Winter is Here!

Zero Tonight!

Yesterday was a sunny, warm, 50 degree day. Sweatshirt weather! Today, the winter overalls came out. The morning started in the high teens. The temp dropped throughout the day. The day became more overcast. Since it started getting dusk at 3:30, I decided to do chores early. Today is Sunday, and I can take advantage of doing chores earlier and getting back into the warmth before dark.

I just came in from chores. The temp is now 6 degrees at 5 pm! With overalls, insulated boots, headband, and insulated gloves, I thought I would be warm enough. And for the most part, I was. But there was enough north wind to chill the face. IT won’t be long before I’ll be wearing a scarf and covering my face and mouth during chore time.

I knew tomorrow was to be even colder. Zero tonight, 10 for the high tomorrow. I filled water tanks for all the horses. I made sure that all the water tank heaters were plugged in. Fresh round bales were put into the feeders yesterday. I grained and checked gates, making sure that all gates were secure. I didn’t want any horses getting out in this weather! I fed the older horse, Duke, and the steer their hay, giving them extra so they will stay warm.

I shut the large doors on the arena barn. This will keep the cold wind out of the arena and stall area. I check the heaters in the bathroom and lounge, and turned the heaters up to handle the colder nights.

The dogs and cats are in the mare barn. I made sure that the large door was latched on both sides. Since there is a gap at the bottom of that door, I block the bottom with folded up grain bags to keep as much of the breeze out as I can. The dogs had plenty of straw to bury down into a deep bed. The cats keep warm by finding an opening in the stack of hay and curling up.

I’m curled up on the couch, watching a Christmas movie. I just had a hot supper of beef, potatoes and carrot stew. I love the taste of carrots cooked in beef broth. More vegetables were added to the leftover broth and meat. Beans, peas, carrots, corn, and potatoes. There will be a crock pot full of vegetable soup waiting for Tom and I for supper tomorrow night after chores!