February 2015 Snowstorm

It's beautiful but it's also treacherous. I'm wading through 2.5 feet of snow to get to the barn and the dogs let me go first so I can break a path. It's just about to my knees and by the time I get back to the house, my pant legs are soaked. The snow is too deep to use the Ranger, which is in the shop anyway. Matt said he's going to try and bring it to me tomorrow (even though it's his day off!) but I waited to cry at his kindness until after we'd said good-bye.

 Yes, those are chains on the bird feeder; it's to keep it from being blown about by the wind and all the seed falling out. Those are two lengths of chain, about two feet each that's wrapped around the feeder and attached to the metal hanger. After all that, it didn't work so well so now the chain is in a long U around the feeder and then wrapped around the metal hanger. Tomorrow morning I'll be able to tell how well it works.

A gift this morning...a male cardinal at the feeder and such a bright spot of color in an otherwise white landscape. 

Another gift...a woodpecker who didn't want to wait his turn at the feeder. There are times the woodpeckers will eat birdseed but the feeder needs to be vacant.

I don't have photos of the ice in the horse trough...you'll have to trust me when I tell you this morning it was 3.5 inches thick. I'm using a crow bar to break the ice and a pitchfork to lift it out of the trough. By the time I get back to the house, I no longer feel my hands and that's a good thing because when they do warm up, they've moved from aching to actual pain. Quinn and I e-mailed, she's in the same boat...joints aching from use/abuse, weary from slogging through snow to tend to the animals, exhausted sleep. Heck, it's winter in Vermont for her and it's winter in Appalachia for me...although, come to think of it, it might be winter in Appalachia for her as well. hmmmm...

Sam and Sadie wear their sweaters when we go outside; Sadie is cheerful about wearing her sweater but sometimes Sam says NO! He's funny, I'll call him, "Come Sam, put on your sweater" and he'll look at me, lower his head and turn his back. That's when I say, so freeze you ejit! The dogs are standing in one of two bare spots, where the wind blew the snow off the ground. 

Tonight there were thirteen deer at Daddy John's silage pit; the snow is laying deep and it's getting harder and harder for the deer to find food. Sometimes you can see them lined up with the cattle, eating hay that's been spread on the ground.

VA Dept of Highways and Transportation have a plow or snow blower, not sure what it's called but it's fabulous! When the driver came to my driveway, he stopped the blower so he didn't block my driveway...BLESS HIM!

After morning chores, on my hands and knees I...and the Good Lord above...worked on getting the snow and ice away from the granary doors so I could get the 4-Runner out. It took a lot of work, a lot of prayer but, eventually I was successful and drove down to Daddy John's to ask a favor. I asked if he would use his tractor to mush down the snow in my driveway because the young men are delivering a load of black locust to my back porch tomorrow (!!!!!!!!!!...ah, excuse me while I have a joyful fit!) but the driveway was full of snow. He said, "No problem, I told you to let me know when you needed help."

Well, I hate to ask unless it's something I simply cannot do and I don't want to wear out my welcome so I'm sparing when it comes to asking for favors. When I came home from errands (dog food, cat food, cat litter, dog treats, and coffee and apples for me), the driveway was PLOWED! Daddy John didn't just mush down the snow...he PLOWED the driveway! O HALLELUJAH! I drove my car right up to the back porch, unloaded the not so heavy stuff and will ask the young men if they'll unload the dog food and cat litter tomorrow. (I'm saving my strength to carry square bales of hay to the horses...not kidding either.) I'm fixing the youngin's a pan of shortbread to hand to them with their money. (pssssttt...they charge $70 for a truckload of black locust that they deliver and stack exactly where I want it! jealous yet?)

I know this post is disjointed and stiff but I'm just happy to still be able to do what I do. I go to bed early, get up early and in between time do physical labor better suited for someone half my age. Thank God I'm able to do it but, yes, I am looking forward to warmer temps and, eventually, spring. Weather report is calling for another six inches of snow by tomorrow late afternoon then a "wintry mix" which means cold, icy, sleety krap falling from the sky and making everything life threatening. I use two ski poles to get to the barn; the good news is every time I've fallen down, it hasn't hurt...blessing! I'm not even promising to visit around blogland...as Faith says, "I'm not being mean or anything but I. am. wore. slam. out and it's all I could do to give this update.

Your prayers are welcome, needed and greatly appreciated. If you're covered in snow, be careful and don't go if you don't have to go. Today was the first time off the farm since last Saturday and not sure when I'll be able to leave again but not sure I care much either. Someone asked me, "Oh, aren't you loving all that time to read, knit, etc." I hate to admit this but by the time I get in from chores, pretty much all I do is sit, stare out the window or listen to preaching and rest until it's time to go back out; thank God I'm able to go.

Be safe out there, ya hear.

Blessings ~ Daddy John plowed driveway ~ soft snow ~ able to go to town for errands ~ fire wood delivered ~ ski poles ~ birds at feeder ~ dog sweaters ~ considerate VDOT employees ~