Winter Chores

This winter, more than ever, we love our truck. The Toyota Tundra with its 4-wheel drive has been a godsend for hauling water up to the big barn in the snow and cold.

Jim's been a big help, too! Nice to have a friendly farmhand for these challenging days. We got our brag tag for the truck this week but haven't been able to get into town to show off yet.

But we did get to try out our new snow plow. Not on the truck, mind you. This one attaches to our walk-behind tractor. After last year's 18-inch snowfall that trapped even our mighty truck for a few days, we thought we were buying an insurance policy against another big snow. I really expected the snow blade to sit unused for 10 years. Instead, we found ourselves ready for it almost exactly one year later. The truck can get out ok without plowing for now, but our neighbor's car (we share part of the driveway) cannot.

After much wrestling and only partial success getting the blade attached--it's on but not locked in--Jim found he could get it to work despite the poor connection.

And it works a treat. From the workshop to the top of the driveway and back in less than half an hour.

Frankly, I was impressed that we even were able to get the tractor started after letting it sit for months unused in the unheated workshop.

We're back in the house warming up before heading out for the next round of feeding and watering the buffs. Here's Eschol from yesterday when Jim had just filled the water tank in the barn:

Now he's considering whether to keep drinking or come play with the photographer....

...the way he made Jim pay the love toll before letting him deliver the water.

I wish I could convey in pictures how much fun it is to throw hay from the upper level down into the troughs below. The camera can't quite capture the full effect of three heads pushing through to get at the hay all the while getting covered in it as they can't wait for me to finish dropping it before they dive in. I'd really need to have a sound recorder going to give you the true picture with all of the attendant huffing, chewing, and horn-clanking-against-wood sounds.

Oh. If you're wondering why you're not seeing any adorable pictures of the buffs frolicking in the snow, it's because they don't like the snow. They seem to have no use for it. All it does is cover up the grass they'd like to be grazing. They are staying in the barn as far as we can tell except for the very occasional and quick trip to the mineral block. Just as well that they are not venturing out much as the wind is picking up. And the snow is making it hard for the solar fence charger to do its job.

So, we're all doing well for now. Fingers crossed that the power stays on, so that we can continue to draw water from the well. Hope everyone is warm and well wherever you are!