Cold And Alive

Patrice is hosting Chat Number 123 and, after playing along, I'll do a little farm update. I'll admit right now, I'm fairly stunned...physically and emotionally...due to the terribly cold weather so any mistakes, my apologies.

1. How much baking did you do before/after Christmas? Do you get more inspired to bake when temps are cooler? I baked shortbread and carried it around to folks to say "thanks"; I'm still baking shortbread and carrying it around to folks to say "thanks". Good manners are never out of season, eh? I bake all year 'round, especially bread. The only thing grocery store bread is good for is croutons...and that's only if it's sturdy bread and not sliced white bread. Sliced white bread is what Carly and the dogs get for a treat, it can't be beat...a pound loaf of white bread for eighty-nine cents and treats galore!

2. Do you have any food intolerance or allergies? No food intolerance as far as physical limitations but I'm not crazy about liver. There are certain meds I cannot take, due to allergies.

3. When was the last time you were in a restaurant? Mary and I had lunch last week at a local place. It's going to be a while before we return, the place was nearly empty and service didn't exist. Trying to get the waiters attention was like trying to push molasses uphill, he seemed to be oblivious to the fact his tip was, directly, dependent upon his service.

4. What's your favorite accent? Patrice, I'm like you, a myna bird and can mimic folks when I've been around them for a little while. When Dave and I first met, he thought I was former CIA because I used English terms...in hospital instead of in the hospital, and because I cannot pronounce aluminium the American way, pronounce it the English way, etc. It took him a long time to become convinced otherwise...silly goose. -smile- My sheep, horses, dogs and cats understand me and I them.

5. My favorite ___ is ____.  Right now, my favorite thing is being warm...wonder what it feels like?

How cold has it been in your part of the country? At 7 a.m. this morning it was 20 degrees below zero; not sure what it was at 4 a.m. but it had to be colder and with the wind chill last night, it was around 30 below. I did the best I could to get the animals ready; extra hay was set out, Christmas trees were put out for the sheep, Carly got extra meds, grain and chicken scratch while Harry got extra chicken scratch and grain. I'm missing one of the guineas; not sure what's happened to it. By the way, Christmas trees, when stripped of all ornaments and not dyed, make excellent fodder for sheep, not for horses. They love the fresh green taste and some believe it aids in de-worming.

Even with the de-icer, the water still froze and my gloves instantly froze and any time I had to touch a lock, gate or fence, they stuck to the metal. Using Harry's black rubber water bucket (which was frozen solid), I bashed the three inch ice and managed to break enough to increase the drinking area. Tomorrow I'll let the sheep into the yard so they can drink from Carly's electric water bucket. I guess that means the alpacas will come too.

The horses have frozen whiskers and I have frozen nose hairs. TMI, is it?

Sadie is a Rhodesian Ridgeback and has a very short coat; she freezes in the winter so I gave her my scarf as well as her sweater. It helped keep the wind from going down her throat and back; she seemed to appreciate it. When I held it up to her the second time we went out, she immediately sat and waited for me to wrap it around her head.

Carly turns 20 this spring and I figured she'd not make it last night. Even with a wool coat, the temps were nasty and the wind shill nastier, yet at 6:00 a.m., she was at the back porch, bleating for her breakfast. She's a tough old ewe!

"The ancient white house with its steep roof and low eves 

looks like a ship anchored in a still, white sea." 

~ Gladys Tabor ~ 

Tonight is the second night of extremely cold temps but, so far, not much wind. The temps are supposed to get warmer...please God!...and my old bones are going to be grateful. Y'all stay warm and safe.

Blessings ~ heat ~ food ~ safety ~ well animals ~ Gladys Tabor ~