Wintery

I know it's winter when the stove has been going all weekend, the White Boys spend the night in the barn, and I've had on my fleece ski underwear all weekend.  As my body acclimatizes I'll get used to it.  We've been working on the barn, covering up broken windows, re-installing windows we took out to let summer ventilation, and general mucking out.  I ordered a 220 volt milk house heater for the room where I wash and dye wool and where I store grain and cat/dog food.  I've been heating that room with my dye stove, which costs a fortune in electricity when it's really cold.   The milk house heater will hang from the ceiling which is much safer, and much more efficient power wise.  The cats will miss sitting on the stove.  They love when I dye wool and lean against the warm pots to keep warm.  The White Boys don't have any problem keeping warm.  I give them beds of old wool that's stayed too long on the animal and is partially felted together.  I just might stuff the wool into canvas dog beds someday.  There is always some use for wool, even bad wool, if there is such a thing.  More snow and "wintery mix" is coming tomorrow night, with cold temps forecast for next week.  This sudden onset of winter has caught us by surprise, but that's okay since we have more firewood stored than previous years and a BARN FULL of HAY.  Julia is sending me five more second cut round bales today.  They will fill the tiny bit of space I have left in the hay mow.  I want some second cut for the population explosion I'm expecting in the spring. The lambs will come when there are still no flies, and green grass is just a few weeks away.   Perfect.