When snow first falls it is pretty. Then when you are out in it it is pretty cold but soon it is just as used and worn out and unpretty as the rest of us. Though not without a certain formidable charm.
Yesterday we woke to three or four inches of snow – right now (as I write) it is 1F/-17C and windy. The wind is the killer.
Yesterday I showed you all the cracks in the barn doors. This is the result. (below) The snow has been blown straight through those cracks and into the barn. When I went to see Wai yesterday morning he had built an entire straw wall across his door to keep himself warm in there.
For some reason, Molly and Sheila have decided to live in the tin shed, since they were shifted due to Molly’s vandalism. I took another bale of straw out there for them. These two are remarkably healthy for all this awful weather. Lovely big healthy animals.
You can just see Sheila’s ears.
Boo watches as one of the lost flock churns through the snow to get to her feed. I intend to catch all of these getaway chickens today and return them to the chook-house. Their combs and feet are all damaged. Though they have chosen to sleep in the rat-house it is not a good choice, they need to be back in the shelter of the chook-house. There are enough chickens in the chook-house to change it’s temperature. Not so many cracks in the walls – only the damaged front door from Molly which I will cover in plastic today. Along with a few heat lamps when it is really cold the chickens are much better off in there. No eggs yet though. They are still on a rest. And it is so damned cold. Catching these lost chooks is easier said than done – I will give it a crack.
Lucky for us the gas man arrived only an hour after I called the office yesterday. He filled the tank – out of interest, for those of you who care about these things: 400 gallons of propane is a little over 800 US dollars at the moment. We have the fire going all the time and I keep our thermostat at 62F/16C. The thermostat is in the big room close to the fireplace, so if it is not too cold outside, the heater does not come on very often. The gas fires up the stove and the hot water. Which means that this gas should last us a while. But it is still a big expense in the middle of winter when our earnings are scarce.
There is relief in sight though – we rise above freezing by Thursday and for a good week after that the daytimes will not be as frigid. That will be a relief for many.
Have a lovely day.
WEATHER: Very Cold. Blowing. Ice and Snow on the ground. I wish this wind would drop.
Tuesday 01/16 10% / 0 in
Cloudy. High 22F/5C. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tuesday Night 01/16 10% / 0 in
A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 6F-14C. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Sun
7:15 am 4:50 pm
Moon
Waning Crescent, 0% visible 6:48 am 4:43 pm
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
53 responses to “NOT PRETTY”
OK, I give. Chickens roosting in the rafters, afraid of the “b.w.” What is that? Terrible things come to mind! Hub is out re-roofing our henny penny’s house as I write. Bear tore a hole through the roof, raccoons got to the eggs – all in one night!. Our snow season is just starting – that, and the rain. Cold here – stew and biscuits tonight!
I Love snow for about a day, then when it changes to slush then ice, I hate it. Thankfully we don’t have snow that often.
Love Sheila’s ears poking out! 😀
She is a treasure
So relieved to hear you found gas. – jumped ahead without comment on the last one, out of concern. I do know how it is to wake up to winter coming in-between cracks in the wood board walls, icicles in the inside and thanking goodness for a wood stove and lots of wood stacked close to the house. We take so much for granted.
Animals understand hay for winter survival.
They say 70’sF. here on Sat. once we get past the 12-19F tonight on the other side of town. Winter. What can I say except we always have very good sleeping bags in case the wind gets the power lines.
Stay warm and alert!
Good luck catching those crazy birds!
We’re fortunate up here this year – only -30 C for short periods of time. In 2005 we hit -45, and we overwintered a litter of 14 piglets! Packing water our to them in the drifting snow and wind was a gong show. It’s unfortunate you had to get a propane fill at that price, I’m thankful we heat and cook only with wood. The biggest issue up here with cold temps – people trying to thaw frozen pipes and setting their houses ablaze.
I hope you gets some warmer temps soon – for you and the livestock!
I had no idea that pigs could get so shaggy!
They grow nice winter coats.
I have seen Large Blacks with long hair, but I always picture pigs as pink and bald.
Not so pretty! You could not have put it better!! I really should not complain when the next three days’ forecast is over 44C . . . [well, 38C is 1ooF, isn’t it?]. Or when I think I am ‘hard’done’by’ when I turn my inside winter temps down to 20C!!! If the snow blows into the barn to such and extent guess who are remembering how summer feels . . . and Nanny-Boo is still ‘on watch’ even if knee-deep in the white stuff . . . best . . . .
If nothing else works, and you haven’t tried this… our chooks, inc the rooster come to the rattle of a dry cat food box.
I caught all but one – and she is a wily one.
Good news on that gas supply! As for those chooks, you would think they would want to stay warm .. Sorry to hear that it is so cold.