alternate universe, where peace was a given and breath was everything. 
Today it will still be very cold but no wind. No wind is a blessing. Clean up day.
We will all have a better day today I hope.
Your friend on the farmy
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
77 responses to “Sundogs – like bookends for a frozen day.”
Had never heard of sun dogs before. Fascinating, and beautiful! We’re shivering down here in Kentucky, too, even in the house.
I SO know what you mean! c
Absolutely beautiful and fascinating Cecilia. I have only seen photos such as yours of Sundogs and find the image enchanting and surreal. You stay safe and warm.
surreal is the perfect word for them.. have a lovely day teresa! c
Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing the sundogs. Stay warm and stay safe.
I can’t even imagine trying to keep everything going on those antarctic days… wonderful that you manage to keep everyone else warm too… do you keep the wood burner on all night in the house???
yes the fire goes night and day, but is not keeping up with these temps, we are a bit chilly in here, still it will warm up a bit soon.. c
I love taking photos of sundogs but I’ve never seen one quite like the one on the right…it’s almost vertical!
Your whole story is stunning!
So very, very cold but so amazingly beautiful!
, For some unaccountable reason, the day before yesterday there was no post on your blog, so I worried about you all day. This morning your masterpiece of beautiful writing appeared, dated 7th January, so my worry was pointless! Your woolly hat is coming on slowly, so I hope you get it before the next “really cold” comes!. I spent yesterday afternoon, when I should have been knitting, in putting together a collection of 40 poems for submission!
You should publish this piece somewhere where it can be seen by more than just your myriad of followers!
Love and warm hugs,
ViV
Aw, this post really touched me. I have always loved sundogs. That is, in fact, where my pen name, “littlesundog” comes from. I always felt like a little beam of light in this big, old world. Most people never notice sundogs, but I see them often here – especially in the late summer (not sure why) and sometimes in the winter months.
Do you have an ear-flap cap? I always found them to be the best headgear for winter.
Thank you for telling me about snow dogs, gorgeous photos. I shall be looking out for them from now on to be one of my beautiful things. Here in Cornwall, UK, it’s mild and very, very wet with storms and floods(not us fortunately) . Your snow looks very beautiful and your description of the cold has given me the shivers indeed. That’s some cold! 🙂
PS You have a new follower!
You are very welcome to the lunge of comments.. I shall pop out and visit your blog from cornwall after chores this morning.. c
Reblogged this on Anne Lawson and commented:
Here in Melbourne we are heading into a week of temperatures in the high 30s, low 40s C. Last week I watched news items and read blogs about the freezing cold in the US. Celia’s blog really brought home to me about how cold that cold really is. I cannot imagine cold like that. I would be so unprepared, mentally as well as physically, for those freezing temperatures that I would not cope. So I am in awe of everyone who did.
A wish to all my blogging friends — may the temperature in your house be just right!
I hope reblogging this was okay, Cecilia (And just realised that I have misspelt your name! Oh dear 😦 I will edit that immediately.) It seemed to describe up the cold perfectly! And the photos were stunning too! I will think of you in the cold as we swelter in the heat of this week.
morning anne, no problem reblogging.. than you.. have a lovely day.. c