Weather Redux

Don't look now, Mr. Cardinal. 

It's snowing again. 

The voracious starlings don't give the junco flock or any of the other little birds a chance at the seed. 

Friend Jill tells me that 30 miles from here in Overland Park, she has no starlings at her feeder. 

As I know we have thousands in the neighborhood, I am not surprised, but it IS disheartening. 

They go home (wherever that is) at around 5 PM... and I spread some seed for the late eaters, the cardinals and the mourning doves.  It's disheartening AND expensive. 

We are told that we are descending into the freezer one more day... tomorrow, and then we are on a warming trend, with the forties predicted for Wednesday through next Sunday. 

I expect to see some snow melting at that point. 

This is a pretty picked over flat feeder. 

And the level in the can shrinketh. 

It's expensive, too, folks, though cheaper than last winter. 

I also mixed a 50 pound bag of scratch in with the two bags of Back Yard Blend. 

The Farm Assistant did fine in the snow yesterday, but had a very bad night last night, and is going to see the vet tomorrow.  Her mommy and daddy are pretty tired today, too. 

This is not a dog, a goat, or a bird.  This is Amber, youngest daughter, and our youngest grandson born December 13th... Carson Joel!  We were surprised by a phone call from the kids last night... they were at a shopping center fairly close to us, and as they live pretty far from us across the metro, we 

hurried through the last chores and went to have dinner with them.  I had not actually gotten to meet the baby yet, as every time Keith went to see him, I was doing chores.  I was glad to make his acquaintance, and as you see, he's a keeper!  Already smiling back at mom at 8 weeks! 

Big brother Jace went for Papaw as soon as he saw him... we ate at T REX, a dinosaur dinery... lots of loud noises and moving parts... and an hour wait for our food on Saturday night! 

You want us to do WHAT? 

The henspa chickens were let out after four days in yesterday (Saturday)... and a few took advantage. 

Today, it has been snowing since 9 AM... it's now 3:46 PM, and we have at least 2 - 2 1/2 inches of fresh snow obliterating my paths. 

I kept everyone in today, it was just easier for me.  I am about to gear up and go out and take treats to the birds and lettuce to the ducks, collect the eggs... and turn out the lights in the henhouses.  

We are predicted to have one more really cold day, and then the thermometer is going UP. 

Yesterday, I spent some time in the goat yard shoveling snow... for the last five days, they have had only a circle to walk in, around in a big circle in their yard.  Yesterday I uncovered the trough, and shoveled some of the other snow in the center.  You see they got some good fresh hay here.  However... I have hardly seen them since feeding this morning because it has now snowed all day long.  I'm going to take their warm water out, and their evening feed... and then hope they tuck themselves in.  Then on to the other chores.  I want to tuck MYSELF in, too! 

I know many of you are experiencing the same sort of thing... I can't remember a winter that has bothered us more, and we both have discussed this.  We had a terrible winter in 2009/2010... we had the llamas and Beau and Lilly horse then... (pony and mini)... and it was a very, very hard winter.  I had tank heaters, though... and that helped, because we simply topped the tanks off and there wasn't all the dumping of ice. In fact, the ducks and geese used the llama tank to drink from .  We don't have an outlet in the old henhouse to run a tank heater at this point. 

I am going to be 64 in August, and Keith will be 53 in September... and we wonder if it's getting close to time to downsize. 

I also appreciate everyone's comments about my toe... especially the frozen one.  Last week at my doctor's appointment, Reynaud's was mentioned... without a confirmation that that is what's happening.  I'll have another discussion with the doctor about it at my next appointment. 

Be safe out there!