BRRRRR! The Polar Vortex has Returned!

That was the view from my front door last Sunday, January 4. 

The storm started the afternoon of January 3rd. 

That was looking out towards the deck... I had tried to shovel a path, it was too soon. 

At least fourteen inches settled on the deck... I did manage to open a  path... and have used it all week. 

I have paths through the yard, but oh, the drifts were HORRIBLE. 

On Saturday and Sunday, during the worst parts of the blizzard, I went out to refill wild bird feeders and take care of my chickens at least six times each day. It was hard.

That is what my parking area looked like on Monday morning.  As you see, Bullseye went out... looked at the deep snow, said "Ooops" and ran right back inside. 

I managed to open up a tiny path and lo and behold... My neighbor Garry and his brother appeared in a Polaris with a blade!  They scraped a good path down my very, very long drive and over to the old hen house, which made my chores on that side so easy (!) this week. 

(What I forgot to tell you is that the car had no heat or defrost for a week, and the dealer could not get it in.  I had a tarp across the windshield to keep it from icing too badly. 

It was fixed on Friday in Tongie at the garage there, and I have HEAT again. )

Then Garry got out and shoveled enough snow that I could get to the car. 

I am so grateful to them. 

As of today, Sunday the 12th, the chickens have been in ten days.  I did open the door to the covered yard of the brooder house today to see if they wanted to come out in the air... 

the answer was... Uh, NO. 

And...I found possum tracks in the covered area... I think it has been under the hen house.  I may go out there this evening (at 4) and find it in the warm hen house with the chickens. 

This is not to say I have not gotten eggs all week. The rockstar Rhode Island Reds and Indio Gigantes did me proud.  There were actually nine for two days (all nine hens laying), one was in the closet. 

I have given away nine dozen eggs in the last three days. 

I am very, very disappointed in the Columbian Wyandottes, and would not raise them again, I get very few eggs from them. 

Yes, I know it's winter. 

I would gladly add more Rhodies and a few Marans. 

Having said that, I have come to understand that I am not going to be able to use the 

brooder house I bought last year another winter.  

Shoot, I did not know we could not load videos from our phones anymore thru Blogger, or I would show you.  I'll take some pictures out there when I do chores and you will see. 

When I bought the house, I intended to put it near the water pump, and near the large and small hen houses on the west side of the yard.  The cost to trench electricity from the barn came out at 4,000.00, and yes, you read that right.  I said no.  We ended up siting it just south of the garage, and next to the barn on its east side, to bring the electricity over.  Be aware of this if you buy a pre-made, and it is not wired, and keep in mind your costs to connect to electricity. 

There is about two feet of clearance between the garage and the brooder house.  It drifted DEEPLY and I had to shovel it in frigid circumstances.  The door froze and I had to shut it all week with a fencepost braced on the barn, until it thawed yesterday.  There are six hens and a rooster in there, but... I am going to have to re-home them, I think.  They are the hens who get out through the fence almost daily... and... this carrying water in bad weather (and carrying feed) has proven very hard for my seventy four year old bones. 

So. Many. Memes. 

We were indeed, closed, all highways were closed and it was terrible driving. 

I was home five days straight, and finally got out for birdseed and feed. 

My two youngest grands were out of school all week... they were supposed to go back on Friday, but there was freezing rain. 

Precip again Thursday night.  Yes, there were moments of beauty. 

I'm over winter. 

I have spent a fortune on wild bird food, and I'm not kidding. 

I'm embarrassed to admit how much.  I am trying to let them clean up some of the sunflower this afternoon. 

Wanda is living in the big hen house for the time being.  It is 34 out right now, and I would let her out... but I am afraid I could not get her back in. 

Our weather is diving tonight, and we will be up and down all week. 

If we could get a little bit of melting, I would consider letting some of the hens out, but... I don't think it will possible this week. 

The two warming lights in the barn, along with the heater and heated water dish, have kept everyone in there (three cats) safe for the week, better than I expected, in fact.  (That's Mama in the picture) 

I have not been dumping cat food into the bin at night like I usually do, I figure anyone struggling in this weather deserves a meal. 

(possums or raccoons) 

NOT KIDDING. 

And now... the pictures everyone was waiting for...

That is a bird bathing in my heated basin in the yard.  BATHING. 

It was about ten out at the time. 

I managed to dig the basin out two days later.  

I have another fortex of water out there I dump at night. 

I have seen a LOT of these guys, a whole murder, in fact. 

And these guys, who don't come in fair weather because the cats would get them. 

Three have been coming and I bought peanuts for them especially. 

It was sure beautiful, if you were not a little creature trying to survive. 

So many cardinals, and I am not kidding.  Probably seven pair out there one evening... they are always the last at the feeders so I put extra peanuts out for them. 

I just stopped typing long enough to go put more peanuts outside and the squirrels came down out of the maple almost as soon as I did. 

The joke is on me... I am watching one eating right now at the foot of the maple, and he is eating sunflower seed with a pile of peanuts next to him! 

Beauties. 

Stranger Creek valley to the east of me. 

Finches trying to eat during the storm.  They are on the balcony rail outside my window. 

Even the eagles looked cold.  

Saturday, Sunday and Monday, they must have been in their aerie. 

Tuesday, they were back on the comm tower. 

The wind was blowing their feathers. 

Looking opposite directions. 

Click on the pictures to make them bigger. 

And... just so you know... Chico runs up and down the plowed driveway to do his business, dragging his 20 foot long leash and MAMA right behind him.  He is not going to be eagle bait. 

I was standing at my back door, which is in my bedroom, trying to take these pictures with the camera and heavy lens, and freezing to death... I did not get very good ones. 

I love these majestic birds.  They were here this morning, but a friend stopped to get eggs about 2:30, and they were gone.  To see them in the air is to feel your heart in your throat. 

My friend Kim, who lives here in Leavenworth County, and her husband Mark, raise cattle.  They have had a week like me.   

She posted this last night and I laughed my head off.  

My feelings, exactly!

Stay safe out there, friends!  

And those who are in California... my heart goes out to you and yours for your terrible losses. 

I am joking about winter, but I am so very, very blessed, and I know it.