Brrr!

I guess I don't need to say too much about the last two days of weather here.
The monitor might be hard to read but going clockwise 3:49 at the top is the current time, the 55F is the temp in the attic, the big 0 on the right is the current outdoor temp,
-28 is the wind chill, 38mph is the wind speed, 45mph is the gusts.

Yes, the temp in the attic bedroom reads 32F ... I guess I need to press upon the landlord the issues just a bit harder! This is just plain ridiculous.

Baby it's cold out there!

Wandering Bear Farm Weather Station
4:30 pm

-2F
-31F Wind Chill
44 mph Winds
46 mph Gusts

I don't want to sound too dramatic but I think today I witnessed my first true total white out. My truck is parked about five feet from my back door and I could barely make out an image of the big blue thing in the whiteness of it all. I took about a dozen pictures looking outside and it looks like I was taking pictures of a white sheet. I was thinking ahead today and fed and checked on everyone about an hour ago. They are all locked in for the night. Me ... I'll be coming up these stairs regularly to check the stats. It looks like it'll be a wild ride tonight!

Another chilly start

So yesterday was "cool" today is just down right COLD!

Wandering Bear Farm Weather Station

7am
-2F
-10F Wind Chill
3 mph Winds
5 mph Wind Gusts
15% Humidity

It's hard to describe the bitterness of the cold here. It seems the high plains desert is void of moisture in the air on any day. But days like today it seems like moisture gets sucked from your nose, lips, throat, and skin when you step out. It's so dry that the little dusting of snow we had on the ground disappeared overnight. I know it didn't melt into the ground, it's just too cold to do that. It just evaporates. The sky is crystal clear and I can see for miles and miles from my little attic window looking out on the world. I am totally against admitting it but I am afraid Winter has it's grip on us now .... ARRRRRG!!!!!!!

A chill

Wandering Bear Farm Weather Station

7am
6F
-12 wind chill
13 mph winds
19 mph gusts

We are not expected to warm much today. And tomorrow morning will be colder than this morning though they say that tomorrow will warm to a balmy 32F!

Corrections

Sorry for the mix ups. My story about the new kittens should have read that I caged the kittens so that Hunter, not Shadow, could get used to them.

And I didn't spell the Matrix doeling's name properly. It should be Ricki not Rickie.

OOOPS!

Furry additions

So while I was at the livestock auction a mother and daughter were trying to find homes for some kittens ... long story short, they are now some of the newest additions at Wandering Bear Farm. They are twin boys. So, since I am a Gemini and the stars are amazing out here most nights I am naming them Castor and Pollux. The names of the two brightest stars in the Gemini constellation. Now, I suppose that maybe they need collars of differing colors because I have looked all over their bodies for one differing mark and they are identical. But collars on farm cats aren't the smartest thing because they can get them caught on something. Right now until they know who I am and they get acquainted with Shadow and the surroundings they are in a big cage with food, water, litter box, and a box full of towels.

New chicks

The Monday after Thanksgiving day started out as a bright sunny morning. The temperature climbed quickly from 28 or so and eventually hit 54 that day. I was up pretty early, got the morning chores done, and decided to hit the livestock sale. I figured it might be fun as a change of pace since I hadn't been there in awhile. There wasn't a big choice of chickens up for sale that day. In fact roosters were selling for as low as fifty cents a head! I have a few I'd like to get rid of but not at that price! I came across a cage with three pullets (I hope) and got them for $1.00. I was told by the seller that they are a Silkie cross and are six weeks old. I am questioning the breed cross because the birds do not have the typical Silkie plumage. And even some experienced birders at the sale didn't think they were. The owner had many breeds in her flock so it's just a guessing game at this point. Being of similar age I decided to let them join my Americauna chicks I got a couple weeks back since they are about the same age. You can hardly tell the difference in the two breeds. The new chicks have black necks and speckles on their breasts.





The Silkie cross is the taller bird to the left and an Americauna chick is to the right.

A new game ...

... it's called Goat Shufflin'. I know you've all heard or been suckered into Cattle Tipping. Well since there's no cattle here at the farm right now I have had to create my own new game. (Yeah, I can get pretty bored out here)

During the holiday weekend Michael helped me move goats around. The buck Tuscon needed to be taken to another goat grower down the road. Rickie needed to go back to the Matrix compound. Since my adult Nubian doe is still at the dairy, that would leave my doeling Tuesday alone. Goats are herd animals so it's not good to leave them by themselves so another goat would be brought back here.

This is Tuscon in my arms with Rickie in front of him.

Tuscon




Rickie in my arms


Tuesday and me

Once Tuscon was delievered to the A&W ranch and Rickie was taken back to the Matrix Compound, Al and Bill gave me their buck Sequoia to bring back to give Tuesday both company and a breeding mate. Tuesday will be six months old on December 18th. She's not yet gone into heat that I have at least noticed.

Sequoia

Tuesday checking out the new meat on the farm!

The tree

Tuesday before my guests arrived for the Thanksgiving weekend I made myself set up my tree. I was determined to d0 it then to enjoy it over the holiday weekend since I knew I'd be by myself for most of December. This year I kept decorations simple, just the tree and a lit wreath on the front of the house.