20 Below

The coldest winter I remember when living in New Jersey was 4 degrees F.  I wouldn't take "the babies," my twins, to play group that day.  No way would we go outside.  If anyone told me I would be working on a farm in minus 20 temps in my later years I would have laughed in their faces.  I think we are diving again tonight.  The weather report tells me relief is coming, with 30 plus on the weekend.  What a joy to have my water buckets thaw without my having to chip out the ice or drag the heavy blocks into the milk room.  I'm still mixing buckets of warm mash not only for the pigs and the aged ewes, but now the ducks and chickens too.  I let a special ed. student come and get a dozen hens out of the hundred or so I have in the chicken room.  Lo and behold he took the one bird who was laying an egg a day for me.   He's taking good care of the chickens he tells me, and getting three eggs a day.  The birds must be happy there.   I've been getting one duck egg a day, bless her heart, from one of the few who consent to live in the duck pen in the barn.  Every time I catch a few more ducks for the pen they manage to escape.  I'm sure there are duck eggs hidden about the farm.  When spring comes I might have a nest or two also hidden around the farm.  Wouldn't it be grand to have another successful nest hatch and bless us with those yellow darlings.   The ducks are very hardy birds and I love them.  I put buckets of warm mash around for them, too.  Spoiled duckies.   Time for nighty-night.   I love to stay up late, as it's my only private time, after work, after dinner, and after my hour or two in the barn.

H