We are apparently going to get our first "major" winter storm tomorrow, a bit late (this being February and all!) I am hearing rumours of 20 - 25 cm (8 - 10 inches) o' snow. We shall see. In these here parts, we can deal with such snow dumps, but Toronto might have to call in the army. (Hey, I was born and bred there, I can make fun of them!)
Gordon is planning to work from home tomorrow and take a snow day. I plan to go outside and hand-feed chickadees. Meanwhile, the farmer next to us was combining corn today. I had no idea you could harvest corn this late; I heard the crop was toast after December. It was very odd seeing the combine out in the fields in the falling snow. I guess those suckers will go through anything.
I went snowshoeing with the dogs. The river is pretty much frozen over...
It was snowing this afternoon, and the slow-moving Tristan was acquiring a blanket of snow as we headed back home.
Meanwhile, it was toasty in the coop and Beaker was strutting his stuff...
I am going to draw him. Or paint him. He's so handsome.
Errol Flynn was also in good form...
Charlotte preferred to venture out into the barn and sit on top of a pile of old fence posts...
When she'd had enough of that, she snuggled up next to Tina Turner under the heat lamps.
And for reasons unknown to me, the rooster Lord Gaga was hanging out in a nest box!! I am starting to wonder if he's a hermaphrodite...
There's a rather pretty icefall behind the barn. I need to get a photo when the sun's out and it's all a-sparkle.
Lots of icicles in front of the coop window...
Lord Gaga really is a fine specimen...
And the girls love pecking snow off my feet. The snowshoes do not deter them one bit.
Peckpeckpeckpeckpeckpeck!
A gathering of roosters! Is there a name for that? Along the lines of "A murder of crows"? A rutting of roosters, perhaps?
And here's a song I found today, Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes. The single is free to download from their website. The album comes out in May. I feel somewhat blue and somewhat helpless, so it's appropriate. I really have to start being a musician again...
You make farm life look absolutely idyllic! I know it can't always be, but I bask in your enjoyment of your life and feel uplifted.
ReplyDeleteThat handsome Errol Flynn...what a dude! He now has a new groupie.
Nance, I feel very, very fortunate to live here. I am glad I have a nice home, car, enough food to eat, my hubby, people who love me, a safe country, no natural disasters... when I see all the awful things going on in the world these days, I feel lucky for what I have. And I'm honoured to think I can make you feel uplifted. :) My life is NOT perfect (especially my internal life) and I tend not to share the negative stuff, but I am truly grateful for all that I have, and for where we live, and for my goofy pets.
ReplyDeleteAnd Errol Flynn LOVES groupies. He is a lovely rooster with a very nice temperament. Actually all three of the boys are very mellow, if a little randy!
I love Beaker's 'mane'.
ReplyDeleteYour chickens are just adorable!!!! I love chickens so much. I have always wanted some. I have five acres of woods, but coyotes live in them. I would not want my chickens to be eaten, so I think that I will just stick with 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 fish and 4 hermit crabs!
ReplyDeleteI just love those handsome roosters of yours - great names for all of them. So beautiful around your area. We're expecting the same snow storm tonight -I'm debating about a snow day from work tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteShelley, that is one horrendous, enormous storm hammering a good chunk of North America! Stay warm!
ReplyDeleteGarden Girl, coyotes are a problem with chickens if you don't have a fenced run, it's true. But you already have a pretty impressive bunch of pets! :)
ReplyDeleteLittle Blue Mouse, it's quite a magnificent mane.
ReplyDeleteHmmm ... roosters in the nests. I know that with some bird species, both the males and females incubate eggs. Perhaps the roosters are keeping the eggs warm?
ReplyDeleteGet ready, Natalie! The storm went through here yesterday and the temp. dropped 50 degrees. It was sunny and 75 yesterday and today it's snow flurries, ice and a high of 25. It might be below zero tonight. We Texans like our ice in our tea! Brrrr...
ReplyDeleteWhat cozy chickens!
I thoroughly enjoyed taking this tour with you just now. Your farm looks so peaceful covered in all its white beauty.
ReplyDeleteI always love seeing other people's chicken coop set-up and yours looks wonderful. That huge wall-size window for the chickens to watch the snowy outside world is incredible! They sure do all look warm and cozy inside, though!
Your roosters are beautiful - do they all get along? I used to have two, but one kept running the other one off, so I had to rehome him.
February is a tough month and I'm sure the isolating wintry weather and the wicked-nasty world news isn't helping - hang in there, continue to take your lovely pictures, and write, write, write - this is what is keeping me sane right now. :-)
Now there's a thought, Ahab. Just so long as they aren't EATING them! :)
ReplyDeleteTTPT, evidently I have YOU to blame for this storm. Environment Canada keeps saying it was born in Texas!:) Gordon's taking a snow day. THere's quite the wind this morning and a nasty windchill, but the snow is just starting.
ReplyDeleteHey Farmgirl, love your blog! That huge window was sitting in our barn when we moved in, so hubby decided to use it for the chicken coop. I clean it a few times a year but it's a bit grotty right now. The chickens don't mind. It has worked out really well. I am finding the coop less drafty this winter (it wasn't too bad last year) since we tarped the concrete/stone barn wall on the east side.
ReplyDeleteThe roosters are getting along very well. We have too many, of course. We got seven new chicks last July and of course three turned out to be roosters. The guy who sold them to us said he'd take back the two extras but we've been enjoying them so much that we never gave them back. Hopefully they'll continue to get along but they need more hens. One hen is now wearing a saddle to protect her back.
Thanks for the winter encouragement. I'll keep taking photos and writing! And thanks for stopping by. :)
Holy moly, that film was fascinating! Hope you'll post an update of what's coming. I had to laugh at the weather channel reporter being startled by a loud clap of snow thunder and yelling, "Son of a..." on the air. If you get it, I hope it doesn't frighten the chicks.
ReplyDeleteNance is right. You do make it look idyllic. All the same, I don't think she and I will be carpooling for a visit this winter!
Marylee, c'mon, snow is fun! Should only take you and Nance a day or two to drive here, depending on how far you put the pedal to the metal! ;)
ReplyDeleteI have heard snow-thunder before, but only a couple of times. It's REALLY freaky!