I’d said that the weatherman had down graded our blizzard…he was wrong! It’s a little hard to tell but it looks like we have over a foot of snow now and it’s still blowing like crazy. Looking at radar, it looks like it’s turning around and coming back right over the top of us. We’re already snowed in, a few more inches of blowing snow won’t make any more difference to us. But….
I do worry about the cattle and the horses and the beautiful people who take care of them in wind like this. The horses will find shelter but the cows will walk with the wind behind them and pile up on each other if they come to fences. Dumb old cows. I love those guys.
One thing I don’t miss from my younger days is feeding livestock in weather like this. I was the smallest of all the kids so I drove the horses pulling the hay wagon, my brothers and sisters had to do the real work of pulling hay off the wagon with hay forks. But the real work kept a person moving and warm. My job was to stand in front of the wagon seat, the reins of six draft horses in my hands, and make sure we went the right way. Talk about a humbling of character to go out into the elements and take care of living, breathing spirits who don’t really seem to mind it all that much.
Well, I baked all day today. I had a ball but I’ll have to freeze most of it. We’re snowed in. Nobody’s getting in or out for a while. Not until this wind lets up.
The puppies are beat, they were out playing a big share of the day, in and out, in and out of the house. Even huge Oliver had to plow through the snow. He puts his nose into the snow and runs like a plow, he got stuck a few times, it’s pretty deep in drifts. Very funny to see. He and Frankie are loving their first winter. Tilli went out, too, but the snow is too much for her. She stayed in the shallower parts along the patio. And the cats? They sit and watch, trying to catch snowflakes with their paws. Meela was the funniest. She was watching the wind blow the snow in circles. Eyes and head this way, then that way, then up and around. They are the entertainment.
Stay safe and stay warm. Merry Christmas, Everybody! – Darcie
Dear Darcie,
Thanks so much for your “dish”, I enjoy reading it very much and find your advice on target always. Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones…Would you kindly devote a little space in one of your columns to weather and our dogs….especially winter, cold and snow exposure. No doubt some common sense prevails, if the snow is too much for me, it’s too much for my buddies but how much cold and snow can their paws take? I won’t use botties, they’re too silly and to be honest the dogs hate them so how much exposure can the boys really take?
Thanks as always! jb