Tucking in the piggies

And so it got colder.  Cows always do the best in the cold. They carry a belly full of hay that behaves like a compost heap a hot compost heap. A healthy cow is warmed from the inside.

Unlike my white truck that was encased in ice yesterday morning and I could not even open the door. John had to pry the door open for me with a screw driver. In fact every door I encountered yesterday morning was frozen shut, I had to get an axe to bash the brick away from the chook house door, and shake  and kick the barn doors until the ice relaeased them. In a blowing glacial wind this is not as much fun as it sounds.

But we got everything open and on the straight and narrow.

Pigs have less ability to regulate their own temperatures than the cows so my pigs have trained me to cover them up on the cold nights. I finished the chores last night and as dark fell I went in to help Sheila with her bed  but she was behind schedule and still at the raking UP stage. To do this she paws at the ground like a bull pulling the straw up and up until she has a bed as high as a top bunk.

She told me quite clearly that it was going to be a cold night but she was not quite ready for the covers so I left her to it and went in to the kunekune pen. Earlier I had pulled all their fluffy straw  up into one space and they had burrowed straight into the mountain of straw so all I could see was their bottoms.  Listening to their little sighs of pleasure I covered their whole bodies up with straw.  Tima seldom lets me cover her up whereas Tane literally relaxes down into his bed when he sees me coming at this time of night.   Last night both stayed still while I pulled up their covers. When I was finished all you could see were the two little air holes. The straw rose and fell with their breaths.

Once I was done Sheila called me over with a grunt as she lowered her vast tired body into her newly made bed.  The twins popped in and out as I covered her up. But she still refuses to let them sleep with her. One day I must record the conversations we have. Sheila mimics the sounds I make. Good night. Good night.

The twins are young – like Poppy they have no interest in a good bed. Though I had made theirs for them earlier – all they needed to do was wriggle down into it.

All the animals, cows and pigs, still have access to the outside. Yesterday they chose to stay inside. I just realised that I have seven cows and seven pigs. Good luck that is, I think!

Ton elected to stay in the house while Boo and I did the chores in the cold yesterday afternoon. I had to carry buckets and buckets of water across to the cows on the West side. (I have a logistical problem with the heating of their water when things freeze –  that entire barn has only one power point  – on the wrong side – it’s ok – I am thinking of an answer and in the meantime my arms need the exercise of carrying buckets.)  But it was taking too long for TonTon. Even when I said they could ride in the cab due to the cold – BooBoo jumped in the truck – TonTon stayed in his pod on the verandah. Later I brought him inside – usually he does not like to be inside.

Boo cannot let me out of his sight though.  He is wherever I am.

Last night we dipped down to around 4F (-15)  but that’s ok it is winter.

Good morning.

I hope you have a lovely day.

celi