AAAAATCHOOOO!

Illness on the part of a farmer is not a good thing.  So many lives depending on the health of the caregiver.  It's an awesome responsibility.   Now my Junk Yard Dog is down for the count.  When a heavy smoker gets a bad cold it's double trouble.  He was in worse shape than me last night so I left him on the sofa and went out to do chores.  Every foot step was heavy.  I did alright it just took me longer.  It's very, very cold here.  Minus 15 last night.  The upper hay mow is the coldest.  Funny to see the kitties romp and play on the big round bales while I fork down the hay.  Cold makes the sheep hungrier and they need more hay.  I comply with their appetitites.  Hay combusts inside them and helps keep them warm - more so than grain.  The water situation is the most difficult.  I know the sheep are eating snow because when I put the fresh water out they don't run over to it.  The goats need fresh water but I'm not seeing them drink much either.  They must be eating snow, too - unusual for goats - but it's too cold to snow much.  I would love to have a water tank with a floater but keeping it clean is almost impossible with chickens roosting on top of it and ducks jumping in it.   This arctic blast is supposed to subside tomorrow night.  We'll see.  We've survived worse.  Thank the stars I didn't shear my goats, and I'm not having lambs.  Goats - well, I'm not sure.  I did have a little buck escape from the back pen.  Pray nothing is happening soon.  It would surely freeze.  I sneak a handful of udder every chance I get to check for swelling.  School was okay this week.  I was blessed with a good project for the reduced classes due to Regents testing.  We're making a paper quilt with squares to be glued to a giant piece of cardboard.  The students draw curves with a protractor and draw lively colored designs.  Sharon, our Special Ed. Secretary and Captain of the Mother Ship, surprised us with a shopping bag FULL of beautiful rubber stamps and stamp pads.  We've been having a ball with them all week, dressing up our quilt squares.  There's something about rubber stamps that kids and grown ups love.  These stamps were designed for greeting cards and there are many cutesy messages and sayings.  I was going to call in sick today, a rarity for me, but the internet was down in Brookfield due to the cold, and I couldn't log on to sub-finder.  So I bundled up and fired up the little Saturn who whined and groaned for mercy in the bitter cold.  Glad I went in anyway as there was a question about the grades I put in.  It seems the grades I gave my new art students are much higher than the previous teacher.  Not surprised.  They are doing good things for me.   Luke received the orange ear flapper hat I knitted for him.  I found a partially started knitted hand bag and changed it into a hat with generous cheek flaps to keep his face warm.  He has a big Swedish head, just like his Omi.  It even turns corners at the top like mine.  What a cutie.