A Snowy, Blowy Day

This picture, taken just at dusk tonight, pretty much sums 

up the whole day. 

That's the dining room light reflected in the back door. 

Lilly looks pretty forlorn, but actually, she was about to eat her dinner.  She likes to 

eat it on the back porch, even in the blowing snow. 

We didn't get that much accumulation, but it blew almost all day, 

and is miserably cold. 

This happy picture greeted me today when I got to the old place. 

Silver, at least, has figured out how to roost. 

I was as proud as a parent of her. 

I stopped at Orschelns on the way out there, and bought a heater base... you know, one of those things we SOLD IN THE SALES these last few months. 

However... that heater base will pay for itself this week, when we dip to zero degrees at night. 

It will keep the water drinkable and I won't have to worry about the birds all day. 

There is also a heat lamp on... and I suspect the birds will take advantage of it 

tonight. 

They are all moving around freely, now.  No eggs yet, but I didn't really expect them. 

On top of it, I don't know how to set the lights on a timer.  Still trying to figure that out. 

The light coming on early would stimulate the hens to lay. 

I looked out the window of the henhouse, and saw little birds under the old 

feeder.  I took some scratch out there and sprinkled it around (you can see it in the snow). 

Within five minutes, look who was out there! 

After I finished with the chickens, I ran down to Tongie and bought a 

five pound bag of sunflower seed to sprinkle out there. 

The little birds were all over the water standing in the drive... that will turn to ice tonight.  I'll be parking at the gate tomorrow, and walking across the yard. 

I didn't forget the birds here at home, either, and spread fresh seed when I got home... I had already shoveled the sidewalk off.  

However... since I took that picture, it has snowed for hours and the patio is covered now... I'll have to shovel in the morning again and spread more grain. 

As I looked out off and on, there were probably a hundred birds out there eating. 

My friend didn't realize it, but she has two roosters, a blue and a black. 

There has been no sparring between them... and neither has crowed.  Having had 

my sixteen roosters until a year ago... I was used to roosters crowing constantly. 

I spread feed in the straw and topped the bowl off... they are all set until 

I go out there tomorrow, and that won't be until the roads are cleared. 

Here is one thing that I don't miss... the patio we had poured two years ago was so slick last year that I had to walk down the east steps and clear around it every time I went out in the winter.  I did it again today, too, because falling is the thing that scares me the most.  

It's a wonderful patio... just not in the winter. 

Can you see the geese huddling against the bank on this pond at the end of our street?  They were the only geese on the pond this afternoon, and they were being blown against the shore. 

Today, Keith was going to take me to Wyandotte County Lake to take pictures of eagles... but the weather this weekend precluded all of that. 

"Why can't we go with you today, Mama????"

They were disappointed, but Jester does not need to be out in the cold and blowing winds. 

Everyone be safe! 

Happy February!