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| Our round grain bin house in the near middle, old 1856 house to right |
So I complained about the cold. My punishment? A bizarre heat wave followed by more bitter cold. You would think at age 58 I'd shut my gob.
Thursday evening it was 60 degrees F when I went outside to do evening chores. But we'd read the reports and we knew evil was lurking behind those grey clouds on the horizon. Still I threw caution to the wind an on a January day I went out in just a t-shirt. Ten minutes later the temp starting dropping. I went back to the house for a light jacket.
Ten minutes after that, the wind picked up and the temp dropped even more. I went back again and put a rain coat on over my jacket as dark clouds were creeping up quickly.
Ten minutes after the raincoat, it got so cold I needed a hat and gloves to finish watering the livestock.
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| Looking down our drive towards the north |
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| Across our pastures and looking to the East. |
Even the dogs, well especially the dogs, knew something was up and kept watching the sky.
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| Fannie |
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| Ashland |
In a matter of just 30 minutes the temperature dropped nearly 30 degrees and the wind went from 5 mph to gusts of 25 mph. By late that evening we were back in the low teens. The high that day (60 F) was eighty degrees higher than the lowest temp we had the week before which was -20F.
Mother Nature you are indeed a schizophrenic wench.
Yesterday morning I went out with the dog for our usual early walk; it was fine. A little later in the day I went to pick some vegetables and my un-gloved hands were FROZEN. I do wish it would make its mind up; at least for a few hours!
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to plan ones discomfort levels isn't it?
DeleteOh my, I miss the prairie. Can't say I miss Illinois winters though. We're hunkering down for another couple of frozen days. Again. Donna, stay warm!
ReplyDeleteWe and the critters are indeed. ok. Tonight 5 inches of snow possible with sub zero nighttime temps all week then back up to balmy high 40's by Saturday again. The perfect combination for pneumonia for animals and humans alike. Arggghhhhh.
DeleteWe had the exact thing happen here and when the temperature swung there was a downpour. We were outside and I tucked the little guy under my arm like a kicking, screaming football and ran for the house. From 58 to low teens in one day. WTH?
ReplyDeleteOh how I love that football hold! A mother can cover tons of ground that way.
DeleteOh Naughty Mother Nature!!! I love those photos Donna, you look adorable. Your dogs are so cute! :)
ReplyDeleteThank Rain. I rarely post selfies on this blog or on Facebook but I do take them and store them on my pc. If for no other purpose so that my kids can pick a decent pick of me for my obituary!
DeleteI live in central illinois and i know of the day you speak. It was 60 degrees and raining when I went to lunch, and 22 and snowing when I went home three hours later. I think I passed more salt trucks going home than regular cars!
ReplyDeleteI was very very thankful they filled my propane tank early last week, but even more thankful that I have a fireplace with a good blower and haven't had to depend on that propane for all of my heat the past few weeks. I love the idea of your rocket stove...that sounds like so much less work than all the firewood!
Your photos are delightful, and thank you for sharing :)
It has been rather psychotic here hasn't it? We too are thrilled not to be paying the gas company anything to heat our house. We paid enough over the years in our old farm house though, that we should be vested in a retirement plan or something with them.
DeleteThat's extreme alright!
ReplyDeleteHello Lorna! every day I listen to Galway news and keep hearing about the floods and such Ireland is enduring with your extremes. Now, it's time for me to check out your blog again. Here I go!
DeleteWe were teased with seventy degree weather two weeks ago, people were out and about like it was the middle of summer, but we knew once it got cold again, it would be bitter, and we are paying for it now !
ReplyDeleteMother Nature and her soddin' fickle ways :)
Taking care of livestock in freezing weather is a test of strength, I've done my share.
Stay warm dear fiend, I love the windswept look about your pictures, so natural and beautiful.
~Jo
Windswept. Yes, I think the look is good for me too. It blows back some of the loose turkey skin I have around my neck now after losing some weight. :)
DeleteSomething very similar here too. And the rain comes and goes as though someone with a very strange sense of humour is turning a tap on and off.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed like we're just being played with isn't it?
DeleteSeems like wacky weather extremes are the norm in so many places, Donna. we also have had warming temps here in NH that melted snow and ice. Tonight, the temps dropped making most roads sheets of black ice. Enjoyed all your selfies in this post 😉
ReplyDeleteThanks Beatrice P. Boyd. Last night it was dense fog we dealt with and the temp was almost 60 today! Going to crash cold again in a few days though. These extremes are starting to feel normal.
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