Many of my winter farm activities are in my head.
Like renaming the farm. After struggling with an icy drive, acknowledging we are going through fire wood at a much greater rate than expected, and hauling hay from the new farm to the old farm where we all (humans and animals alike) are still living, I think the farm would be more aptly named: Fine Folly Farm.
RNB laughed but nixed my suggestion for change. Perhaps that idea will become a 2008 memory, and this new year will bring more moments of delight than discouragement.
Some of my winter activities are indoor activities. Painting the interior walls of the house we are finishing. I have become quite the skilled house painter! The main ingredients to success include: attention, breathing, focus, patience. Oh yeah, the right tools and color choices help! How quickly I became protective of my favorite tools -- especially the paint brush I use for doing the edges, and the little hammer I use for closing the paint can.
Other indoor activities include knitting and crocheting items with the Jacob yarn I mentioned before. I am having fun mixing the Jacob yarn with other yarns. A couple of scarves should adorn some family necks soon -- 1 strand of Jacob yarn with 1 strand of a commercial -- and very soft -- colored wool yarn. I am experimenting with colors as well as hook and needle sizes. I have a lap blanket partially finished as well -- 100% Jacob yarn.
A few outdoor winter activities... The less pleasant ones are the repetitive ones, like walking to the various spigots to make sure the water is running enough to keep from freezing. Especially important when it's below 10°F, or like last night, below 0°F. I had to use the heavy metal rod to open the surface of one water trough but the water was still flowing in all.
Keeping the new Red Star pullets watered is a challenge as they are not yet integrated with the other fowl whose watering needs are met by a pan heater and a 5 gallon waterer.
This morning I did another outdoor farm activity. I stood around near the sheep, watching them, seeing if I could recognize the growing-up ewe lambs we kept. When they are younger, it's easy to tell who is who because they stick close to their momma ewes. As they grow up, they mingle amongst the adults less discriminately. I did manage to figure them all out before my toes got cold.
I carry a long-term SHOULD on my shoulders. I SHOULD get proper photos of the ewes and lambs so I can register them. I got the farm name registered (Jacob Sheep Breeders Association) and gave each ewe and lamb a name last year, and named the spring lambs (last year, ehem!), even took a half a kazillion digital pictures. But never sorted through the pics nor enlisted someone's help to hold them still while I got the views needed for registering them...
Meanwhile, for the record. The lambs we have now are: Zinnia (out of Granny Z), Mimosa and Marigold (out of Mandy), Magnolia (out of Marilyn), and Begonia (out of Bettina). Can you guess what naming theme I chose last spring?
Now that I am enjoying using the yarn from their wool, I look forward to finding out who produces the softest fleece!
Ok, you sheep! Stand still while I take your pictures!
