Archives for snow

Snowed In

Snowed In

February 27, 2013 | 17 Comments

Snow's so deep, the sheep won't leave the barn unless we make them. We break paths for them and lure them outdoors with hay on fair days. Today is not one of those days. It's been snowing sideways since I opened my eyes at 6 a.m. Fat, wet snow that shovels like concrete. Mike is scrambling to clear the driveway before this switches over to rain later – then we'll have a hot mess on our hands. A cold mess, I should say. It's been a wind-roaring, snow falling, frost heaving, ice damming, nose freezing winter – wearing us down
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Snow Pups

Snow Pups

October 28, 2011 | 25 Comments

Our puppies reveled in their first snowfall. A dusting of 4 inches stuck to the ground here in the highlands. OMG what a surprise for two rambunctious pupsters at first light! Hard to get a picture of them standing still, but I thought you'd enjoy watching their morning play in their transformed back yard. Now I'm off to visit the sheep. Happy Friday.
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Whoa, Snow!

Whoa, Snow!

February 4, 2011 | 9 Comments

Winter is causing an UNREAL amount of trouble. I know we're not alone in this, as this week's back-to-back storms have affected so many. We are simply running out of places to put snow. The sheep are faring well, but they are yarded up and not venturing out into the paddocks. We were in the single frigits this morning, but temperatures here are expected to reach the low 30's today, hopefully enough to break up the crusty snow and give the flock more room to stretch their legs.   I'm ordinarily a winter fan, but this year is trying our
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On Snow & Ice & Sheep

On Snow & Ice & Sheep

January 18, 2011 | 9 Comments

 Another Snow Day . . . Driving in snow doesn't scare me. Eating outdoors in a snow storm doesn't bother sheep. Mike and I did morning chores today during the "snow" portion of today's storm. Even though the photo looks grey and dismal, it was lovely, really. Just four inches of flour-y powder. Wind, not so bad. The "ice" portion of today's storm is hitting now. Crystal pellets are pinging off the windows in my study as I write. I'm sure the sheep have retreated to the barn where we stashed extra servings of hay. It saves us another trip
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Holiday Weekend

Holiday Weekend

December 26, 2010 | 7 Comments

A few scenes from Christmas day at the farm. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. We're getting hammered tonight with the first blizzard of the year. Tomorrow will be busy, plowing, shoveling, snow blowing. But for tonight, I'm just enjoying the storm as the holiday weekend winds down, crossing my fingers that we don't lose power.
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Wind & Snow

Wind & Snow

January 3, 2010 | 3 Comments

For hours I've been watching this poor guy. He's trying remain upright in a strong wind in order to glean the millet and sunflower seeds that have blown onto the ground from the feeder which has been blowing sideways all morning. Hellacious wind all night and right through morning has caused some crazy drifitng. This bird, the only one I can see from my window today, must be very hungry indeed to spend many calories fighting for a meal. I'm reading Elizabeth Marshall Thomas' book, The Hidden Life of Deer which is making me think about wildlife's struggle for survival
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First Snow

First Snow

December 6, 2009 | 5 Comments

The first winter storm is magical and wonderfully transforming. Ours arrived yesterday morning with a sprinkling of confectionary flakes during chores. The intensity built throughout the day and by evening we were blanketed with an inch or so. Several inches fell during the night. So pretty to wake up to a winter landscape. Cocoa, in her 12th year, led the flock out of the barn as I placed hay around the paddock. No one had yet ventured out, but she was eager to follow the hay sleigh. The youngsters needed persuasion. I waved the flakes to coax them from the
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