Blowing Hard

The storm hit around midday, blowing an icy wind and horizontal snow from the Great Lakes. The empty hay mow on top of the apartment is shaking and creaking, making eery noises. Not a fit day out for man or beast. I'm glad I'm not making my way up from New Jersey hauling a trailer on the interstate. My sheep are lying around inside the barn, chewing their cud and waiting for dinner. It's freezing cold out there in the barn but there's no wind and it's dry. I know sheep can do fine outside if they are brought up that way, but it's a heck of a lot easier on the shepherd to have a barn. That's one reason I came up to CNY, to find a big old dairy barn to keep my sheep in. The stove has been going full tilt all day, keeping the apt. toasty warm. If I let the fire die down I get a back draft into the house. Funny, I was complaining about the stove being too big for this apt., but today it's just right. The dry, seasoned wood I bought from Rosanna's husband is burning great. The dogs and kitties are lying close to the stove - they love the warmth. I hauled my soap making stuff into the apt. from the work room. I'm much happier in here, working in front of the fire with the TV or my music on. My stock counter tops can take the abuse. I just have to be very careful about lye spills and keeping everything away from the dogs and cats in here. There's a space where the future dishwasher will go for me to put the hot soap in to harden. It was a good move. I wasn't getting soap made out there in the dreary milk room. I got 48 pounds of Lavender and 48 pounds of Almond made today....hmmmm, it smells yummy. I let Knut and Finn go for a run then looked outside to see Knut with a big bone he found somewhere, happily chewing away. I brought them inside the barn to ride out the storm. Since the sheep are inside, too, they can do their guard duty in here. Still blowing hard. I keep checking the barn for lamb sounds. Sometimes I am reluctant to walk through the barn and disturb the resting sheep. I just listen. So far, nothing. I've been up since 5 - it's 5 now and getting sleepy. Work tomorrow.