Friday, January 16, 2009

Of Winter Gear and frosty mornings...

IT's COLD!

I've been trying to get up and do chores on my days off before Brian wakes up. He really needs to take it easy on his foot until after he's had his surgery on the 30th and recovered for 6 weeks. So this morning I glanced at the thermometer; -10 degrees, looked out the window; tree limbs waving in the wind- and wondered how many layers I could put on and still be able to walk.
Turtle neck, followed by polar fleece hoody, over leggings with sweatpants, 2 pairs of socks - 1 cotton, 1 insulated hunting socks. Next comes the Carhart subzero overalls, then the balaclava with the hood of my polar fleece jacket pulled up over it. Finally on top of it all was my Carhart coat. Add 2 pairs of knit gloves and boots. There that about does it. I can't find a scarf this morning.
I step over the dogs in front of the heater on my way out. They aren't moving. First I feed the big hogs and then the small hogs. They aren't moving either. They just look up at me from their hay nests and snuggle back down. Then up the driveway to check the cows and their babies. Everybody's up eating hay.
Nursing mommas need lots of water. The ice on the water trough in the barn has to be broken. It's nearly 6 inches thick. I close my eyes with every whack of the pick to avoid getting ice slivers in my eyes.
By now my eye lashes are full of frost. Thank goodness there is a heater in the other water trough. A couple of bucket of water from the heated trough get carried over to the mommas' trough in the barn. Then a quick head count of cows, horses and sheep and I'm headed back to the house.
I stop on the way to feed the cats and fill the bird feeders...
Here is a "self portrait"! Note the frost in my hair!
IT's really COLD! :)


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