Bitter Beauty

Western Washington is in the midst of a cold snap, and maybe it's just because I have to be out in it a few times each day doing chores, but I think it's the coldest I've ever experienced. Highs below 30 degrees, lows in the teens, and today, blowing snow. Pretty, certainly. But dang cold, and inconvenient to boot. The chickens eggs are freezing in the coops, all the waterers are frozen (save for the big trough, which now has a pricey little electric de-icer in it), the dogs and even Tom the cat don't want to go outside.

I suppose there is a bright side...we're able to make note of what things about our farm setup do not work for us, such as the lack of electricity and water out in the barn, limited bedding for the cows in the stalls (except for the really straw-y bales we discovered lower in our stacks, which the girls won't eat), my lack of appropriate foul weather farm wear. Note to Santa...next year I'd really really really like power and water in the barn. Pretty please?! I'll be a very good girl!

I'm thankful I live where I do and not in the Northeast or Upper Midwest where our storm would be a blessing to them. I am also delighting in the squeals of our neighbors, who are pulling their children on inner tubes behind the tractor at full speed, or my neighbor boy who was able to drag his sled around on our empty country road. Even the sound of another neighbor taking his little boy on a fast ride down the road on their quad...something you don't ever see in the city!

And I'm thankful our cows don't really mind the snow...the calves race and play, and Bridgit's been eating non-stop, not even minding the dusting of snow on her coat. Better her than me!