The creek (that is really a ditch) has been covered in ice thick enough to walk on for months now. In the last few days it has begun to break up, clink and clank its way into life, yesterday great shards of windowpane ice could be seen floating past. Ice floes break up in between, snow drifts drifting, picking up speed and wagging their tails through, making that singing crackle-crick, jingle, tick-tock of melting ice, like cooling metal, the hiss of cooling iron. A tinging and crickling. A crackle with a song in it. Then the jostle and click of ice shouldering ice shoving and pushing in a crowd trying to get head way.
Of course Sheila lifted her head at the sound of it, headed off and had to be persuaded not to shoot straight over the cliff and down the bank to the ice water.
I made a wee pen for Marcel the Happy in the corner of the sheep’s field, he has a mini culvert for shelter and some company. Only for the day though, at night it is back into the barn for him.
We had not bargained on Daisy who was allowed out for a wander yesterday as the ice has melted. I am terrified of this big gangly cow slipping on ice she is the clumsiest cow I have ever seen so she has not been allowed into the fields for a while. She was out having a mooch when I brought Marcel over to his new pen. She trotted across as fast as she could, her stomach heaving low and loose from side to side and immediately the cow tried to lick the lamb through the fence, she wanted to inhale him, again. With her tiny mewling noises and coy looks.
Marcel obliged with some loving. But I am not a zoo, he said. You can all go about your business!
Bad news on the bee front though. It reached 56F here yesterday, warm enough for bees to come out on toilet breaks, but when I went down to check them it was grimly silent. With a sinking heart I took the hive apart. The bees were all dead. Scattered across three plentiful trays of honey. They had piles of food. They had broken formation to eat and must have been caught by a sharp drop in temperatures, unable to huddle back together for warmth, they had frozen. And only recently. So, so sad. Evidently the Italian bees often come out when it is not warm enough and often hives are lost because of this. Though it was a brutal winter. None of this is much consolation. But this year I cannot think of one thing I did not do. The extreme cold beat us. I am going to give it one last try with my Russian Queen and her hive who arrive in May. Hopefully the progeny will be tougher in these Illinois winters. I need to have bees that are bred for this tough environment. Russians surely must know about the cold.
But the sun was shining yesterday and it was warm enough to work without a jacket or gloves. Everyone took a minute just to stand in the sun, even Sheila. We all stood a little straighter and even though it was all slosh and deep water sitting on frozen ground in the fields, there was warm sun.
I hope you all have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farmy
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
98 responses to “Ice Cold Water”
A nice sit or walk in the sun helps all living things. Poor bees – what a worry. Do hope the Russian queen is the answer. Noticed there’s a movement to encourage more people to maintain hives – bees desperately needed. Perhaps the walks will shift the calf into best position and make Daisy’s birthing easier and shorter. That Marcel is charming just about everyone
I always liked a wee slow walk when i was vastly pregnant, but she is so heavy on the soggy pasture.. can’t win, but she is strolling about again. Sitting about is no good for anyone.. c
I was not expecting such bad news of the bee front, Celi. Things were going so well only a month ago. How sad and utterly frustrating. Yesterday’s blue skies and later sun in the evening were so very welcome. I’m not looking forward to tonight, though. The last forecast I saw this morning said 8 inches. Enough already!
I really really really hope Daisy’s calf does not make an appearance in this storm, it will be Too cold.. I hope she just quietly goes to term.. c
Good morning Celi. Sorry to hear of your bees, I hope the Russians do better. I’m hoping for a bit of advice this morning. My ewe, Marzipan had 2 lambs a couple hours ago, that went pretty well. Marzipan is a first time mom. She is attentive in that she is licking them and when they cry she comes to them, but she doesn’t want to stand still when they try to nurse. They each have latched on once or twice for a brief time but I am afraid they are not getting enough. Anything I should be watching for or doing? They are up and about and I have heat lamps on for them, but am worried.
Linda, see if you can get somebody to help you hold the ewe while the lambs nurse. Sometimes a new mom doesn’t understand what her job is. We had ewes we had to put in a stanchion to keep her still while her lambs nursed. In a couple of days it will all work out.
Thanks Emily for the advice. I was able to get momma to stand still by putting some sweet feed into the straw on the floor, it took her longer to find and eat it this way. I was able to get the male lamb to latch on a couple times, and he is looking good. I couldn’t get the girl lamb to suck no matter what I tried and she seemed to be getting very lethargic so I got some colostrum replacement and gave her some of this. She is looking better but it is possible she nursed while I went to town. I’m just going to give them some space now. Thanks again. 🙂
By the way, the little girl is Agnes, and the little boy is Frances.
Thank you Emily for helping out. That’s what i love about the fellowship. Linda, Mama did the same thing the first time, she kept moving away from her lambs, make sure your pen is small enough so she cannot move too far, I did what you did and put food out for her then put the lambs on while she was otherwise engaged. I did this often. With a weak lamb, though there is no real replacement for colostrum, my sheep man said get some warm milk into their bellies to get them up to drink from their mum (which you have done.. good). You can take over later but her milk is very important but you know that. I always worry that they are not getting enough, but those little sips from Mum are very powerful as they only need a little then later they feed for longer. Remember if you are going to supplement agnes, do the same, little sips often. But put her up to her mother first. Well done! and good for Marzipan and as Emily said in a couple of days it will be fine. Keep us up to date and pop back in if you re worried, there are many sheep people here we can ask. c
How sad about the bees. It’s not easy to keep them alive over the winter in a cold climate. There are hives here where we have our cottage. Apparently someone had bees a while ago, but didn’t look after them and they persished. I’m keen to start them up again, but first I’m doing a beekeepers course and planting as many bee friendly plants that I can in preparation. Hopefull next year I might be ready to start the hives again – all of the cottagers are happy about it as they look forward to the bees pollinating their veggie crops 🙂
Your photos show a distinct spring light – the sun is beginning to increase in strength now. We even see it this far north – and what joy it brings! I can cope with the cold as long as that sun shines. It must be in my antipodean genes.
I love the picture of Daisy and Marcel nuzzling. It looks so maternal on Daisy’s part. Dear little Marcel seems to have a lot of aunties to help him along in life after that really rough start.
Awe C. You did your very best for the bees…you’ve just had the winter from hell. I’m sure there was a huge toll in the wild bee population, as well. The Russians will survive and if like Mad says, with a little vodka, you will have some kick-ass honey! 🙂
That Marcel, could he be any sweeter? Does Boo still want to know where he is every minute?
So good to see ya’ll out and about with less padding! Your stories and animals warm my mornings…hugs
How sad about the bees. But little Marcel is a wonderful new arrival. Can’t believe the size of those sheets of ice.
Heartbreaking about your bees. We have mason and bumble bees here naturally, but last year there weren’t many. It used to be that a bee man would bring his hives close by so his bees could pollinate the alfalfa fields; but not for the past few years. So maybe I should start bee keeping, but we have cold winters like you. Need to research that. I am so happy that you had a wee bit of warmer weather……more to follow….and not soon enough. Today instead of that lovely pale blue with the comments there is stark black and white. Not soothing on these old eyes.
My comments background section is being naughty, back to the drawing board!.. c
I am so sorry to hear about your bees, that is heartbreaking. You did everything you could !! I would think the new ones would be more resistant to cold !!
I hope you continue the warm trend, I cannot imagine being that cold for so long !!!
Sometimes when I cannot read comments on blogs, or rarely the posts themselves, I will highlight what I want to read and that helps.
Sorry about your bees. Was 75 here in SE KS yesterday and some bugs were about though didn’t see any bees.
I could feel spring in the song of your words and the ice, and the light in the pics. Gorgeous pics of Daisy & Marcel – Daisy has eyelashes to be envied 😉 and Marcel certainly lacks no amount of attention. It’s a tough world for bees even with the best of care. Good luck with the Russians – a little vodka for them, and for you, for courage.
I’m sorry to hear about the bees! Really don’t think there was much more you could have done, Celi, it was just so damn cold. Daisy sure is getting clucky! 🙂
Love Marcel the Happy – not pleased about the wee bees. Sorry, Ms C.
Love the pic of Boo surveying his kingdom…or wondering ‘what the heck’? So Sad about your bees, and after your great care of them…..on another blog I read the beekeeper insulated her hives with big bags of swept up leaves. I know you insulated yours well, I just thought this was such an interesting and eco-friendly way to do it. Her bees are ok, but maybe Colorado is warmer?? or she has different bees …..here’s a link to the post if you’re interested, scroll down a bit for the pic. http://womanwithwingsblog.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/i-unrolled-january-flower-bouquet.html
Thank you, i shall pop over and see..I hated seeing that punk insulation all winter! a blot on the landscape..the snow itself was a kind of insulationn too.. but sigh.. failed… c
Just love the photo of Daisy and gorgeous little Marcel smooching. Bad luck about the bees but if any bees will be able to survive the winter the Russian bees are the ones to do it.