Yesterday really did dawn bitterly cold without a touch of sun all day. 
We heat the house with one fireplace as you know (the bedrooms are unheated) and yesterday the warmth did not reach the glass house so we took all the pots into the house but the plantings in the beds had to just brave it out. Unfortunately there have been losses. All good learning though as this is the first winter we have had the glass room attached to the house.
The wind picked up as it snowed and the day looked like this. Close to zero visibility. 
What can you do.
Oh – here is what you can do!
Sleep on top of your mother.
Oh thats it!
By 5pm last night my legs were jelly from fighting this wind and snow. I was never cold because as you know I wear a lot of clothing. I dress for the winter. Thanks to my New Zealand sisters I wear wool. And wool is the best thing for keeping a body warm. So I am not cold – but the wind was blowing and house did not warm up (we got as high as 56F (13C) in the house) and when I was outside the wind slapped me in the mouth at every opportunity. I had to run a new line out to the sheeps water and everything got tangled and my language deteriorated. I was out there fr too long. Even Boo was a little shocked. The kittens were due to be taken to the vet for their jabs but my little car would not have made it to the end of the track so that was re-scheuled. And my hairdressers appointment was postponed. Yes I have a wedding to attend and no I have no intention of attending it looking like a Wild Man from Borneo.. (A very sad story at the best of times those two little wild men – they were strong though.)
Contrary to that popular catch cry – “They can take me as they find me” I do care what I look like and refuse to look like a worn out old farmer.. so I will crawl through the snow to get to the hairdressers if I have to! Though I may not have to as the weather is supposed to get better. Thanks Gods as My Godmother used to say.
When I go outside I line up everything that I need to take to the barn by the door. That way once I have my boots on I can just reach in the door and grab what I want. (You cannot take things out too early – they freeze.) So I lined up the pig feed (soaked beet shreds, carrots, eggs and grated apple) and the waters and my boots and gloves (Eva’s Canadian mittens covered in Kim’s fingerless mittens ) and went to get my clown suit and jacket hanging by the fire and here is what I found when I returned.
Do you see? Boo had added one of his squeaky toys. The opportunist supreme. But this is an inside toy and so we had to sit down on the floor so I could explain to him that he had to take it back the the toy box. We do not take toys outside. He knows this and put it away very reluctantly. With very bad grace actually. He hates the toy box, it is a little too proletarian for him, Tidy is so Tuesday! He is such a snob this dog!
Godot is aloof as usual yesterday. Sheila was cold but sturdy. Poppy is in heat and wrecking things. Queenie looms enormous, Tima and Tane wander about scavenging and Elsie asks for food in her little cow-girl voice. How I wish I could really show you the oasis that the barn is when the weather is bad. It is where I want to be. It is a little chilly heaven.
I hope you all find loveliness today.
your friend
celi
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
42 responses to “Zero Visibility”
I like the cold, but that is a bit extreme! There has been snow at my house in Italy and I can’t wait yo get back there to see how my garden is coping.
Just a little thought for the glass house, something I read a few years ago for the little cold frames that you can harden off house-grown plants for the garden. It might help a bit. Fill a crockpot with water, plug in and turn on, leave the lid off. And let the heat and moisture raise the temp in the little room. Just have to be careful to keep the water level up, although it shouldn’t boil off too quickly when on low. If it’s a large room, might want to try 2 crockpots. Might need to put the lid on (or partially on, a little tipped) if the moisture builds up too much.
Stay as warm as you can and get ready to fly.
Chris S in Canada
‘language deteriorated’ love it – mine does that from time to time, too, not so proud, but sometimes ‘fiddlesticks’ just doesn’t cut it. Can empathise the cold in the house – we moved into our guest house 31 Dec 13 and stayed warm. (I still marvel how i can set the thermostat to 70 and the house will actually get to it!!). Our old house, in which our daughter’s NW bedroom sometimes contained snow blowing through the walls and onto the carpet, occasionally never made it about 38F. Finally, this past summer, the old house has been razed. Twenty two years of that was more than enough!
Always .. And lots of loveliness back at you 🙂
I’m so enjoying your wintry scenes, a lovely contrast with the cosy kittens in baskets 🙂
How I love your farm family and the warmth you all share, even in the midst of frigid weather. You have the secret to finding “the beautiful things” in life.
Brrr, it looks beautiful but so cold! The kittens are sensible to stay in bed!
We don’t have snow here, but instead we have hurricane-force winds. In the far north of Scotland, 70,000 people were left without power yesterday and I heard that blizzards are on the way to the U.K.
Good heavens, nothing like Mother Nature to throw a little adventure into something simple like a trip to the hairdresser! I think you’ll have to take on the motto of the postal service… an inscription I noticed on the exterior of the James Farley post office in NYC this summer, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” I can’t look at those first two photos very long… I feel like I’m back in Nebraska!! BRR!
That misty fog looked so pretty and peaceful. But I know better! Love those kittens.
brrrrrrrrr and the kitten photo melted my heart…….not many more sleeps !!