Wonderful isn’t it. You would think that carrying that length of tail around would be a bother but I suppose feathers do not weigh much. And it will keep growing yet. 
Last night the temperatures dipped down as low as -7F (-21C) . With wind. Pretty cold. And the wind makes it bitter cold.
Everyone got an extra ration of warm mash last night and more of the same this morning. Yesterday afternoon the sun came out which was very welcome (though our high was 7F (-13) but with sun we have no clouds and with no clouds and a Nor’West we have cold. Still the sun raised all our spirits somewhat.
But this is our coldest spell so far and will not be for long thankfully. We have been lucky so far.
I am not going to go and get everyone out of bed for breakfast until it is full daylight – why would you want to get out of warm straw for this. The pigs will eat and go back to bed, same with the birds probably as usual the cows will be oblivious.
Today will be a bit of a struggle. But I dress warmly and take my time. We have farmed in worse.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
61 responses to “Mr Flowers and his Tail”
Those are Arctic-like numbers! Goodness me, please do keep your hands well protected and warm (if possible). >
Only for a few days – it already warming slightly and the sun is out!! c
Good!
How about you, Miss C? Did you get an extra ration of warm breakfast before you went to carry it to everyone else in the bitter cold? Are you well wrapped in your clown suit, with a warm woolly hat and a tummy full of hot oatmeal? Or have you skipped breakie till it’s all done, making do with a scalding cup of coffee? I am glad you have the sun today to keep your spirits high.
Today we’re cheerful. We’ve had solid rain for two entire days. The cane is green, the frogs are singing, and drought stricken central Queensland is getting a regular drenching 🙂
Yeah! That sounds wonderful!!! Queensland is such a lovely state! Do you call it state, or province, or something else? I loved backpacking around Queensland. So lovely! I was there almost 6 months, and actually wanted to immigrate at the time!!! So happy it’s raining!!! 🙂
Yup, Queensland’s a state, and a big one, being the size of California, Nevada and Oregon put together. It also has an enormous variety of scenery and climate, ranging from arid through temperate to tropical. It was Queensland that convinced me to emigrate – and I actually went ahead and did it! …. And it’s STILL raining 🙂
Yes! Kate. That is me. Nothing to eat until all my animals are fed. Then a cup of HOT coffee! Soon I will have an egg. c
Such a lot of cold hard work on an empty tummy, but I know why…
I am making room for LUNCH!! c
🙂
I don’t even get my first cup ’til everybody else is fed, if I don’t roll out of bed, dress and get out there I might lose my will – ha! Minus 10 F here at daylight with wind, nasty, nasty. We had the bright sun too, it had everybody standing in whatever spot they could find out of the wind just soaking up the rays.
You are just like me!! c
ooh no -21C that is too cold. Mr Flowers tail is coming along nicely, looking forward to his displays for the ladies in spring. We are overcast and 23C/73F and having a little rain most evenings – very pleasant for a change. Take a flask of something warming when you go outside and keep as warm as you can. I think I would be farming in front of the fireplace if it weren’t for the animals 🙂 Laura
By sunrise the temps had come back up to -1 (-18C) much better. But still quite cold. In fact it is so cold that after a while I feel quite nauseous. I am in front of the fire now for a wee while then back out to do the morning work.. c
Bundle up. We are so spoiled, here. We think it is cold, but our cold is nothing compared to yours.
Sensible people would stay inside.. but all the animals are good. c
I was just saying a prayer of thanks this morning for our mild winter so far. (and I am touching LOTS of WOOD right now) It has helped with Mom’s treatments that happen daily. She is 3 weeks into radiation and chemo with 3.5 weeks remaining.
It was good to hear the girls are starting to sleep nearer each other. And the chickens post yesterday was beautiful! I love chickens…. the sounds of them tickle me, especially when they are settling in for the night.
They are sweet aren’t they – glad your mother is doing well – what a schedule she must have.. c
“We have farmed in worse” … true.
Oh yes! Now, Jim I have a question. I see on your site links to weather sites. Is there a site that records weather data, if i want to look up what the temps were here over the last week or the amount of rain or sun hours we have had this month – things like that. Do you know where do I find that information?. c
Weather Underground….http://www.wunderground.com/ enter the zip – and you can get all kinds of history.
This link provides a lot of temperature and precipitation data for your region. It is probably your best source.
http://www.weather.gov/lot/cliplot
This tallies temps and precip in a different way.
http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=LOT&product=RTP&site=lot
This zoomable precipitation map can be set for a lot of time periods.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ridge2/RFC_Precip/index.php?site=dvn
I hope these are helpful. Ask questions if you need to.
One more for the data geek in you 🙂
This is for Joliet which I assume is not too far away. Bookmark it and return any time. It will show the most recent data.
http://wxweb.meteostar.com/meteogram/over/link.shtml?choice=KJOT
AHA! I knew you were the man to ask!! I am a data geek! I am awful in a conversation I am always saying where did you get that information? is it a reliable source? I am way too literal. Thank you. .. c.
You are right on the money about questioning sources. I laud you!!! Too much malarkey is swallowed on someone’s say so. Keep at it! Much love and strong support, Gayle
That’s cold! Keep well wrapped up. 😀
No need to worry about that – i wear layers and layers and layers – I am not cold.. c
Yes, it’s quite cold down here too, but nowhere near what you are dealing with! I’m so looking forward to spring already!!! 🙂
I think you get more ice than us? It being a bit warmer – and your spring will come sooner too – careful not to wish your life away! c
Mr. Flowers glorious tail is a reminder that it is only a few months until more sun and spring and the beginning of warmth.
Yes the seasons are slowly revolving around our heads – there is more Day now too which make a huge difference to the work.. c
Cold up here as well, sitting at -2 – brrrrr. We had the most remarkable sun dogs yesterday; a wee bit of reward for the temps.
I love those sundogs – We have risen to 1F now – I think we get up to about 10 today.. lovely.. our farm is in a hollow so the cold sits down here too long sometimes.. c
Morning. I was thinking Mr. Flowers tail looked a bit bedraggled but with beautiful colours. The promise of warmer temperatures will help keep you going. That’s the cold temperatures I ran away from. I remember putting my feet on the cold floor in Saskatchewan. Made it hard to leap out of the cozy bed. Good of you to wait a few minutes longer this morning. Hope your day runs smoothly and you’re back in the warmth quickly.
Mr Flowers has a different tail to The Duke. Probably because he is a cross, so his longest feathers have no eyes and seem lighter so they don’t look quite as sharp as Kupa’s used to. Bedraggled is a good word. But not quite yet I hope.. c
The pigs have got the right idea! 🙂
I just covered Sheila up again, she was full of thank-yous. Then I went and de-iced and struggled the big door open so the sun could come into her area. The morning sun hit her and she Clearly (from under her mound of straw) grunted thank you again. So she has full belly and lying in the sun – all good.
One very happy pig 🙂
and a delightfully polite pig.
I’m going to play stern Grandma, and say that you really should not go out in that temperature with nothing inside you – even a square of chocolate would help.
Love,
ViV xox
Thank you stern grandma. c
You notice she politely says thank you, but not “Yes, stern grandma, I will do as you say”! Our Celi will do it her way….
Winter is so hard on everyone and everything. I long for spring.
Linda
At least this winter all my systems are in place and working well. Nothing is perfect on a farm of course but it is not a struggle. I don’t mind the winter for a while. Spring will be interesting this year, with such a mild winter.. c
We are in mud season, but more snow coming in tonight. We are also on the last field for harvest! YAY!
You have a very long mud season.. poor you – at least my mud is frozen which makes for cleaner dogs! c
I’d love to hear Sheila’s grunts of thank you. It must make you smile a lot…maybe laugh out loud!
Yes i should have recorded her this morning – it is harder now that the twins are always gabbing about. c
No winter lasts forever, no spring misses it’s turn. THANK god! 🙂 What a gorgeous tail which will only get more gorgeous I must say!
It has so many layers – i am fascinated by peacocks tails!