HT Photo Challenge "COLD"

We are definately snowed in....


The Horsetales Photo Challenge word was "COLD". I submitted the photo of the frozen eyelashes on one of the horses. Later in the day, they were rolling in the snow!

Well….the blizzard hit last night. According to the weather station, a blizzard is a snow storm with 35 mph winds and less than ¼ mile visibility for at least 3 hours. The wind was howling all night at 45 mph. We had at least 8" of snow by 4 pm yesterday, with more falling. With the high winds, I wonder if there was going to be any snow left or all in huge drifts.

This morning was bright. The wind had decreased to 25 mph. I didn’t think to look out the east windows. As the sun was rising, sun dogs were visible. I’ll need to always look out my east windows on mornings after a snow when the air is still crisp. The crystals of the moisture in the air, combined with the rising sun, caused the bright lights that were streaming vertically to the ground.

This morning’s temps were in the single digits, with minuses coming tonight. Even though the wind had decreased, my cheeks were very cold when the west wind belted us as I rounded the corner of the tree line.

I had 12-18” of snow to walk through to get to the barn door.


Other areas had 3’ foot drifts, so not bad.



I think that all of the tree lines help to control drifts. Checking on the driveway and road that ran past my acreage, I knew the 2 miles to the highway would be drifted in. My husband didn’t make it home last night as he had to stay at work late. He stayed with friends in Lincoln, 15 miles away from home. I wonder if he will get down our road if the road grater doesn’t plow today. Actually, I had hoped that the north wind would have blown the snow straight past my driveway, which it did. But the areas on each side of the driveway had at least 2’ of snow. I used my 4 wheel drive truck to break up the snow, driving back and forth a foot at a time. We really need to get a bigger tractor that can blade or a plow on my truck!

My driveway is under there somewhere!

Horses were actually playing in the morning coolness.

Go figure! Frigid air and they were running around. Starlet even laid down and rolled! I think she was trying to get her wintery blanket off her back.


The crusty snow on the horse’s back is actually an insulation for the horse, and should not be removed if the horses are going to be left unblanket. Once you rubbed off the snow, the hair gets wet and the horse could become cold.


The horse's eye lashes were frozen!

The only problem this morning was that the water tank crusted over.

The horses had kept drinking enough to make a small opening, but I had to break through 1-2” of the frozen top. As I broke the ice, all of the horses came to drink.

The water heater should keep up with warming the water now, as the wind is decreasing, and wind chill is less.

The horses were staying warm, digging their heads into the round bale.

Later in the morning, they were sunning themselves. I think they are warm now!