Winter Surprise!

Here it is, March 28, my monthly scrapbooking day with my Lawrence scrap group, and wham! Winter comes back to remind us she is not gone yet! The US is experiencing ice and snow over much of the country, and Kansas is not alone. We had sleet most of the morning, and it has now turned to big fat snowflakes, and the green grass is rapidly disappearing! If it weren't so darn cold and miserable, it would be beautiful!

The dogs are in and the cats, and we have checked the chickens several times today to make sure they are fine. Beau was in the yard for a while, but was turning into a Palomino icicle, so I moved him into his little barn and told him to STAY PUT! in my strictest voice! We put his feed and some water in a fortex for him inside the barn, and I cleaned his big heated trough yesterday while waiting for the vet to come. So far he has minded me, and I see his head down out there, so he must be eating a little. He has enough space to get back on dry bedding, out of the storm, and out of the elements. The only creatures stirring are the ducks and geese, who have been going back and forth all morning, unbothered by the elements. The chickens are smart, and are in their house eating and drinking where it's warmer and dry. The new birds are still in the little henhouse, but their warm light is turned on, and when I checked them, they were all underneath it, staying nicely warm.

This week saw Isis pass, for whatever she had going on with her finally got to be too much. She had not been right for weeks... and we noticed that she held her body close to the ground when she walked. She was not able to fly up to the roost, and slept in the corner of the henhouse. Tuesday I realized she was weak, and put her back under the warm light of the nursing cage, and told husband she was not looking good. She had been such a beautiful good girl that we hated to put her down, but it was resolved for us, and Wednesday she was gone when I went out to open up and do morning chores. It felt as if she had two weeks worth of eggs in her, despite 13 years of chicken keeping, I had never come up against that before. I wish I had had the courage to open her up and see what was going on.

The flakes are huge now, and maybe we will really accumulate two to four inches. It will be gone by tomorrow, as it is supposed to get up to 44 degrees. I hope so, I am ready for spring. We didn't get the plowed garden tilled, so I am going to call the man back and have him come and do it sometime this week, and then be ready to start my garden for the year.

March Madness... so back to the tv to watch the games!