Cold Again

After a brief tease of spring weather we are back to awful, penetrating cold.  Zero on the farm this morning and yes, we still had school.  I haven't heard about anyone getting hurt and that's a blessing.  Snowed and blew all day but coming home was a little better.  Many drifts over ice to make things interesting.  I think the principal picked the wrong day to speak to me about being on time.  I think the staff deserves medals for getting to school today.  Gotta deal.  He did give me credit for being a farmer and doing chores before work, etc.  Good thing I love the guy.  Got a couple of packages mailed out - always a good feeling - and headed home.  Ten F. in the barnyard and 48 inside the house. I pulled on a cashmere turtleneck, fleece ski pants and a big Irish sweater.  Doggies still had to go out so I put back on my oversize Harris Tweed, wool kerchief and rubber boots.  Spouse says I look like a Eastern European refugee but who cares?  I am perfectly comfortable in my woolen tent that covers my legs and the kerchief is wonderful for covering my big Scandie head, cheeks and neck.  Thankfully the dogs ran back to the door after their pee and poo.  Fine with me.  I felt like a real wimp as I watched the little chickadees holding on to the bird feeder in the wind.    What a blessing my barn is - any barn is - in this horrible cold wind.  I see several pairs of horses - and herds of cows - on the way to school with no blankets and no shelter.  Their backs are covered with ice.  One farm just outside of Norwich has a great big barn filled with little goats and the two horses are fenced off from it with a tiny lean-to that only fits their heads.  One horse was trying to get her body into it as I passed today.  Would like to give the owners a piece of my mind...then there is the group a few feet down the road from me...

Hopefully the warm air coming on Saturday will give them some comfort - and me, too.  My sheep still have their wool on them - thank you God.  Goats, too.  I'm not so selfish that I would strip them of their protection in this weather.