Tuesday, February 20, 2018

An Icy Day

Its been really cold here and everyday i am faced with the challenge of keeping the pigs warm and the waters fresh and free of ice. I look out first light and see the glossiness of the ice winking at me and think ugh here i go again. Magda has been here helping me since Sunday and her words felt 'bad assed' packing her sledge hammer as we both set out to hammer out the thick ice from out of the rubber water tubs in each and every paddock here. 22 paddocks with the average of three tubs of water per except the bigger pigs have big tubs and are able to free the ice on there own. Nothing worse then looking out there and seeing a water tub dragged by a little pot belly trying to free the ice and get a drink on there own. i And thankfully Chris left her snow sled here so we could load four pails of water on it at a time and get the water to them all without carrying it everywhere . Much easier as this sled glides and this old dog can be taught new tricks. The snow is now powder on top of shiny frozen ice as the heavy snow , then wet snow and a quick freeze has left it treacherous for all of us to walk on. Lacy our vintage horse has been confined to barn and paddock for her own safety and special needs girl Rose is reminded to go slow and stay in her nest until i get to her at feeding times. The wild birds have been fed this morning too and i am currently unthawing the humming bird feeder i left out over night by mistake. The animals i am sure are extremely bored in this weather as it is pretty well bed weather and it is only the food that breaks up these long days with no grazing or rooting to be had. Perhaps a special treat of alfalfa is in order for delivery to them all today as the sun is shining with clear sky's on this frozen white tundra and i must look past the work and see the beauty in it all.