snow in the night - stealthy

Four inches or more of snow as a greeting in the morning, later the power went off for three hours. I went ahead and fired up the wood stove as I figured that if I did so, surely the power would come back on. Indeed, just after I shoved a nice oak piece into the stove, the power returned! My neighbor's tractor is broken down, well, the blade is almost breaking off; so my road was pristine when the dogs and I walked up for the mail. It was ice about 3 inches down from the compressed snow - slippery.Chickens still reluctant to venture out even after I cleared more ground! Looking forward to Monday when temperatures are due to rise and rain come.

in anticipation of sun

I have wash hanging from the line on my upstairs porch; I have cleaned the chickens block of ice out of their drinking tub and given them fresh water and cleared a small area of their yard, tossed scraps accumulated the last few days. Since the heavy rain that woke me in the night did little to melt the inch or so of snow and sleet covering the road, I plan to throw out some salt. The road looks better than I had imagined, as Robin had scraped the snow from Tuesday off. But I do need to walk up to see if it hasn't drifted something fierce in the last bend before the spot that was the barn. Later.

most fickle tempest

Absolute mayhem in the skies: sleet and snow, all sleet, all snow, then blustery snow and ice. The temperature mercifully is 22 which after zero seems kind. Sometime this afternoon we are due for strictly rain. I don't begin to fool myself into believing that an afternoon of rain will melt away the 2 inches of snow and ice. It is heavy stuff to shovel, so I have not. And the conglomeration has no doubt fouled my sled run which was fun yesterday afternoon. My chickens look weary of their shut in life, or I project. I am thinking of a nap.

zero and the year of the sheep or goat

We're all accounted for here in the hollow; I have even counted the chickens (10) who huddle in their smelly straw strewn coop.  Bundled up, I can hardly see my feet which disturbs my balance on the narrow path to the hens as I shift the kettle of boiling water from hand to hand to pour over their block of ice.I also tossed a cup of cracked corn underneath the bird feeder where doves, cardinals, junco nod  congregate, a flock of winter dulled gold finch decorate the branches of the red bud. A pair of jays come now that the cold has settled in, and the downy woodpeckers are frequent visitors to the suet cages. Usually in the afternoon house wren comes, and I've forgot to mention the chickadees and titmouse and upside down nuthatch. Along with the gold finch are two couples of house finch. I haven't seen yet this winter the red bellied woodpecker couple who were visitors in past winters. Now I do have sparrows who also prefer the ground to the acrobatics of the swinging feeder.

This was the road yesterday; today there is an inch more snow. I'll wait for the sun to walk to get the mail with the dogs - the high only forecast to be 10 degrees.

news of the sun

An email this morning from further west speaks of the sun. I will salute. While long legged Mojo bounded thru the 8 inches of snow, Mr. Lee ran only to the end of my hastily dug path and back. I walked a heel to toe walk to the chicken house and back to forge a way without the shovel. It is lovely powder. I will have to sled.
Robin cleared the road and my cold water in the kitchen sink is unfrozen! A bit of Mardi Gras revelry in the hollow. Now waiting to hear from Alma about mail delivery so that the dogs and i can have a good walk. Want to check out the ice on the river, but may wait a few days for that venture. Mr. Lee accumulates too much snow on his fur to make it to the river and back. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

light light snow

The figures range from 6" to 12" of snow through tomorrow. I wouldn't mind but for the arctic blast that is shaping up to bring minus temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday. Even the dogs don't want to go for a walk when I go out to pour boiling water on the chicken's tub of ice. I did this morning wheel a load of fire wood to the side of the house covered with plastic. And so I am prepared, just praying heavily for power to stay with the hollow!
I will take a picture when there is a prompt. Close to 3" at 4 PM have fallen.

Valentine's Day

This day, an hiatus from bitter cold, still the wind feels breathed from ice. Ah, but tomorrow bears getting through - maybe 9 degrees in morning, wind chill - double digits below zero. Alma came for lunch instead of dinner because she worried that by early afternoon snow flurries would descend upon us - and she has duties to secure her chickens for the freezing night. Alma brought some delicious custard that she had made - what a treat.
I got fantastic Valentine pictures of all my grand children - full heart.

artic wind careens

Snow flurries from all directions, then blue sky, then storm heavy, the temperature plummets. I've posted the forecast low temperatures for the next several days next to the kitchen faucet with command: DRIP THE WATER! I hope to avoid the frozen hot water downstairs the day before I left for Dominican Republic. I have not wheeled a load of wood to the back door, insurance against power outage - which I should do, I suppose. I do plan to take a warm bath, just in case, and for mental health! I love to watch snow flurries while soaking in the tub. It was when I most enjoyed the hot tub. I scattered more straw in the hen house, for more insulation - and hung a piece of plastic against their door.

another warm day

This weekend was filled with qigong in Blacksburg, so today was for Mr. Lee and Mojo. Alma did come to take them for a walk on both days; but by the time I got home they were hungry and happy for a short walk in the dark. I am still trying to coax Mr. Lee to face the camera instead of barking at invisible river monsters.  I did the "stand by the stream" standing pose watching the water rush around the rocks.The qigong Saturday and Sunday was strenuous, not so much as to raise sweat, but knees are a bit sore. I just feel like I need a slow day and a good night's sleep.This morning I did follow our warm up routine, in hopes of imprinting the set for class on Tuesday morning. I'll go over it again this evening in lieu of driving into Blacksburg for Robin's class. Yesterday evening when I checked to laying nests, there were 4 eggs!

A warm day in February!

I set up the camera on a rock, but as the timer ticked down Mr. Lee wiggled out of the frame! A fine day for a walk and a tangerine at the river. I sense  my soul growing fat as I walk the old logging road. Singing in the flesh and bones.