A Winter's Day

The old henyard is looking pretty depressing again, after a week of sub-zero temps. 

The ducks are NOT happy. 

They are eating feed, but they are not happy about not going out into the pasture. 

Tomorrow, they go. 

I was gone all day today again. 

You see that I made them a barricade from the north wind, but in truth...

they are sleeping here:

On the south side of the henhouse, in the bed of prairie hay and straw I put there for them. If you look at the tree in the middle, you'll see Cinnamon and Spice. 

They did go in the "duck house"... the large doghouse you see in the top picture, which was made for our former ducks... on the nights when it started to plunge.  That's why I put the bales of straw there, for a windbreak. 

This plucky little girl, Abby... is feeling so much better after her dental procedure last week. The vet had told me before Christmas that he felt she was being made sick by the bad teeth... and I can tell you that she has been full of vinegar after the teeth came out (5).  One was very badly infected.  She has taken all her 

antibiotics, and you see she is eager to get back to the business of being the Associate Protector of Us All. 

I did not let the birds out of the henhouse today because it was still cold this morning, though for the next five days we are going to the 40's! 

Here's the other reason the birds from the old henhouse were not released:

And the ducks were not let out in the pasture. 

I got the binocs out, and I believe it is an owl. 

A big owl.  I saw his head swivel around to look behind him. 

He was there again this afternoon when I got home from the hospital. 

A better shot of the buds, and the clearing skies. 

However, we are under a winter advisory until morning, because of a wintry mix of rain/snow. 

THEN the forties for the next few days. 

'

But sunset tonight was beautiful, and I have had time these last few days to look at seed catalogs while sitting with my brother, and decide what to fill those beds in this picture this year. 

I apologize for not getting around to everyone's blogs... I'll try to do so tomorrow... 

Thanks from my heart for all your comments. 

Folks, we are still sick here... we are on day five.  Keith has been sick all week, but did manage to go to his office yesterday afternoon and this afternoon.  I don't know how he did it.  He is NOT a big baby, but this stuff we have has knocked us both for a loop.  We are living on Nyquil at the moment. 

I missed work yesterday and today, and am as weak as a puppy.  The little girls are going crazy with being cooped up and no one to play, so they are NOT being very easy to get along with at the moment.  Thank heavens for quiet Bessie.

I made myself go out to do chores this afternoon, because I knew Keith was exhausted.  It took me almost an hour to zombie-walk around the place, and I didn't do everything. The llama tank was nasty.. and Azzie had pulled the heater out of it again.  I did not have the strength to dump it and carry clean water to it, we'll have to wait until tomorrow.  I asked Keith to put a bucket in it, and he was able to do that.  I have coughed so much that it hurts to breathe.  Thank God it's the weekend.

This cheered me up immensely.. the buds are now swelling!

The Naughty Girls flew up to the fence to greet me.  I am praying we don't lose these little girls who are now almost a year old, as I want to make a breeding trio with Boots.  The D'Uccles are wonderful little birds, friendly, and chatter to you constantly. 

More proof we have rounded the corner to spring!

The Yard Guard was on duty all day, here she is howling at a siren as I trudged behind her.

Here are the birds from the "Black and White" flock, the descendents of our Japanese bantams, Fred and Wilma and Little Fred, who was a girl.

Here's our new little girl, ready to go in the house.  I had to walk all the way from the henhouse, because she was standing at the door and barking, because she thought I was inside.  I wanted to curl up on a porch chair and go to sleep!  I did let her in, and went back out to do water.  Here's the weird thing... the starlings are now leaving feed... but drinking the water.  It was in the high 50's today, and will be back down in the 40's tomorrow, so I guess they'll eat the feed then, too.

It's 8:15, so I am going to call it a day, take some Nyquil, and go to BED.  I hope by tomorrow we'll be back to our normal selves, or nearly so!