M J Mc Dermott on Fox 13 was in hyper mode this morning, doom, gloom, wind, ice, snow...a meteorologist's Nirvana...tucked up warm and snug under the comforter, things didn't look so good and glancing out the window my worst fears were confirmed. The huge cedar trees were waving in the wind, the swell on the surface of the pond swirled from bank to bank, the heavy black clouds swept across a threatening sky and on the deck the big wind chimes played Beethoven's 5th,6th, and 7th..simultaneously !! Clearly, it wasn't going to be a good day ! Winter had arrived on the Pacific North West and I had serious reservations about getting out of bed.
Down at the barn the relentless wind whistled around the cedar stalls, hay flew through the air, shavings swirled and leaves fell from the trees like red and gold confetti. In the turkey pen the bronze heritage turkeys turned their feathers into the wind and gobbled in defiance. The chickens mostly huddled together on the roost some brave birds foolishly chanced the inclement conditions and found themselves buffeted and blown like loose feathers around the coop. On days like today conventional style and color co ordination are disregarded ( which possibly makes me highly fashionable). Blue, yellow, pink and grey all thrown together with gay abandon....and I was still chilled to the bone. Luke the little Australian Shepherd retreated to his hay lined nest in the sheltered safety of the big cedar barn whilst Bran the Border Collie barked his defiance to the wind...and anyone else who cared to listen. The horses, snug in their Winter rugs turned big hairy butts to the wind and the formation eating team (aka our flock of sheep) hunkered down in a sheltered dell to sit out the worst of the weather and wait impatiently for dinner.
"We are going to do WHAT ?"....as Greg appeared around the end of the cow barn, lasso coiled in readiness gripped in his hand, nose red with the cold and eyes watering in the relentless wind. Little Sirloin the red Dexter calf watched cautiously from the perimeter of the pasture, Bran the Border Collie yelped in anticipation of some barnyard excitement and Daisy Mae the black Dexter cow snorted in agitation and irritation. Sirloin the little steer with a lot of attitude IS going to be domesticated (apparently !). Greg has decreed it...but, standing there with the wind whistling around my ears in the middle of the pasture that felt for all the world like a virtual freezer attached by a flimsy rope to an infuriated momma cow, there really was a whole lot more on my bucket list than teaching young Sirloin the error of his ways. No disrespect intended but, Greg may be an engineering wizard, he is comfortingly confident with gardening, butchering, plumbing, electricity and septic tanks (luckily) BUT ......when it comes to roping skills, Greg is no John Wayne and it was a seriously blessed moment when young Sirloin surrendered to the inevitable and all but surrendered to the noose dropped around his chunky neck. Thank you God....I was only in the early stages of hypothermia....not yet an iceberg.
All the predictions are for more of the same...the horses are all tucked up in their rugs for the night, the cows snug and warm in the cow barn and the sheep cozy in the sheep pen. We had just brushed the last horse, fastened the last rug and scooted the cat out of the barn kitchen when the LIGHTS WENT OUT...a power cut....dinner ? Tomorrow HAS to be a better day....doesn't it ?
Take care, keep safe and warm...M
And YES... That is over 60 gallons of wine fermenting... G Nice 2014 fruit harvest.
Down at the barn the relentless wind whistled around the cedar stalls, hay flew through the air, shavings swirled and leaves fell from the trees like red and gold confetti. In the turkey pen the bronze heritage turkeys turned their feathers into the wind and gobbled in defiance. The chickens mostly huddled together on the roost some brave birds foolishly chanced the inclement conditions and found themselves buffeted and blown like loose feathers around the coop. On days like today conventional style and color co ordination are disregarded ( which possibly makes me highly fashionable). Blue, yellow, pink and grey all thrown together with gay abandon....and I was still chilled to the bone. Luke the little Australian Shepherd retreated to his hay lined nest in the sheltered safety of the big cedar barn whilst Bran the Border Collie barked his defiance to the wind...and anyone else who cared to listen. The horses, snug in their Winter rugs turned big hairy butts to the wind and the formation eating team (aka our flock of sheep) hunkered down in a sheltered dell to sit out the worst of the weather and wait impatiently for dinner.
"We are going to do WHAT ?"....as Greg appeared around the end of the cow barn, lasso coiled in readiness gripped in his hand, nose red with the cold and eyes watering in the relentless wind. Little Sirloin the red Dexter calf watched cautiously from the perimeter of the pasture, Bran the Border Collie yelped in anticipation of some barnyard excitement and Daisy Mae the black Dexter cow snorted in agitation and irritation. Sirloin the little steer with a lot of attitude IS going to be domesticated (apparently !). Greg has decreed it...but, standing there with the wind whistling around my ears in the middle of the pasture that felt for all the world like a virtual freezer attached by a flimsy rope to an infuriated momma cow, there really was a whole lot more on my bucket list than teaching young Sirloin the error of his ways. No disrespect intended but, Greg may be an engineering wizard, he is comfortingly confident with gardening, butchering, plumbing, electricity and septic tanks (luckily) BUT ......when it comes to roping skills, Greg is no John Wayne and it was a seriously blessed moment when young Sirloin surrendered to the inevitable and all but surrendered to the noose dropped around his chunky neck. Thank you God....I was only in the early stages of hypothermia....not yet an iceberg.
All the predictions are for more of the same...the horses are all tucked up in their rugs for the night, the cows snug and warm in the cow barn and the sheep cozy in the sheep pen. We had just brushed the last horse, fastened the last rug and scooted the cat out of the barn kitchen when the LIGHTS WENT OUT...a power cut....dinner ? Tomorrow HAS to be a better day....doesn't it ?
Take care, keep safe and warm...M
And YES... That is over 60 gallons of wine fermenting... G Nice 2014 fruit harvest.
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