Gangway Northwest........Here comes Winter!

[susanne]

Right now a heated trough sounds wonderful -- sigh...

We clear ice out of the troughs several times a day, then right before bedtime (1am) and again at 4am...even just heated buckets would be amazing!

We check at each time to see if anyone is shivering or otherwise showing signs of getting chilled, but everyone is fine (horses, that is...we freeze our butts off while we do this). It's colder up here in the hills, but we're sheltered from the wind, so with no windchill factor it feels warmer here than in much of the region. The horses aren't thrilled about the frozen moonscape that is their corral, but as long as they have hay to much on, they're happy. (Diets for all of us begin when it warms up -- freezing weather means nonstop eating for all of us!)

I worry more about when it transitions back into rain and we get our requisite freezing rain. Yucko! The supposed warming spells in between storms this week won't affect us, but after Monday it's supposed to warm up. Just make it quick, please!

I STILL haven't done ANY Christmas shopping, but then we'd better hope this goes away before the 25th, or we'll be staying right here on our little hill, de-icing troughs!

 

[Shari]

Susanne, you are welcome to come over here to see how our heated water tough is set up. The parts and heater itself doesn't cost much. If you need help,,my DH wouldn't mind giving your Husband a hand putting it together.

If you have a sheltered area and a ground fault plug.. you can also use a heated water bucket like this. Though you have to bring water out to them because it is so small. I have used this model a number of years

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PG...92-00b0d0204ae5

Then there is an unheated version like this....but I have never tried it.

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PG...51-fe0f3b675e87

Its all the way up to 24* right now...of course that is in a sheltered area out of the wind. The sky is so clear it is hard to believe we are going to have another snow storm tomorrow.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Shari, that first bucket is the one I have. Did you notice they're on sale now? $29.95! I paid $45 for mine at the local tack store a few days ago.

Leia

 

[My-Lil-Pony]

I have a couple of the 2nd buckets the non electric ones. They work wonderful. I fill them with hot water at evening feeding time and with temps down to about 12 they stay unfrozen.

 

[Shari]

Shari, that first bucket is the one I have. Did you notice they're on sale now? $29.95! I paid $45 for mine at the local tack store a few days ago.
Leia

Ya I saw that. Figures, because I also payed $45.00 each for the ones I have, a number of years ago.

 

[Shari]

Ak~~~ It is really snowing now. IF it keeps this up... DH might not make it back up the hill tonight. He was wondering if he needed to stay home from work today. The other snow storms did not give us much in the way in snow....but this one is!

 

[Taylor Jo]

opps wrong spot....

 

[susanne]

Same here, Shari -- Keith just called to say that both of his cable chains broke on his way to work. This definitely makes getting back home dicey, and if they get freezing rain on Pill Hill, he may not even be able to get out of his parking spot, let alone make it up our hill.

At least since he works in day surgery, he'll have the unit all to himself, with a warm, comfy bed and cable TV...

 

[MooreAcres]

I also have heated water buckets, that I just plugged in two days ago. They are the 16 gallon ones that are better for outside, but I put them in the corner of each of the stalls (since the kids are inside alot right now with the temps being SOOO low) and ran the cord under the gate so that the horses cant chew on them.

I hope to get a couple more before next winter, so that I have enough for outside and inside.

Heres a link to the ones I have... heat bucket

Stay warm everyone!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

We got MAYBE a dusting of snow last night where I am and that was it. It's 2:25 in the afternoon, we were supposed to have between 3-10" by now and all we've got is cloud cover and some viscious winds!

What gives??

Temps are a balmy 29 degrees today, up about twelve to fourteen degrees from the clear nights we've had.

Leia

 

[jayne]

Well Leia, I guess it's amazing what just a few miles will do (for those reading, I am about 20 miles due north of Leia). We are just buried in snow!! On top of the 3 inches still here from last Saturday, we have a new 8 inches today and it's still snowing like crazy. The county snowplow JUST went by our house at 3pm today. Of course school is out and it doesn't look good for tomorrow either!

Actually, the temps are higher than they've been the past few days, so that is nice. Not as much ice in the buckets and trough. The horses were out in the snow until about noon having fun, but then they got cold and wanted back into their cozy stalls. Just like having real kids I guess! I knocked off 2" of snow off their backs when they came in, and while they looked wet, I parted the hair and they were all dry and warm underneath.

So they're in now, munching their way through their 2nd bale of hay today. Oh well! I've still got about 150 bales left and 50 more at the hay guys place. Even at two bales a day (which they seldom eat that much unless it's REALLY cold), that'll last me 100 more days, and by then the grass will be starting to grow.

Dumb chickens who haven't been laying all winter gave me 6 eggs today. I think they're telling me they like their heat lamp!

Jayne

 

[Shari]

7" of snow and counting. Coming down like gang busters.

Susanne,, Keith is really lucky. Robert doesn't have any where to stay close by, if he gets stuck down in the lowlands. Crossing my fingers.. he said he would come home early,,so he at least can see where he is going.

Dyfra has an icle hanging off her belly that has to be 12" long!! And a number of smaller ones. Got a picture of it...I think. As soon as I warm up enough I will get it off the camera.

Hay... I am watching the news and they have a video of a Miniature horse named Cody,, pulling his owner on a snow board! Channel 2 News portland!

http://www.katu.com/outdoors/featured/36336134.html

You are lucky Leia,,, you can have some of my snow!

 

[Shortpig]

I am now enjoying the warmer temps here but it won't last long. So far getting to work and home everyday with no issues. I really love my 4 wheel drive. My road is very icy still and I have to park in the snow on the side of the road.

Horses were feeling pretty spunky last night for some reason. Even good ole Jasmine came in the barn while I was cleaning I guess to prod me to work faster. They were hungry and just wanted to be inside. Dogs have been spending most of their time inside and loving it. Even big ole Bubba dog has enjoyed his time in the house he usually doesn't like being in for very long as he can't see what is going on out side and he's unable to guard everything. All the rodents have been safe to move around at night without him out there.

Last night was first night all water tubs were just water not solid ice so no thawing necessary. Now today the temps are supposed to drop through out the day and back into the 20's by the time I get off work tonight. BRRH!

I need to get home in time to get pics in the daylight. Probably won't be till this weekend. I'm going to let them each have some time in the front yard where they can move around with out the moonscape they have in their turnout areas. They will like that.

 

[jayne]

Well, it's 6:13 am Thursday and I just got done walking the fenceline around my 2.5 acres. On the flat spots the snow was just below my knees. I ran into deeper and shallower spots depending on drifting and tree coverage. This is the field for my clyesdale, standard donkeys and a pony. There are spots where the bottom line of my fence is in the snow. I'm assuming that means my fence isn't hot. The bad news is that the horses were inside since noon yesterday and they needed to go out, so hopefully they'll respect the fence lines today! Usually they're good about it. I'm not too worried if they get out as we are the last house on a dead end and there is pretty much no where to go. Plus there is no traffic because of all the snow as well.

So I just split a small bale and put it in spots outside and they're having fun running from pile to pile. I couldn't even find my 1/2 barrel feeders under the snow. I left the minis in their stalls and will let them out later. I didn't want them to have to eat outside as the snow is up to their bellies.

I heard on the news that our area was particularly hard hit, with some spots having almost two feet of snow. And Seattle hardly got any just 40 miles away.

I'll get some pictures later once the sun comes up. It should be beautiful.

Jayne

 

[Equuisize]

All the progress we made yesterday here, near the coast, with temps to near 40 and

rain was undone with the snow overnight. However compared to those of you up North we're in

good shape, with maybe only three inches, at this moment in time. It is still snowing lightly.

Chevy is glad we went grocery shopping yesterday and restocked his puppy cookies

as that is what makes his world go round.

The horses are eating a bale of hay every other day so may not make it thru to next

years haying season, as we'd hoped when we stocked the barn this summer.

Overall, we're in good shape just need to make it thru the weekend with the low low temps

and hope next week will improve.

It is quite beautiful and we may for the first time since 1990 have a white Christmas.

1:30 PM: My what a difference a few hours makes, it's snowing like a son of a gun now.....all the

snow that was hitting up North is blowing our way......

It stays pretty, in my mind, until the water freezes in the barn.

 

[Shari]

10 1/2" of snow around the house,,, bit more in the animal pastures. Just got the power back luckily,,, outage only lasted 6 hours total. Haven't been able to check the news to see if today is going to snow like they said it would??

Alpaca's are totally not impressed. Have lots of photos..and if the power doesn't go out again will get some posted here.

Plan on riding out in a bit... need to check the property. Have to say.. I have never seen so much snow, sine I left New Hampshire.

Has anyone heard from Susanne... I know she is up in the hills like us and wondering if everything was ok?

 

[gimp]

Here in Kingston it has been snowing since the wee hours. Local news is still reporting the weather and accidents. The freeways in the just east of Seattle area have become parking lots. I'm guessing maybe 4-6 inches here, but with the warmer weather yesterday there is a thick layer of ice under it all. Temps are dipping. Was 30 when I got up at 6, and is now 27. I think I am ready for it to be over

 

[susanne]

We're doing fine here -- thanks for asking, Shari!

Keith did indeed have to stay at work last night, so I had to feed by the light of the silvery moon reflected in the snow. Fortunately, like Marie, their troughs didn't ice over, so I only had to stoke their ovens with hay...somehow it seemed too easy!

It snowed more last night, but now it is bright, clear and dry. The deck railing has about 10 inches, possibly more, of snow, but who knows how much melted.

Be careful, everyone...even with those 4-wheel-drives. Keith and his coworkers were comparing notes on all the cars and trucks that have gone off the road on their drives to work, and most are 4-wheel-drives!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

That's because a lot of people with four-wheel drives, drive like idiots!! They forget it doesn't help with braking....

It was still dark and glowering but dry when my coworkers closed the blinds at 4:30PM on Wednesday but by the time I left work half an hour later it was, in the words of one evening shift employee, "a disaster zone."

It took me nearly three hours to make the twenty minute drive home and I passed multiple spinouts and tow trucks on the smaller highways. Thankfully I have Thursday and Friday off this week so I'm sitting home watching the news today and going

over the slow-motion twelve-car pile-up a block from my office. Nobody did anything wrong apparently, the cars just started sliding down the hill into each other until they reached the bottom! Lots of stories like that all over the place.

Spyder scared the heck out of me last night by attempting to colic, thankfully he seems a little better today although I'm going to have to fight the snow to get some more Banamine from the vet's down in town. Kody is soaked but full of it, picking my pockets every time I dare to look at the other horse and demanding to know why I'm not out there playing with him. I think I'm going to be suicidal and try hooking him to the toboggan. It should be fun!

Supposed to get COLD again tonight so driving tomorrow should be an adventure. I suspect I'll be sleeping at work on Saturday and Sunday nights.

Leia

 

[Miniv]

We're getting a good accumulation of snow here too..........BUT the temps are popping between 30 to 32 degrees and we can live with that! The single digits and below zero stuff was killing us!

Have to admit that driving is going to be more adventurous. Larry just left the house in the pickup set on 4-wheel drive and said (via cell phone) the highway was still a bit interesting. The positive is that our pipes aren't threatening to freeze.........Our troughs all have heaters in them.........and the horses seem to be acting much happier -- even with a coating of snow on their backs!