Sunday, January 23, 2011

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE.....

The weather has turned cold.... very cold. As the temperature plummets my old homestead begins to creak and moan. I worry about my ladies on these cold winter days. Not so much from the frigid temperatures mind you, but being "cooped up" day after day with one another. I do worry about their mental well being. Eleven ladies together ....someone I fear will snap. In the early afternoon when the sun is highest in the sky I let the girls outside just long enough for me to rake the shavings and fluff their nesting boxes. Hygiene is most important especially in winter. This outing offers the girls ample opportunity for a quick sprint around the house and clean air in their lungs. Bravest of the girls are Fern and Phoebe the silver laced wynadottes. The remaining girls are not so forth coming and take a moment to ponder the situation ....

and of course with much encouragement from me....
"Come on Gladys you can do it"....
the situation of course needs to be sized up....
On the count of three....one....two....three....and she's off....

Winslow....lets go out and see the girls....come on lets go get chickens.... He's not thrilled with this snowy winter weather either. Good Boy....
Snow continues to mount on the picnic table....the measurement appears to increase daily....
With another snow storm forecast for mid week it will be spring before these chairs see the light of day.
However, the evening sky sure is pretty when the storm blows away....
Just another day in paradise here at Dog Trot Farm....How is winter treating you in your neck of the woods?

21 comments:

Farm Girl said...

The weather man just keeps forecasting snow in your neck of the woods and more cold weather and I just wish you could hop on a plane and I would see if I could rustle you up some palm trees, and some warm, sandy beaches. I worry the same thing for my girls being cooped up together day after day. When the fog burns off and we get this sunlight I let them out for a bit and that seems to help. I am getting more eggs.
I am so glad Winslow Homer looks so good. I worry about him.
I hope you get a break between storms.
I am sending you a hug from California.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy reading your blog and visiting different ones on your list. I don't blog so I guess that makes me a lurker. I look forward to seeing what is going on in your life and love looking at the beautiful pictures. I live in central Mississippi and we have had cold weather with a dusting of snow, it is not common here.
I hope you don't mind my lurking!
Linda in Ms

Jacque. said...

Hey Julie...yeah, we've had snow and cold and all of that. The worst was this past week, but I was home on vacation, so didn't have to brave the snow/cold. YAY! And, now that I'm going back to work this week, it's going to be warmer. Another YAY! Your photos are lovely...and those brave ladies in the snow!

Kim said...

So nice to see "The Girls" again. Their coop must have some kind of heat??
Looks like we have about the same amount of snow as you, and the Brrrrr temps too.
Stay warm.

Michelle said...

Too funny, I always love your posts, those 11 girls are the cutest!
xoxo

Constance said...

Hi,
I guess I'll stop complaining about the cold here in NC now. Your home is so beautiful in the snow and Winslow Homer and the girls are most brave. I hope we all have an early spring this year.

Take care,
Sallie

A New England Life said...

Your house looks like ours, with trails running around the outside. LOL! I really think we have enough snow already but apparently Mother Nature has other ideas.

Love the girls! It's awfully cold for chickens though. I sure am missing the fresh eggs a local homeowner was selling. Maybe in another couple months they'll start laying again.

Hope WH is doing well!

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

I hope to have girls of my own in the spring. Your girls are lovely!! It is so cold tonight that when I took my dog out my hands started to ache. I'm anxious to see what Wednesday brings in for snow.

Anonymous said...

Chickens just crack me up, love the flying to avoid cold feet maneuver. Glad your girls are doing well in the cold. Winslow is looking very handsome these days, he must be doing well with his treatment plan.

Our girls are not impressed with all this snow, but the hendome is a great run for them it gets quite warm in there when the sun is shining.

Stay warm and keep the Toro at the ready,
Ali

Larkrise garden girl said...

The poor girls it musy be cold outside!

The Barn Door said...

Such wonderful pictures! I love the chickens and your home is beautiful with all that snow!

Rowan said...

I love the sequence of photos of 'the girls' - I can practically hear them talking:) I knew you had a lot of snow and low temps as my friend in NH has been telling me about it. Here we've had a beautiful week of blue skies and sunshine but we're back to cloud now - still dry and mild though for the moment.

Marguerite (Tina) Smith Hart said...

I love the photos of the "girls" they are too adorable!
It was -20 here last night and I am ready for Spring!
Take care and stay warm guys...
Tina xo

Rural Rambler said...

Love all the pictures Julie, but the one of the Girl's Coop from afar is great. Good Girl Gladys! Good Boy Winslow! If it doesn't stop snowing, I am going to snap. CH is suffering with me being all cranky because I can't get out and walk the "tiny Ten". The treadmill isn't working for me, I need to be OUTSIDE!!!! We dodged the last predicted snow and we have a stretch of no precip and warmer temps, not a whole lot warmer but I'll take it. I NEED some sun!

Denise said...

I was relieved to see that my two girls were fine this morning, they were happy to have their warm mush, and of course I gave them fresh warm water.....We are at 16 below this morning, while it is cold, this is the first time we have had temps this low, this winter! Thankfully we are at the end of January and February is a short month so Spring will be here before we know it :0) I couldn't imagine being in the Upper Mid-West where these temps last for weeks on end......guess I'm not tough enough to live there, LOL.

Ginny said...

Hi Julie, Girls are looking good. Know what you mean about the house creaking and moaning. This a.m. has been the coldest for us in a very long time. 0.5 without the wind chill, Yikes. Baked a pie yesterday to warm up the Kitchen (oldest part of the house), lets see what I can whip up today.

Sassafras and Winterberry said...

The scene of the hens in the doorway looks like it wants to be hooked. The colors of the coop and the girls are beautiful! It's cold here in Northern MA too. Soup and chili weather. Your pictures are beautiful.
Courtney

acorn hollow said...

Glad the girls could get out for a breath of fresh air. We are the same in central NH. I was laying in bed all toasty last night and then I heard a big groan. I turn to the husband he says even before I could say something. "It is the house it doesn't like the cold either. Thank goodness for the woodstove though I would hate to think what the oil bill would be with out it.
cathy

Peacemom said...

morning met me with -14 degrees this morning over here in NH. Though it's incredibly beautiful, I'm gonna be happy to see the spring arrive this year. For sure!Love the pictures of the girls, very cute and as one other post said, I can just hear them talking to each other about it. Funny! Stay warm up there! ~Vonnie, NH

Verde Farm said...

Julie, I can’t even believe how much snow you have. It just keep getting deeper and deeper. Your girls are ADORABLE. I’m so glad they let you coax them outside for a bit. I am sure they enjoyed it. The scenery is just beautiful and there are warmer days ahead--just a little further ahead :) LOL

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

Beautiful photographs of yur place!!!