There was snow and freezing temps, lots of frozen water containers for the animals, frozen gates and latches, hungry wildlife, beautiful sunrises and scenery, and happy puppies!
This is me – one of the many farm checks throughout the days – all bundled up, lots of layers
The alpacas spent a lot of time in their shelter during the snow and cold. I padded it with lots of straw and local hay to make it cozy and warm.
I love this view any time of year
Cutest little schnauzer pup around!
Snow, snow and more snow.
It was crazy to see how and where the icicles formed… this is on the double chain link fence for the chicken run.
Late afternoon farm checks… the sky is so pretty… like a painting.
And there’s my Chesney to the right… he’s my farm chore buddy!
Chesney and Mare are best buds… always playing and wrestling. Chesney doesn’t like to share his bones… but he happily shares with Mare.
He was really happy when there were tracks for him to follow rather than hopping or trudging through the deep snow.
Carson ran to the store one day and when he came back, he decided to make tracks with the truck. I guess he thought we needed a labyrinth in the back yard. It was fun to watch him play!
We watched my favorite band, The Paperboys, on New Years Eve in our own living room!!!
The hopping and trudging is pretty cute!!!!
Braden “fell” and needed help!! Chesney checked on him and realized he didn’t *really* need help, so he moved on to other adventures.
More fun in the snow.
Beautiful sunrise!
Our snowy barn
Home sweet home
Late afternoon/evening sky
My walnut tree in the late afternoon/evening
My pretty girl and her sweet little pup
Peek a boo!
The chickens agreed to come out of their coop as long as I put straw down so their feet didn’t have to touch the white stuff.
Don’t we look happy?!
I love this face!
I’m sure Papa won’t mind if I hit the building with snowballs.
Ready, throw!
“Brrrrrr… make it stop!”
The chickens were happy about the straw protecting their feets.
The sheep really really need a shelter clean out… but between rain and snow and mud, it’s been impossible… so we keep piling up the straw so they have somewhere dry to sleep. They don’t really mind the wet, but we do!!
Zoe decided to brave the new snow to get some water…
Time for a snuggle break.
Sunrise
Puppy snuggles.
So so cute
This is me again… all bundled up, hay stuck in my hair and hat, lugging gallon milk jugs filled with hot water from the house to melt the water in the troughs and chicken waterers. I remember snow days involving a lot more cozy and fun times before I became a farmer… now it’s water checks several times a day, trudging through the snow with a million layers, and lots of worry… I wouldn’t trade it for the world!! 🙂
My little cuties. Thanks for the pose!
Learning to come down the stairs… not sure she’s on board.
I really worried about our rooster Nolan in the cold. He did not look good this day… but he’s come through and is back to his old self!!
They were not happy about the snow… they kept walking up and down the pasture looking for somewhere to graze. I eventually cleared a few spots along the edge of the fence… where the grass is a little longer. They seemed to accept that.
As soon as I thawed the waters, the animals put their heads right into it… they were thirsty every single time, because the water froze almost as soon as I got it thawed.
Snow on farm fences and gates.
Good morning, Handsome Boy!
One of my favorite views!!!
The alpacas are ready for this season to be over. Onto the next, they say!
The sheep are ready for Spring, too!
I had just poured the hot hot water into their frozen water trough… it melted the top layer and the girls dove right in.
The ice on the road from one of our drives. I’m scared to drive in the ice and snow, so I don’t do it… Carson is champ snow driver and one of the safest drivers I know!
These boys! I love them so much!
Our cedar tree!
The birds were really struggling in the snow and cold. We found them sort of digging in the snow trying to get to the dirt and grass…
They’re on a ball hunt. Carson would throw the ball for the dogs and it would get buried and no one could find them.
“Where’s the ball?”
We love to watch the eagles in the very tippy top of the tree across the street. They seem be looking over us… (aaaaand stalking our chickens for their afternoon snack)
Carson got really worried about the birds one day and went to the feed stores for suet and seed. They were grateful – and so was I because I got some fun photos with my fancy camera!
Do you think he was singing, “Feed the birds….”? I know I was!!!
These woodpeckers were really fun to watch. Sadly, Carson said he found three dead ones on the property through the cold snap.
Every year, we put our Christmas tree in the alpaca field… apparently they love them. Ours are definitely curious about them, but Zoe is really the only one who will rub up against it and snack on it, and shows any real interest in it!
This poor coyote was so desperate and hungry that he didn’t even care that our dogs were barking their heads off at him… he was eating a few of the ground apples that didn’t get cleaned up from the Fall. He came back a few times.
Look at that face…
The alpacas were doing their alarm call (scream!) and the sheep just looked at him… he didn’t go near our chickens or bunnies… he just wanted apples.
The snow soon turned to slush and then the yard was super muddy… making me long for the days of frozen, less slippery ground. Check back for photos from those adventures!
PS – I know that it’s possible that I take too many photos… or that I share too many photos… but it’s fun for me to look back on the week and realize all that gets done, and all that happens. This one, in particular, feels like a lot more than a week… but I actually went back and checked the dates, and it is indeed one week.
No such thing as too many, B!! I loved the journey through your week. I don’t know how to you came to it, or how you keep to it, except when I look at those beautiful animals (and Kids!! And Mate!!) who depend on you for so much…in the case of the animals…their everything!! You Two–You Four are amazing!
One Comment
Riley and Michael Martin
No such thing as too many, B!! I loved the journey through your week. I don’t know how to you came to it, or how you keep to it, except when I look at those beautiful animals (and Kids!! And Mate!!) who depend on you for so much…in the case of the animals…their everything!! You Two–You Four are amazing!