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.