How cold is it? Feb 2016

I was amazed.  By the end of 2015 we had had just a scant bit of snow, leaving Winter to look like a bust.  Since then the temps have been all over the map.  Up into the 40s and 50s, then plummeting into the teens and less.

 I counted our blessings when we only got about 18" last week, barely missing the bulk of a storm that dropped over three feet of snow just 20 minutes east of us.  Once the wind laid, DH was able to get out and clear a small area for the goat girls to play in (no fun to drag pregnant tummies in the deep snow).  I wish I had my camera as they bounced and froliced around him, so happy to see him, so happy to get outside to play!

The weather changed abruptly.  Bitter temps and high winds caused dangerous conditions for all the beings on the farm.  Extra hay was added to all the coops and stalls, providing protection and a nice warm bed to snuggle down into with friends and family.
How cold is it?  Air temps averaged 3F yesterday.  This morning, the thermometer indicated that it was -11F. So how cold is it?  It was cold enough to take a warm egg out from under a hen, and, by the time it took to walk with it back to the house, it had froze and cracked. 

Holy CATS!  That's cold.
I think it may be a good day to find warm things to do inside the house.

Just a little snow

It looks like the snow has finally stopped.  Before letting the girls out for the day, we cleared a trail leading to the hay crib (goat girls) and scratch (chickies).  To see if they would voluntarily walk in the snow, a right angled path was cut.  Sure enough, rather than getting their feet mussed, the little goat girls carefully picked their way down the trail.  It should be said that the snow in the pasture is not much more than a few inches deep.

Stay on the path Jellybean!  Snow monsters might be hiding in those drifts!

Wadya mean Back Up?  You Back UP!

Guess this is why we call them Princesses.

Fort Chicken

with all the snow we've been getting lately, it wasn't any time at all before the chicken yard was buried beneath a couple of feet of snow.  It was so sad to see the little chicken girls peeking over the drift  that had pushed against their door.

 Breaking up the drifts into small, shovel sized blocks it took around an hour to clear a play area approximately 8x6.

 Bit-by-bit, the blocks were carefully placed to make a four foot wall surrounding the play yard.  While constructing, I was thinking about the snow forts we made when we were kids.  To make clearing the driveways and sidewalks more like a game, we would carefully cut snow blocks with our shovels and stack them one-after-another on either side forming a great hallways.  When the work was done, we'd take the blocks and build turrets and fortifications.

Fort Ameraucana is ready.  Release the chickens!

Goats in the snow

A few postings back I mentioned that the goat girls weren't all that thrilled with walking in the cold, wet snow.  Even though they've been in and out for several weeks now, they still step slowly through.  If you listen carefully, you can hear them muttering to themselves as they gingerly put one foot before the other.
Each day when I put their snacks outside, I've been placing the hay barrel and Christmas tree snacks a little farther away from the barn.  The girls begrudgingly follow me out, are delighted with their reward.  Still not happy with standing in the snow, they'll pull hay out of the barrel just to stand on it.  The best happened yesterday afternoon when Fluffy dumped out the Christmas tree snack tray so that she could stand inside the tray and continue to eat the snacks spilled out onto the snow. 

The snow is beginning to melt and come off the buildings.  One has to be careful when working or walking beside one of these hazards.  A sudden avalanche can knock the wind out of you or worse.  When putting the girls outside during the day, we make a special effort to keep them away from the sides of the buildings.  A snow slide could easily kill one of them.

It's a little hard to see, but this wall of snow is what came off the roof Saturday afternoon.  Three feet deep, 30 feet long, and about 15 feet away from the side of the barn, the bulk of the snow came flying off to land out here with only a smaller amount landing closer.  Consider this: one square foot of wet snow can weigh as much as 21 lbs.  This single load weighs about a ton and a half.  No wonder buildings give way under their load!  (Read more here)  If you find yourself needing to clear away the snow, please be careful...and keep an eye out for what may be lurking above.

Still Winter here

I've been watching the thermometer bounce up and down between painfully cold and where wearing a light sweatshirt will suffice.  Today, though a bit overcast, feels reasonably warm.  Traveling down the snowshoe trails, one sees evidence of the forest critters finally coming out of their hiding places. 

In the early morning, while walking the trails you can hear the ice cracking and water moving beneath the snowpack.  Periodically, you hear the chatter of the small rodents as they hurry along in their snow tunnels.  As the snow melts away, these tunnels stand out like veins until they finally collapse, exposing the trails and winter stashes collected there.  According to the local statistics, we've had nearly 100" of snow this winter.  Some areas just East and South of us have had more, so we're grateful for the lot we drew. 

New Year's blizzard

At five this morning, there was a light dusting of snow on the ground.  The skies were dark blue-grey with a slightly brighter sliver along the eastern horizon.  The weatherman had forecasted five to twelve inches in the next 24 hours.  All doubts were set aside when the blizzard suddenly struck just before six. 

The storm varied between light flurries and white out conditions until around nine when it settled into those fluffy flakes that are good for snow-shoeing and skiing but little else.  There was about six inches down by ten.  Winter can be so beautiful.

Happy New Year from My Happy Acres

Winter has settled on My Happy Acres, putting the land and forest to a nice cool sleep.  As you recall, this last Summer was quite dry so seeing the snows come are a relief to many of us concerned about our wells and ground water reserves.  Besides, it's quite pretty to enjoy either out in it or from a warm window.

I understand that snow is not necessarily everyone's cup of tea but it does serve an important purpose.  Snow protects the ground from evaporation, keeping it warm while harsh winds blow.  Remember those lovely snow flakes?  They start their lives out as a bit of dust, soot, or other mucky bits blowing about in the air.  As water condenses on the surface, ice begins to form, creating the lovely patterns we are all familiar with.  (Want to see some cool pictures?  Go to: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/photogalleries/snowflakes/ )

As the snow slowly melts, it gently percolates down into the soil, slowly watering and rejuvenating the land.  Deep water tables are replenished over time.  Without snow,  the water tables would dry up along with rivers, ponds, and lakes.  (Want to read more?  See how nature makes snow and how man made snow makers work at: http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/snow-sports/snow-maker1.htm)

Everyone enjoys Winter in his own way.  Some like to ski.  Some like to build forts and snowmen.  Snow mobiling is very popular in Central New York and is sometimes a necessity although we are blessed with living on a road that gets plowed semi-regularly.  Personally, we have found that snow shoeing is a nice way to quietly enjoy the snow fall. 

Whatever you decide, enjoy the company of friends and family, and have a blessed New Year.