Winter Wonderland 2019

Wow, we are off to some start. 

The view from the front door as I stepped onto the porch this morning. 

We got four inches, see the railings? 

However, it's still coming down lightly. 

The crazy thing is, it's 30 degrees out.  The weathermen even 

told us that it would melt by Monday. 

Hope the kids are enjoying it. 

As you see, my yardlight was still on. 

Between the Hen Spa and the little hen house. 

So beautiful. 

These guys are suffering the most, they graze all day long 

in the yard and pasture.  

They can't get to the grass.... so... I went to the commissary yesterday 

and stocked up on cabbage leaves, and romaine.  They had a head of 

romaine this morning, and I just took cabbage leaves out to them and 

tore them into pieces, they are sleeping under the front porch of the 

hen spa. 

I actually filled both pools, which are on opposite sides of the yard, because I 

knew the starlings were going to need water. 

(They drink from a fortex I also filled). 

I left all the chickens in (they hate me now) and 

left the sheep locked in their pen.  They have plenty of 

good hay in their barn to keep them happy, and I'll take 

their grain out about 3 PM.  

They are staying in the barn, but have a heated bucket for water. 

The fencelines are gorgeous. 

It's hard for me to trudge back and forth, though. 

I have shoveled a path on the deck, and shoveled the front and 

side decks of the Hen Spa, and shoveled all the steps, I'll treat them 

with salt before it gets dark tonight. 

I could see where the cats had come back and forth in the night, 

and there was still some food left on the porch this morning. 

All of the cats are in such good flesh, though, that I am not worrying too much. 

I know one or two are sleeping in the little red hen house, I can see where they have made beds in the straw. 

And remember, there is a heated dog bowl on the porch for them (and the raccoons and possums). 

I saw only two raccoons on camera last night, and only one possum, the big white one, but 

four of the cats visited to eat. 

I have big plans for this garden, this year. 

It has to be protected from the chickens, so 

Chris and I are going to fence it with tee posts and 

snow fence, that can be easily removed at the end of the season. 

And..... now, I have watched a few videos about wooden snow fencing, 

and I am thinking that maybe I should make an investment and fence it 

off with livestock panels. 

Still thinking about this. 

We would have to fence clear around where you see the upright 

panels, which our beans and peas used to climb. 

Keith was very clever.  

Unfortunately, a wild rose has gained ground in that far upright bed 

on the right, and no matter how I have dug, I cannot uproot it. 

This rose bush, in a picture I took on Thursday evening. 

In the evening, I have as many as eight pair of cardinals eating at the feeder. 

I am going to try to get some pictures of the (hundreds) of birds feeding today. 

I stocked up on all feeds at the feed store on Wednesday, in anticipation of the weekend. 

Like I said, it isn't the temp today, it is the snow making it hard on everyone. 

If we can hang on for forty eight hours, I think it will all melt and fill my well. 

My big doll (Lilly Ann) on the couch last night. 

She came out for a good while in the snow this morning, but it sticks all over her, 

and she got worn out pretty quickly. 

She is sound asleep on her bed right now. 

(Keith was a Cyclone) 

I'm telling you, it's a pretty glamorous life!