Winter Afternoon

Today started more like a typical winter morning, with roaring wind and plunging temperatures.  No ice, snow or sleet, but cold, cold cold.  I waited, working on the computer, until the temperature climbed from a frigid 21 degrees to a cold but bearable 28 before venturing out to tackle the morning feed chores.  My cold weather working outfit is shabby but servicable; a heavy quilted jacket that has seen better days, with a zipper that no longer closes and a few missing snaps.  If it is very cold I wear a little hooded jacket underneath.  Since I don't really like wearing jeans or even pants, I put thermal underwear under my long skirt on most days, with thick socks.  My boots are older than most of the animals here but still serviceable, and I wear gloves that get stuffed into my pocket most of the time, cold or not, so that I can work.

The first chore is to feed the three cats, more demanding than any of the other outside creatures.  Although I am frequently serenaded by the chattering of small birds in the twiggy shrubs near the bird feeders as I dole out three bowls of cat food.  I fill the feeders with seed, which often creeps into my sleeves as well.  Occasionally I have to empty my pockets of accumulated bits of hay, seed and carrot bags.

Next I make my way down to the rabbit's barn, usually accompanied by my black cat, and often escorted by a curious puppy.  It's much warmer in the barn, although the temperature is below freezing, because I am sheltered from the wind.  The rabbits greet me with a clatter of food dishes and a rattle of bottles.  When the weather is like this all the bottles are frozen, and morning chores consist of feeding all the rabbits a twist of hay from a friend's farm, and gathering all the bottles to be taken in for thawing.

Over the years I've worked out a routine.  I take in half the bottles, fill the sink with hot water, take the caps off the bottles and dump bottles, caps, ice and all in the sink.  By the time I get back with the second load, many of the first bottles are thawed enough that letting them stand with a little more hot water will finish the ice.  I try to conserve water; I only have a spring here and I can't let it run low.  And it just doesn't make sense to be wasteful. 

I fill the thawed bottles and take them back out and the rabbits are happy and settled for the morning.  If the day is supposed to be very bitter and it seems likely that the bottles will refreeze fast, I usually just take out a bucket of water and fill plastic bowls for the rabbits to drink from.  I don't like doing this as well; no matter what kind of bowl, from metal to plastic to crocks, the rabbits like to toss them around and they don't get much water.  So if it seems that they will be able to get water most of the day, I will just go ahead and fill the bottles.   This winter has been unusually warm; there was one day in December that I had to thaw the bottles in the evening.

The morning chores are done, and I come in to peel off a few layers of clothes and get warm.  Usually I treat myself to a nice pot of Earl Grey tea, with toast, honey, apple butter or my mom's homemade jelly.  Dogs settle at my feet and I sit, enjoying my little breakfast, and watch the birds as they enjoy theirs.  The work is by no means over for the day, but this is a time I can enjoy, happy that hungry animals are content for a time. 

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Posted by kayinpa

Brrr, it was cold today! It is times like these I am glad I dont have to venture out to feed the "livestock" :)

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Posted by cyndy

Some things in life you can count on, and chores are one of them! There is a comfort to the routine, and it allows you to savor the seasons as they come and go...thanks for taking us out to do chores with you!

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