Almost Down for the Count

It was marginally warmer this morning...

about 23, where it stuck all day until about an hour ago, when it went to 25.  At 6:15, that's pretty late. 

We are staying here for about 3 more days, then back up into the thirties. 

As you all are suffering right along with us... my condolences!

What the kitchen is going to look like for the next few days. 

I'll tell you a funny story about the metal waterers.  I don't usually bring them in, but last night when I went to dump them, I realized they were frozen together.  I brought them into the kitchen to thaw out over night... they did.  I emptied them.  This morning, I took them out one by one as I was carrying warm water. 

By the time I was ready to fill them five minutes later... they had frozen together outside!!!!  I had to put some plastic waterers together to take care of the old henhouse birds, and bring these back inside to thaw out again.  

Whew. 

Swamplandia is now Icelandia... see all the chunks I've been breaking out of the waterers for the ducks?  I've taken them buckets 4 times a day the last two days, and three times today.  I did dump that deep waterer tonight... and left them a regular fortex.... the deep one will be filled first thing in the morning. 

Normally I would not worry about the henspa hens, their house is tight and warm... but the last two mornings I have gone in there and found the waterer empty on it's heater base. 

So much gunk had built up, and it was not balanced right.  I unplugged it (and a lucky thing, too) because the heater base was full of water that had run down into the black container on the floor.  The container itself had a ring of ice and straw in it... and I ended up taking the whole thing outside, dumping it all.... and then leaving the heater base and the black container to dry out thoroughly.  The waterer was refilled and put on some bricks to hold it above the straw until the other two pieces had dried.  You see it here, dried out and in use again. 

My little helper was with me. 

And another little helper was following us around while I waited for the light to fade. 

Windy is in heat again, and Delilah was being very nasty, trying to mount her and slobbering all over herself. 

Keith and I had to go out for a while this afternoon, so we got Dee out of the pen and left the babies in, so Windy could have some peace.  

When we put her back... the behavior started again, so I got Windy out and kept her out while I did chores.

It's tiresome, and I'm afraid Dee will hurt Windy, as she hooks and lifts her and pushes her around, all the time slobbering. 

I tried to put Windy in the feed room with Butch and our Polish girl tonight, but Windy was not happy in there, and eventually, I put her back in the pen with the other goats, and they are all now in the barn, as it's drippy out. 

The little birds are really eating at the feeders again... I filled the nyjer feeder this morning, and you can see it's down by two inches already. 

Here are some bluebirds drinking on the deck yesterday morning, two males and two females.  I promised Keith I would not feed on the deck this year, but I am keeping warm water available for the birds. 

While the goldfinches are the ones who are eating the nyjer seed. 

What is this beautiful bird?  I have forgotten!

You see we had a little sun yesterday, but none today, and today's pictures did not come out as well. 

By the time we got home from our shopping trip, the top of the waterer had frozen over.  

When I'm home, I check it frequently and put warm water in it. 

Here's another vignette in the living room.  The branches you see are not on their floral foam yet, I will get that this week... but that's the lamp I spray-painted last December to match the winter scene on the 

lamp shade, which is Christmas-y

and the bowl and pitcher are from my friend Deb of The Three Little Pugs, who sent them to me when I bid on a box in a fund raiser.  They go well with the lamp!  I'll have M and M's in the pottery bowl this week. 

Keith and I are worn out tonight from our "stroll" through a very large local mall... 30 miles from us... but we have finished our Christmas shopping except for 3 gift certificates on my part... and now all we have left to do is a bit of wrapping. 

Whew, again!  

Everyone be safe in the cold this week!