Good Lord! (I say that as invocation, trust me) but could you please ease up a bit on the deep freeze? The past few days we felt like we've been homesteading in Antartica, and it's predicted to get worse. Before I drudge on, if indeed you are a homesteader in Antartica please feel free to leave a comment mocking my weak nature, I'm sure you've had it much tougher.
But for us wussy Illinoians who are used to winters that dip only now and then below zero, this double digit stuff below ought is mad I tell you. Mad.
Winds started kicking in yesterday and have been steadily whipping about for over thirty-six hours. Coupled with the snow we're getting on and off and now the horrific wind chills the temps outside are literally life threatening. In Chicago today fires had to be lit along some of the railroad tracks to allow the trains to keep running and huge ice blocks are forming in the river.
Tonight it is expected to drop to -23F with wind chills possible of -50 to -60F. Schools are closed all over Livingston county, many businesses have reduced hours or are not open at all and the United States Postal Service announced no mail delivery tomorrow.
Good for them. No one is going to die if they don't get their daily allotment of junk mail or subscription to Martha Stewarts Living delivered to them. I did however order a box of Barry's Tea from eBay which probably won't turn up until Thursday which will make me crabby but not terminal. I've already been out for two days. I guess it's Jameson for breakfast again.
Chores tonight were no fun a'tall. Double socks, double gloves, double hat and double dogs! Our two guardian dogs walked on either side of me like they knew I needed the extra warmth. All our animals are doing ok though as Keith worked hard this am bedding everyone well. They are also getting extra feed and water to keep body temps up. So happy we have the small farm now and chore time takes less time.
Biggest concerns are for two of our sons who work outside. Middle son is employed by another farmer whose cattle herd is in the midst of calving. Most are inside a large barn but some are not and if their labor is not caught early enough to move them indoors, there is loss of animal life and risk to the farmers trying to get them indoors.
Oldest son works for a large utility company and is required to stay at his place of employment around the clock until Friday morning. As folks crank up their heat and more natural gas flows at higher speeds there are more breakdowns which is where he comes in. Sometimes the electrical repairs and programming issues take place in the office, and sometimes out in the field.
On the mad, mad, and more mad side, temps are predicted to go back up with a high of 45 degrees F on Sunday!
I might have to break out my shorts and tank top.
I hate Winter. I hate the cold. I hate snow. I hate dead batteries in the car. I hate not being able to pull on a pair of shorts and a T shirt in the morning and eat my breakfast outdoors. Get my drift?
ReplyDeleteSo does my husband and yet we stay in this politically crooked and too cold too hot state because none of our kids will move somewhere decent, where we can follow them.
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ReplyDeleteThe weather is crazy this year. Stay safe and as warm as you can.
ReplyDeleteWe are. We do chores in dribs and drabs. being out for short periods four times a day instead of just twice a day.
DeleteEven here in the southern states we are feeling the cold, more than usual. It's the pipes freezing, and dead car batteries that drive me to sleepless nights, but mostly thinking about all the animals exposed to these extremes :(
ReplyDeleteYou look like you are well wrapped up, and are ready for chores !
Saturday, we zoom right into the mid sixties, how balmy is that :)
Hugs,
~Jo
We too are supposed to get temps near 60. I may finally get my tulip bulbs planted!
DeleteWe are in a deep freeze as well. I hear ya! Longing to just see the temp. move up a few degrees. -Jenn
ReplyDelete"Longing". Me too.
DeleteI can hear the winds whipping around outside now. I dread the thought of going out to care for the animals, but it needs to be done. I hope that they all survive this cold brutal air. We are just beginning to get the truly cold temperatures but it looks as though they will be here a bit. Although, Monday the high temp is predicted to be 57. Het wave!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI keep looking at our livestock hooves, amazed they just don't break off. Good deep bedding is the key I believe.
DeleteHIgh winds and bitter cold here too. (wind chills -28). Burned a long hot fire yesterday to warm up the sandstone surround else those stones are as cold as icebergs. Hope the rocket stove is keeping you guys toasty (or at least thawed!). Hang in there.
ReplyDeleteRunning the rocket mass stove TWICE is one day is very odd for us but it's working. Plus I baked bread, made scalloped potato and ham casserole and it's keeping us cozy.
Deleteyep, pretty chilly on the farm here in Iowa....as Red Green says, "We're all in this together!".
ReplyDeleteAt least here, it is quite sunny and bright outside.
Deletei like that carhartt head wrap! i need one! it's awful here too. i LOVE winter but wtf? and we too, will be almost 50 with rain on monday.
ReplyDeleteGot the Carhartt hat at our local thrift store Frugality, for only $1.99. It is so warm.
DeleteI am so done with winter, I literally had to hammer on the horses' hooves to get the ice out so they'd quit rockin' and rollin'. Not fun when your fingers are froze! Between the heat lamps for the elderly goat and lone kune kune and the water heaters I expect to see my electric meter launch itself into space.
ReplyDeleteI used to put vaseline on the bottom of their hooves - helps keep those big balls of ice/snow from sticking.
DeleteI feel for you as we experienced that kind of weather 30 years ago in Eastern Calif. Spend my days chopping ice with an axe on the 500 gal cattle troughs. I feel so bad for livestock caught out in the open along with the people caring for them. Slick icy paths are the worst.
ReplyDeleteYes, the icy path from our grain bin house to our barn did take me down a couple of times!
DeleteMinus 22F here in Toronto this morning and it's been like this for nearly a week now - along with a ton of snow. And yet, we get off easy compared to the areas just outside the city.
ReplyDeleteWe could have used some of those fires on the tracks today - commuter trains, part of the subway system that is mostly outdoors and the Airport express train have all been cancelled because the signal boxes on the tracks are frozen and in some cases the train doors are frozen shut. The rest of the subway system has kept running but with big delays - they finally decided to park a lot of the trains in the tunnels overnight instead of in the train yards where it is all open - DUH! But as you say - it's expected to be just above freezing by Sunday - but not 45F. for us. Good luck and stay safe.
Yes, temps went up here as well. it's now Monday and the high was 52! Had some flooding and tons of mud here. Still, it didn't hurt to breathe outside so I was very happy.
DeleteThis weather is definitely not fit for man, woman, nor beast (literally!) We're freezing here but you've got it so much worse. Are you getting some of the warming trend that's pushing in now?
ReplyDeleteYes, very nice outside today even though it rained some and too humid for me to hang out clothes! But I did not need to fir up the rocket mass heater last night or tonight. What a wild ride of a winter so far.
DeleteIt is disgustingly cold out lately, stay warm Donna! I agree it's MAD I TELLS YOU!!! I'm happy to hear you guys are all okay and so are the critters. Our dogs barely stay out long enough to finish pooping lately lol!
ReplyDeleteOur dogs are part husky (Ashland) and full Great Pyrenees (Fannie) and they are outside full time. They had good shelters with bedding in our feed shed that was nearly two feet deep so great warm areas to sleep in but often, even during the worst cold days, I would see them laying out on top of the snow drifts! Their genetics are fantastic. We did give them lots of extra feed to keep their metabolism up.
DeleteReading this post and the comments from fellow bloggers made me thankful that we only had single digit temps for a few days and then it "warmed" to the teens and 20s by the end of the week. This coming week we are expecting temps to be in the 50s...go figure. You did look well bundled up, Donna.
ReplyDeleteI like the covered up look as well. It hides a multitude of chins and sagging jowls. I might carry the look on through summer.
DeleteYep!! We are suffering too. Except I don't have outside chores or animals to care for. Being retired - and having downsized to a condo - (and being determined "old" by most folks 50 and younger!!) - I don't have the same challenges you have. However, I am old enough to know that THIS weather that has been pushed on us is not 'normal.' Climate change. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteOk, I'll admit it...sometimes I fantasize about living in a condo or high rise apt (I was raised in Chicago in a three story walk up). I imagine heat that comes from a dial instead of a wood stove and water that flows without worry of a well pit freezing up, then I fry up some of our pasture raised pork and fresh eggs and I feel lucky all over again. But I do think I need a city fix for a short weekend.
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