I'm trying to keep a good fire going in the woodstove just in case we lose electricity... I have enough stacked up on the porch to last through today but if Hubby gets tied up at work (he works for the power company) I'll have to load my little trailer up with wood from the barn and bring it down the hill with the 4-wheeler. I'm so thankful I have this little gem to make light work of some otherwise tough tasks around the farm:
From the barn:
We seem to be doing pretty good on our hay supply right now... I've been trying to keep track of how many bales we've used so far and we're just about to the halfway point. I'm really happy we were able to put up on own hay this summer.... even though it was very hard work, it is really good hay full of nutrients and the sheep love it. It makes my heart happy to know my animals are well-fed and content.
The scoop from the coops:
It's official- the cold weather and short days have caused the Americauna girls to finally quit laying. Sarge and Big Bird, my two oldest green-eggers, haven't laid an egg since Thanksgiving and my four newbies: Goldie, Blackie, Shirley, and Chatty Cathy, who were all spring hatchlings, have also gradually slowed down and finally stopped altogether. Chatty Cathy is an interesting bird- I'll have to do an entire post on her sometime. I had a Chatty Cathy doll when I was a little girl, but Chatty the Bird talks circles around the doll. She will stand at my feet and go "rah rah rah rah" NON-STOP. The only thing that shuts her up for a little while is a handful of corn, and she gets that quite a bit.
Hmmm..... maybe she's smarter than I think she is....
Chatty Cathy, in one of the rare moments she isn't talking.
Farm Foto of the day:
Can you spot the sheep in this picture?
I think Edie is convinced the snow makes her invisible.
Happy Monday, everybody... hope you're staying warm today!
Good Snowy Morning Paula! We are covered in snow today too! So glad you and Lily are warm by the fire and I pray your husband will not be too late coming in from work. I love your 4 wheeler! Wonderful that you have your own hay for the sheep this winter. I always enjoy your photos. I can just imagine the roosters noise and I'll look forward to reading more about Chatty Cathy! Have a blessed day friend.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading what is going on at your farm. I agree...some things on the farm really help to make a difficult task easier...i.e. four wheelers! Come say hi. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy snowy Monday to you as well! We had a visit from Ole Man Winter here as well over the weekend! I really enjoyed your pictures, they`re quite lovely!
ReplyDeleteLOL, gotta love the view from the barn:) Those wooly bottoms are just TOO adorable:D Hope your staying warm and enjoy the day Paula!!!
ReplyDeleteI have a "Chatty Cathy" but her name is "Psycho" and she will talk herself hoarse! I've never seen anything like it! And just because she is hoarse does not mean she slows down-oh no-she keeps on a talkin'(or, should I say, croaking?!)I look forward to your post on "Chatty Cathy". :)
ReplyDeleteLisa
Love your post! It makes me a bit homesick for Indiana and snow. Well...just a tiny bit! Love all the photos!
ReplyDeleteKaren
We leave a light on in the coop so the chickens think the days are longer. For some reason, they keep laying all winter. In fact, we have been getting so many eggs, I finally turned the light off to slow them down.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy reading about your farm!
Thanks for the tour of your farm again on this beautiful snowy day!! It's not snowing here, but it's completely WHITE ~ the sky, the ground, the trees, EVERYTHING. Love those frost fairies!!
ReplyDeleteWe have an old rake like that, it was my husbands grand fathers. Our chickens stopped laying a while ago and we still have no snow! Stay warm! The 4wheelers sure come in handy don't they! ;D
ReplyDeleteI LOVE seeing all your snowy pictures from around the farm. Chatty Cathy sounds hilarious!!! Hope you don't lose power and stay nice and toasty today. We got a bit of snow yesterday that is still on the ground today. NOW it finally feels like winter.....lol♥
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, your farm is so lovely with the new fallen snow! The sheep have something to keep them warm, WOOL! Maybe you can knit a coat for Miss Lily, has she been out in the snow yet? How is Smokey taking the snow?
ReplyDeleteI do hope your power stays on and ours as well but we are stocked and ready. Just ventured out to take some day photos and a video. Its so cold! I was shaking... It was so windy and my chimes too were clanging and it was difficult to hold the camera.
I do pray your hubby will be safe out in all of this and get to come home soon. Pray there are no power outages.
They said we should get some more here on Thursday.
Be safe and keep warm!
....I Don't See No Sheeeeep....Hahahaa....I think it worked!
ReplyDeleteStay warm up there sweetie!!
hughugs
My neighbors hens have quit laying since mid-december too. It's too cold to make an egg.
ReplyDeleteHey, that is a sweet ride you have and don't cha know it makes your life easier!
You and Lily stay warm!
Hi Paula, i love getting the news from your little piece of Heaven there...I especially love the talk about hay. When i was raising guinea pigs, my search for good hay took up a LOT of time for me. I finally found a local farmer that would sell me the good stuff he fed his own animals and i LOVED it. I miss raising the piggies and the doves...a thought crept into my mind when i was at the last fiber festival. Fiber rabbits...just a few maybe....But only if i learn how to spin...We are expecting more snow here by mid week. Maybe a Noreaster. Let it snow...
ReplyDeleteFour wheeler is on my list of things I want/need! So...how much snow have ya'll ended up with? We got about 8 inches! What's up with all this snow? Stay by the fire as much as you can...tomorrow's really gonna be cold!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures, Paula. Yep, I would say Chatty Cathy knows exactly what she is doing. She chats till she gets treats. LOL We have about 6 inches of snow on the ground with more coming down. Buddy is upset with me. He spent an hour or so outside and came in caked with snow. He finally thawed out, now wants out again. I told him no. He has a pad down to do his business, but acts like it is an insult. LOL Both our kitties are napping on the bed. It is a slow, snowy day here. Have a good one.
ReplyDeleteHello Paula.. I love your posting.. It is really funny as well as so interesting.. Did I tell you that all I wanted for Christmas was 3 sheep..lol.
ReplyDeleteNo, I didn't get them.. I guess I must have been naughty...
Maybe, next time.. Meanwhile, I will enjoy yours...
God bless..
Chatty Cathy is a beautiful girl. Thanks for the link to each rooster---I checked all their pictures. It's amazing the amount of equipment that we "need" here in the country. Yes, those extra things like 4-wheelers make a big difference. The sheep look very contented.
ReplyDeleteLove the animals in the snow! I hope you don't lose power, I'm scared we might too with all this ice. I know they are probably keeping your hubby pretty busy. Stay warm!
ReplyDeleteWow, look at all that snow. We are getting some freezing rain and then just plain rain all day today. I am a bit concerned about when the temperatures dip down tonight about what the roads will be like tomorrow. I want to knit with the girls and driving will be a challenge. I did not know that the hens would stop laying eggs this time of year. Just think spring is not that far away, really. How's the sewing going since you are indoors with the wood stove and baby Lily?
ReplyDeleteHi Paula
ReplyDeleteWe got snow 16" over the weekend and it is so cold. I was worried about the power going off also. I wish we could have a wood burner.
Love the stories about the farm animals.
I can't wait to hear more about Chatty Cathy.
Stay warm.
Good afternoon Paula..gosh what gorgeous photo's. You should put them on Zazzle and sell them as greeting cards...I would just love the bottom sheep one (it's gorgeous) for our Christmas cards next year or gosh..just cards in general.
ReplyDeleteI had a chatty Cathy doll!!!! I LOVEDDD her..I also had Mrs. Beasley...did you have her? Your sweet little chatty hen is adorable. I love how much you love your animals.
wishing you a cozy snow filled day..I so wish we lived closer to each other.
Hugs, Doreen
Hello Ms. Paula,
ReplyDeleteLooks as though the snow is going to be south of us, "again." I was really looking forward to at least another 6 inches. So far, we get an inch here or there, but cold... boy, is it ever.
I love Chatty Cathy's coloring, is she a new hampshire red?
Mine, definately keep me company while I clean the horses stalls each morning. Following me from one stall to the next just talking away. The rooster actually sounds like he is growling... It's the oddest thing.
Blessings,
Mel
Your place looks so pretty in the snow, then again it is always so pretty! How are ou all doing? Any baby lambs? We have been crazy busy, I have been such a bad blogger. I rearly have time to sit down and post. I read lots of post throught the week but raising a 16 year old, pulling fence up, burning brush, delivering babies, cooking dinner, and working all day leaves little time to post. Did you all have a good christmas?
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Paula!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures. I hope you all keep warm :)
Tracey
Your sheep look well-fed and happy and MAN I wish we had a gator! What a great way to get chores done quickly, and over the snow, too!
ReplyDeleteGlad you shared all your great farm pictures with us! What a great place you have!
ReplyDeleteWood stoves are the best. I love building a big fire and feeling the house heat up. I never can get the same warm and toasty feeling with just the furnace running.
Do you put a light in the chicken coop? My sweet husband put a light in our coop last winter, and the girls kept on laying.
Hope you're staying warm :)
Photos of the animals were just adorable. You have a woodstove! I miss the smell of woodsmoke from my big ole fireplace that I used to have!
ReplyDelete