Sunday 12/23

The world was to end on Friday but I went on and cleaned the chicken coop anyway, being such an optimist I guess. The wind was blowing hard but at least it blew the dust away.

Put new bedding in the nest boxes and floor, not that they care.

Got a load of manure out of the cleaning and then put winter plastic on the wire sides as the wind was supped to be bad Friday and Saturday and it was.
Spread the manure on the garden.

Dusty was at the gate ready to go to the stable at lunch time, the wind was so nasty cold that he was ready to go, very unusual for him. When I went to give him some hay, I found one of the cats sound asleep in a little cat nest down in a low place, she had enough as well. So I decided to do a little more work and get in some fire wood then went in and took a shower to warm up and wash the blood off my hand. I never figured which cut it came from as it was so cold that I didn't feel it when it happened. My skin was so cold that by the time the water ran down me in the shower, it was cold when it got to my feet for a minute.

Still getting turnips and pulled some for supper.

I also fixed a canned ham like my grandparents used to have so I dug out their old plate and knife that they used which brought back the memories of their old kitchen.

Still windy and cold on Saturday so I was motivated to come in after feeding and mix up some biscuits since I have ham to go on them today. Anything to stay in side is a good excuse.

I did go out and get a couple wheelbarrow loads of wood and aggy got some ice cold water after running wildly on all kinds of trails. She did manage to tree a squirrel at one point.

Dusty was ready to come in early again but we kept him out awhile longer and then gave him some hay and corn.

When I went to the spring for water near sunset, the sun was really lighting up the yellow green moss on the creek rocks. Doesn't look cold,  the water must come from warm springs up the valley and it has to get really cold to freeze.

The wind was gone and it felt warm this morning but was actually a few degrees below freezing. The sky was full of jets this morning, I don't remember seeing as many before. The sky would have been completely blue but was soon full of contrails which merged into thin clouds eventually.

I brought Dusty over before sunrise and got the sun coming up in the bulb on the outdoor tree, got the old sony in as well.
Fed the calves, Houdini was cute but no photos this morning. Got cleaned up and came into town and took photos of the area around the train station. Picked up a small piece of rail for use as an anvil.
Nice to be done with the wind for awhile, I burnt more wood than normal and need to bring in a couple more loads when I get home.