Now it's Cold

Okay my new thermometer says 30 but I think it's calibrated for Florida and won't go any lower.  The weather channel says 16 F. but feels like 6.  I  agree.  When the cold goes through my ski pants it's time for silkies underneath. It's going to take me some time to get used to this cold after the recent warm spell.   Everybody in the barn is even more hungry and even more thirsty in the cold weather.  I put out as much hay as they can eat, and feel very fortunate that I can.  I've put a dent in my hay mow already and it's not yet January.  I have enough to last the season if I keep it up like this.  Most of my ewes should be pregnant by now and I have to feed them like crazy to keep them healthy enough to grow viable lambs.  Hay actually keeps sheep and goats warmer than feed, as it combusts inside them. I saw Gipetto mount the old Romanov ewe.  She's an odd one - kind of foisted on me by a friend of a friend who downsized her flock.  Her wool is like Brillo.  We'll see what comes out of her.  On deck for today - too much to mention or for me to fathom after a few days of Christmas and eating too much, drinking too much Jule Glug, and generally celebrating. I'm getting back in the groove of farm and chores.  My Amish helpers called out of the blue to work last night.  They did some more digging for me.  I have to get people with machines to do the big part of the barn but the boys are doing a corridor between the stanchions and outer wall that I've wanted cleared for a long time.  I asked them how their Christmas was and Lester told me he got a lot of books.  We chatted and I asked him if he likes the Harry Potter series.  He had no idea what I was talking about.  Another world...  I really like those boys, happy and smiling with a dynamite work ethic.  I drove them home in the moonlight and took Hollow Road home.  Lester's 200 farm is at the other end.  I was almost sorry when my little van could hardly navigate the deep ruts.  It was an adventure nevertheless.