Baby It's Cold Outside

Brr.  I am still shivering after my nightly visit to the barn.  The water froze solid a week ago, so the bucket brigade has begun again.  It was so cold yesterday our phone line snapped in the ground.  The tech came today and strung a wire from the house over a tree and then to the box on the lawn.  He said he'll be back in the spring to repair it properly.  We have been totally spoilt by the unusually wam winters of the past few years.  I am hoping that alot of the worms in the field perish and I'll start off the season with cleaner pastures.  The cold has been taking its toll on the sheep as well.  I have been supplementing them this winter with shredded beet pulp with molasses and they just love it.  Most of the lambs have been moved into the barn to stay wam and fatten up for shearing and spring.  My spinning wheel has been humming away as I have had time to spin up some of my rovings and I will have some hanspun yarns for sale at Knitters' Frolic this April.  Enjoy some pics and stay warm.

Welcome 2011

The January thaw came in with avengence on New Year's Eve and is continuing today.  Much unwanted mud and puddles have emerged but also the water in the barn has thawed and we are no longer shivering in our boots.  Every year I hope for a good dumping of snow and then hope that it stays cold enough for it to last until springtime.  I feel sorry for the kids who can't get out and play on their sleds or skate on their backyard rinks.  The sheep seem to take it in stride.  The rams have a little island of hay around their feeder  to keep them dry while eating.  The girls have the same, but have to walk through the mud to get to the food.  We should have a freeze up tonight again and snow in the forecast for next week.  All in all it looks like 2011 is going to be a good year.  Enjoy the pics.