I am in love with Ocean
lifting her thousands of white hats
in the chop of the storm,
or lying smooth and blue, the
loveliest bed in the world.
(Mary Oliver)
Could it be that Ed's ocean sail will be less of a meteorological adventure than my solo November days at the farmette? Of course, I don't really know what he is facing right now (and may it be only modestly adventurous!), but I do know that yesterday's predictions for Wisconsin have been tossed aside and what's coming our way is much more dire. Snow tomorrow -- there's that, but honestly, that's peanuts compared to what follows. By Thursday night we'll be down to 11F (-12C) and by the beginning of next week we'll sink even lower -- to 7F (-14C). Scanning the charts for the next several weeks, I see only one brief moment when we'll rise above freezing. That's just nuts!
In fact though, despite the bitter cold blast, the "loveliest bed in the world" still is the one in your own home, especially with the furnace humming away comfortably, keeping you toasty cozy, even on the coldest days. I remind myself that people manage to stay productive, happy and calm in far colder climes than ours.
Still, the onset of the Arctic air poses some challenges. I quickly purchase another heated bowl for the porch cats. And I throw extra shavings into the coop. Too, the cheepers will need more food now that scratching the ground is yielding little.
Small stuff, right? Sure, but I feel I need to be careful. In these frigid days and night, the farmette animals need a helping hand.
(Morning: feeding the animals. Cats do like to climb...)
(Breakfast)
(out the window: morning birds...)
In the afternoon, I pick up the kids, both in school again. Sparrow first. When he sees me approaching, he is on top of it! Over to the cubby, get out the lunch box, take off slippers, reach for the boots.
We then pick up Snowdrop (in the building next door). She is always so proud of her brother. Always happy to show him something of her world.
(At the farmhouse: mini pizza snack...)
(Animal shadows on the wall...)
(out the window: evening birds...)
Evening... Waiting for the snow, the cold, watchfully waiting to see where this unusual month will take us.
lifting her thousands of white hats
in the chop of the storm,
or lying smooth and blue, the
loveliest bed in the world.
(Mary Oliver)
Could it be that Ed's ocean sail will be less of a meteorological adventure than my solo November days at the farmette? Of course, I don't really know what he is facing right now (and may it be only modestly adventurous!), but I do know that yesterday's predictions for Wisconsin have been tossed aside and what's coming our way is much more dire. Snow tomorrow -- there's that, but honestly, that's peanuts compared to what follows. By Thursday night we'll be down to 11F (-12C) and by the beginning of next week we'll sink even lower -- to 7F (-14C). Scanning the charts for the next several weeks, I see only one brief moment when we'll rise above freezing. That's just nuts!
In fact though, despite the bitter cold blast, the "loveliest bed in the world" still is the one in your own home, especially with the furnace humming away comfortably, keeping you toasty cozy, even on the coldest days. I remind myself that people manage to stay productive, happy and calm in far colder climes than ours.
Still, the onset of the Arctic air poses some challenges. I quickly purchase another heated bowl for the porch cats. And I throw extra shavings into the coop. Too, the cheepers will need more food now that scratching the ground is yielding little.
Small stuff, right? Sure, but I feel I need to be careful. In these frigid days and night, the farmette animals need a helping hand.
(Morning: feeding the animals. Cats do like to climb...)
(Breakfast)
(out the window: morning birds...)
In the afternoon, I pick up the kids, both in school again. Sparrow first. When he sees me approaching, he is on top of it! Over to the cubby, get out the lunch box, take off slippers, reach for the boots.
We then pick up Snowdrop (in the building next door). She is always so proud of her brother. Always happy to show him something of her world.
(At the farmhouse: mini pizza snack...)
(Animal shadows on the wall...)
(out the window: evening birds...)
Evening... Waiting for the snow, the cold, watchfully waiting to see where this unusual month will take us.
