BLOWING LIKE THE DICKENS
An Easterly wind blew hard all night long. This meant I closed the chickens big door and also Molly’s big Easterly facing door. Temperature and wind are my greatest allies and enemies. Sometimes all at the same time. But wind is the worst. Little animals can take some pretty awful temperatures but it is the wind that does the harm. In my opinion. 
The gale that blew all night is part of another winter system that is sweeping the Midwest of the Northern Americas. Lucky for us we are just getting the wind. The cold comes next I guess. 
Below is Sheila – she is getting used to the Trailer field but has pointed out some holes in her roof. I have a plan Sheila!
Last night ( you might have seen on the blogs sister Instagram account cecilia_thekitchensgarden ) have quickly learnt to put themselves to bed in their new Quack House. There are only fourteen ducks now. Yesterday I got thirteen eggs. They have only one drake with them now. The mink killed two of the drakes in the attack. I can only imagine that they came out fighting makes me sad but proud of the birds – protecting their flock. I am glad Boo killed that Bastard Mink and now incredibly grateful for their new Lock-Up. 
All the baby piggies asleep in house number two- the barrel. Every litter is different and this group are small yet shiny and friendly but still have not gone down into their garden. As usual this is probably because of a combination of factors – one being that their Mum is not going far. Another being the common breeze. Babies do not like wind. 
You can see the weather in last nights sky. 
Yesterday Sergio at The Mill had a spill of grain while loading so as well as the three buckets of quite amazing vegetables from the restaurant and a pallet of bran that did not meet the high standards of the mill, I came home with two bags of wheat to sprout. That is a good days work!! My vegetarian pigs eat well!
I heard some of you are even being snowed on again. Merciful heavens. Our last frost date is April 16 I think or maybe April 23 – I should look that up – so even though it appears that all bets are off weather wise we must be nearing the end of the cold threats. This has been a messy spring.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Celi
May as well look at the forecast.
42 Comments on “BLOWING LIKE THE DICKENS”
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Yes, snow in Denver, so perhaps it will catch up with you tonight or tomorrow! Ugh.
According to our weather report in central Illinois it is going to go north of us. We are going to get big winds tho and cooler temps for a couple of days.
Thanks Gods!
Our last frost date here in Asheville in the Blue Ridge Mtns. (even though we are way farther down south than you are) is May 10th, & we have had frost & snow on azaleas on the 18th of May (my son’s wedding day, so I remember it). I hope yours is in April so you can get going. I really hope you miss the horrible weather & it stays NW of us. Sometimes the higher Smoky Mtns. behind us shield us from midwestern blasts. I am going to order some Bloody Butcher Polenta & grits for me & for a gift. Later today or tomorrow. Goody, goody!
That’s great! I will look out for your order!
I’ve had a couple of people recently express disdain for roosters, and then I have to point out that I’ve lost 3 out of 4 roosters to predators but only 2 out of 17 hens. There’s a reason the ratios are so different! Those good boys really do try their best to protect the flock. (Four of those deaths were all to a fox early last summer — it seems to have moved on, one way or another.)
We’ve got wicked wind here, too. I’m hoping it’ll blow so hard that our forecast snow will never have a chance to land! Our last frost date (10% chance of 32˚F) is June 1st! Too late!
Fingers crossed for you!
I recently read, while doing research for the novel I’m writing, that barn drafts can be deadly to stock. The source, which, of course, I can’t remember off-hand, recommended using windows high up in the barn to provide fresh air but minimize drafts.
Drafts are nasty / thin slices of icy air. Like knives . I truly believe that a big open door is more healthy than a slither sucking in the draft. Of course my babies are always tucked around corners right out of the drafts
Our first Frost date is around 5 May, but I think it was much later last year. We have had a week of very unseasonal rain which we are grateful for of course. But that nip of winter is in the air. I suppose it is our turn, luckily we don’t suffer as badly as the the USA. I would love 1 proper snow day. Laura
Love the piggie pile and your bread looks gorgeous. Laura
The bread was really tasty too – even without salt!
We have set a new record locally for having the most days in a row with at least a inch of snow on the ground.. we currently sit at 152 days today.. we broke the record on day 148 and we are still going strong lol..
Its going to get up to plus 7 today.. I will take it!
You have had a rotten winter. What s struggle to stay alive up there.
I guess and Easterly wind is to be expected since it is so close to Easter. Ba-dum-bum-tshh
I’ll show myself out…
Snort! Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
Our front door has a letter slot that moans all night long when the wind hits a certain velocity. Even high end earplugs don’t work.
Love the bundle of buns. And love your ready source of veggies and grains for the hogs.
Spectacular sky!
All that wind in the sky
Yes, the drakes would have come forward to face the enemy. Those brave boys! Makes me feel proud, even though they lost their lives. I watch Yoyo a lot, my drake. He really is so good with the girls, will come to get them if one strays behind, lets the cats know to stay back, lets them graze while he keeps an eye on the sky. I really enjoy seeing how he watches over them.
I am LOVING the new duck house, too.
I feel the same. Such a shame they came up against such a deadly adversary
Up North of you in Minnesotawe have had wind, snow, sleet, hail, thunder and lightning just since breakfast!
Merciful heaven !
The ducks have a splendid chateau! and those little piggies are so cozy!
They do have a lovely cozy bed.
Beautful feel the the pics today… bravo to your brave drakes, and of course to Boo. I have a soft spot for our big white rooster, his hens are a wild bunch, he does his best and has educated a few local dogs… but will come when he’s called and eat out of my hand.
White roosters are so regal
Started snowing here at about 4:30 pm yesterday, by 5 the grass was totally covered. All told about 3″ of heavy wet stuff, can hardly believe on Monday it was 70* and I was cleaning out perennial beds! The NE wind howled all night and most of the day today, enough already.
Oh Lordy – 3 inches! Horrible . It is the fluctuations that are so hard to deal with- and the wind
What a delight to see your away-from-home endeavours can bring bonuses in grain and food for both the two- and four-legged – what quality, what cost saving ! And ‘thank you’ for your delightful Instagram videos and photos . . . specially loved the ducks parade into their new palace 🙂 ! And then there is Jude ‘talking’ from his new home on his own post . . . I had to be dragged to IG because of time issues and only subscribed as three bestest blogfriends no longer posted . . .but I find it fast, fun, informative and ahead of other forms of social media . . . oh, wind: hate it bigtime !
It is nice to be able to keep up with Jude through Instagram/ I do miss the wee fella – I am so glad he has settled in
I’m doing well when people are getting more snow! We had some thunder over the last couple of days and a water spout, but the temperature here is about 16ºC on average. The bar is on track to open by Easter…
Those poor drakes did a good job defending their flock!
Easter will be be a marvelous date for an opening. So exciting
I finally have full internet again, although it seems a bit slower than in the old house. Catching up properly and looking at the IG stuff; what gorgeous little chubby porkers fast asleep and growing fat. I’m loving that you’re getting fringe benefits with your mill job, and such perfect, absolutely useful ones – that job was a brilliant find. Your weather sounds brutally cold and uncomfortable; here, I’m breathing sighs of relief that our temps are now in the late 20s Celsius instead of late 30s, and rain is becoming more of a pleasant, occasional feature instead of a permanent warm downpour.
Yes! There was an element of method in my madness when I announced to my friend ( and tenant) the mill owner that I was coming to work for him. And there is so much to do! I thought I might do a few hours here and there but so far it is every day ! And the team is great – very small but good people
Hi, love all your photos. I visited awhile ago and mentioned I was starting a photography blog. You mentioned to let you know when I got it going. So it is up, I think, intothelightadventures.com. Thank you for your blogs. I enjoy reading them.
Hi again, I enjoy your photos and blog post, I just sent a note, and not sure if it went through. I said hello to you awhile ago, and you mentioned to let you know when I finally goy my blog up and running. Well I have, having fun trying to figure it all out. But you mentioned to let you know when I did. I appreciate that. I am not sure if anyone can actually see it. intothelightadventures .com I enjoy your blogs , thank you.
Oh that is treat Sandra. The best way to gain exposure is to do this. Take your blog for a walk every day and visit other blogs leaving comments. This way we can see and visit you! I will pop over now.
Thank you Cecilia, there are so many good blogs out there. I sure enjoy it.
The pictures tell the story well,. My favorite is the cows (sorry,friends, forgot your namrs) at the hay bale wind break, looking a bit concerned, and the off-colored sky behind them. Here’s hoping the Easterly wind returns transformed as a blessed gentle breeze on Easter.
I’m not a fan of wind either … it sure can be destructive. Rotten minks … but that new enclosure is fabulous! I was just showing hubby 🙂
Your baby piglets are adorable. :3 It’s getting warmer where we live thank the heavens! 😀