Is any one else really tired of this weather?

[jacks'thunder]

School is closed again. I just went out to the garage and everything is a sheet of ice. The garage has a flood of water in it because of all the yuck falling off the roof. I tried to keep up on it yesterday in front of the doors but it's so thick and packed down.

I give up! I quit winter! I can do that right?!?!

LOL!

 

[chandab]

Well, at least its your garage, my barn is flooded (so warmish days its standing water, cold days a sheet of ice). Good thing the girls live out, and usually only eat grain in their stalls, so we can work around it for now. Come summer, I need to remember to dig a trench to divert the water around the stalls.

 

[Performancemini]

Yesterday we didn't get too much freezing rain or the snow. It did rain though and there was one huge clap of thunder that sent the dog up in the air and off the couch and and barking. A little more thunder later in the day. Then in the evening and throughout the night we had winds up to 60 miles per hour. Believe me, the windows in this little old farm house were really rattling! Today it was less windy, and sunny at least!

 

[Performancemini]

Everyone must be tired of griping or maybe we are all on "hold" or in better weather at the moment. We are 20's and sunny. But this week is going to be pretty cold in the teens days. At least we are to have some sun. That's always welcome. Hoping for 30's and 40's though.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Nah, never tired of griping hahaha.... Just numb at this point. another cold flash coming this week.

My stable flooded and is doing the freeze thaw thing where it is either an ice brick or a slushy water mess. I can't roll a wheel barrow anywhere. Ice and snow still too heavy to even walk through. I have never had my stables get this yucky. It makes me crazy.

The snow was so deep and heavy that I was only able to shovel little trails around and then everything froze up and I am stuck with a kitchen size circle for 7 dogs to potty in and my horses are stuck in the paddock because my two gates are hopelessly frozen into the ground... Even if I did get the gates open they couldn't go out because it is so icy.

Good news is that we have had a couple of days near 50 and then back to freezing over night. so we are doing freeze thaw right now. The roads are all blown up. The potholes are huge and dangerous. If it isn't the ice, its the boot sucking mud. We paid some of our amish friends to come and use a breaker bar to knock away some ice so we could get the spreader under the cleaner.
8 of my calves got coughs and a couple with pneumonia and we had the vet come out Friday and do treatments on all of them. He said every farm he has been to has sick calves. They just can't take the up and down temps and cooped up barn. Too little to go outside and we are dealing with pens like my horse shed that we cannot get cleaned out due to the fact we cannot get the manure hauled out anywhere.

To top it off, we have coyotes that are hungry and hanging around making me nervous.

I better stop now.. haha..

It would be nice to get some sleep. Getting home at midnight or later every night and getting up at 6 am. takes a long time to do nothing these days.

I got my hair cut and colored today. That was a feel good for sure. I kept dozing off in the chair and head bobbing. Lucky for me she didn't cut my bangs right off. I know I snored more than once. Must get sleep soon.

take care folks.... lets drum up some more weather complaints for some fun reading... here is mine. enjoy.

 

[jacks'thunder]

Just plain old tired! LOL! Actually the days have been pretty nice. The last 2 were in the 30's and today is in the 20's. I had very stuck front barn doors. They face the north so the sun does nothing for thawing them. It was the worst they have ever been. So this morning I had to take the spud bar and chip all the ice that's in the door track and around it. My arms and back are so sore. It was a great work out though! LOL! But I'm dog tired! I kept the spud bar back in the barn because I know it won't be the last time I'm going to use it...

 

[chandab]

Yep, sick of the weather, but we had enough of a reprieve to get 4 of 7 new windows put in the house, no trim, but the windows are in. Now we are headed back to the deep freeze and its only single digits above zero right now. going to make a batch of chocolate chip cookie bars as soon as the butter softens and I get off this thing.

 

[Minimor]

Very sick of the cold and wind and snow here! It's going to be cold 22 below (-30C) every night this week, or nearly every night, with windchill values colder than that..

Not sure just how much snow we have on the ground in total; kind of hard to tell, the way it has drifted in this past week. I have pretty much quit opening gates; there are still 2 that open okay, and a 3rd that I quite some time ago chopped out of the ice and took it off its hinges; it is tied up with twine but at least I can open and close it to let horses through. As for the other gates, I don't need them, I just walk over the fences when i'm doing chores. I was out in the back yesterday and wondered what happened to the top corral rail--then realized that I was looking at it; the trouble is, the one under it is now covered with snow. The top rail is maybe a foot above the snow, or maybe 10 inches above the snow?

The stallions--Gold is secure in his corral. Venture's fence is maybe knee high in a couple of sections, but he is a good boy and doesn't bother walking out. A couple weeks ago I raised fences in one corral to make it Reno-proof; I was tired of Reno jumping from corral to corral as he pleased. He is now in with Tim and so far is staying put. Hopefully that continues, and hopefully spring arrives before his fence gets lowered any more!

In the back--the mares and geldings were divided into 3 groups; 10 mares on one pasture, 8 geldings on the other pasture, and 5 geldings in a big corral. Some of them started climbing back and forth over fences some time ago. Two weeks ago when I got a new hay delivery I couldn't get bales set out immediately, so I took down one fence to allow the 5 geldings to go out with the 10 mares to eat the bales in the pasture. Well, now they're all going back and forth into the gelding pasture. I've added one extra gelding to the group--he was in a front corral previously, but seems to be happier out with the other Mini geldings instead of in with 2 pony geldings. So--sometimes I go out and there are 18 in one group and 7 on the other side of the fence. I check everyone, go get a load of water and come back to find there are now 9 horses on the first side and 16 where the 7 were 20 minutes earlier. If they're being silly, by the time I get the first group counted and get over to the other side there are some of the ones I already counted, all ready to be counted again. Grrr. I think there are a few places where they could walk over the perimeter fence, but generally no one is interested in doing that, which is a very good thing.

 

[Margo_C-T]

I feel SO bad for what all of you having so much cold, snow, ice, and wind to deal with; I could simply NOT cope with such anymore,at my age and stage in life. Nature surely seems to have NO sense of evenness; out here, we have had, for the most part, an unusually warm and VERY DRY, winter--we are in a situation similar to California--severe drought, and it will produce similar issues w/ hay costs and shortages…though half the world does NOT depend on us for their produce….

Have any of you tried 'Stableicers', which are studded 'grippers' that slip on over your shoes or even overshoes? My daughter who works up at the Nat'l.Lab in Los Alamos brought me some after I fell on ice a couple of times; they are fairly easy to slip on/off, but really great if you have a pair of shoes/overshoes that you can leave them on and just slip those on/off when you come in/go out. I don't know the cost, but don't think they are very expensive.

Good luck to all,and sending hopes for the extremes of weather conditions to subside, and without bad aftereffects like flooding!

Margo

 

[Minimor]

Well it is currently 10 below with a windchill of almost 40 below (by Wed night they say it will

be close to 40 below without the windchill. Blah!

The horses are cold and they are running around, chasing each other and fighting, hopping ack and forth over fences as they please. I don't have horse's I have fleas, big hairy fence jumping/crawling fleas!!!

 

[chandab]

Have any of you tried 'Stableicers', which are studded 'grippers' that slip on over your shoes or even overshoes? My daughter who works up at the Nat'l.Lab in Los Alamos brought me some after I fell on ice a couple of times;

Margo

I just bought a pair of something similar in town today, they were about $22. I've fallen twice and slipped without falling a few times in the last couple weeks, saw the chiropractor today, so thought I better try something to reduce the slippage. I hope they'll fit on my Muck Boots.

 

[Performancemini]

I told my husband I want to invest in a pair of those for each of us for next year anyway. BRRRRRRRRRRR! Come on, it's still going in the below wind chills at night (-20) and the days in the teens, maybe a 20. I hope March goes out like a lamb and stays that way. I need some 60's for the first two weeks of April (a 70 would be a real sweet thing). We have a horse expo and HAVE to body clip and bathe for it. Easter made it a week earlier this year. I wish they could have made it a week later, but they are doing major rip up for for a whole new facility for fall-so that let that out. We can only pray weather wise.

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

HAAHAAHAAHAAHAA!!! Jumping fleas!! Love it...

I hope you all don't think I'm being mean when I post pics like this.........

I just remember (and still suffer with) winter blues, when it just WON'T go away. Everything is soggy and chapped. Hands, feet, legs, faces. Sick of glancing out a window, expecting a little hint of sun, then realizing that glimmer was just a reflection from all those freakin' icicles dangling from all the eaves!! Mud so ground into everything, even the dog makes that weird "big girls in corduroy" swishing noise (that my favorite teacher, Miss Poole made...wish THAT wish hadn't been granted, now that I know how she did it!!)

I found those daffodils while out walking with Lucky in the greyness today. They brightened my day a little, and I hope they'll brighten yours, too.

And keep griping!! I'm happy to "listen" if it makes you marginally sane, and prevents stories such as....

This tragic discovery in MN just in....woman found trapped in hip dip snow, hugging and rocking what appears to be a small wooly yak. When approached by this reporter and asked why she wouldn't release her hold, she groaned out the following reply. "He kept crossing over. He's so little, I really thought it would be alright...it's high enough in summer...right??!! Why, oh why, wouldn't you just stop being a winter wanderer??" she finished in a moan. Authorities are confused, and unable to verify whereabouts of her husband at this time. Neighbors keep saying she is talking about miniature horses, however, until the poor distraught woman's husband's safety is assured, we will continue to post updates as they are received.

ENJOY.....Julie

 

[Performancemini]

I love daffodils and jonquils and tulips! I am glad to see yours. It means "mother nature" has not forgot us and winter IS going to let go. It's just doing it in a round about way this year.

 

[jacks'thunder]

Single digits this morning with a high in the low teens for the next few days. When I see minuses in the forecast, which there is for thursday/friday, I just try to block it out. I'm just tired of the high bills and having to cut back on things we need because of it. Our electric bill last month was over 3 hundred dollars. Hubby says if he's reading the meter right, according to kilowatt hr. our next bill will be almost double. How on earth are we going to do this! I'm truly tired of this weather. It can stop any time. Polar vortex, winter weather advisory, arctic blast, I'm so tired of hearing those words.

On a good note I did get an egg yesterday. First one in 3 months. Usually my chicks will lay all winter pretty much. But not this disgusting, horrible, cold, depressing, ugly, winter!

 

[Performancemini]

Our lilac bush has those little tiny "pre-buds" on it. I told it (through the window) that it was jumpin' the gun this year!!! It's so stinkin' cold again. The wind is blowing and sending chill through the leaky old windows and tonight, tomorrow and tomorrow night is going to go WAYYYYY in the minus wind chills again. Hubby has the horses in the barn until????? My insides are not happy with all this. Starting to get stomach aches off and on and eye strain from playing on the computer (especially solitaire). Keep showing the flowers!

 

[shorthorsemom]

today was a pain. It started snowing early... supposed to be a dusting, turned out to be a heavy short snow and dumped about 3 inches on us. I got lucky to be out driving in it. Was taking our amish welder neighbor to the store to buy supplies to fix a stall divider in our barn with some really cool hand made curb attachments. Should have been a 1/2 hour round trip. Turned into a super long drive with a few moments when somebody got stuck on the hill and couldn't do anything but spin wheels and turn sideways and we were 1 block from our destination and had to turn around twice. sheesh. Total white out and trying to stay on the road was all I could stand.

Had to turn section of cows out early so he could work with his scary grinder that had our girls standing in the manger with bug eyes...and then they stood outside yelling that they wanted to be back inside.

No sit down time and no rest all day, everything off schedule. Fed dogs late, fed horses late, goats late and husband and I ate breakfast at noon. My stomach has been upset all day. Then the joy of my car ignition picking tonight to quit and we only have one car and it is dead in the driveway. sheesh. Well, at least I am stuck here at the house catching up on chores because I can't walk to the barn. On the bad side, its almost 8:30 pm, we haven't started milking yet and nobody has come to get me or eat supper. Gonna be a long night. I had a heifer calve at 4 am yesterday after we checked her late into the night, and I have another heifer due any minute and I am sure we will be checking her through tonight because goodness knows, they enjoy middle of the night calving.

Tomorrow will be brutal... low single digit temps and high winds overnight.

I have a wind leaky old house. this horrible high wind freezing winter has knocked out so many windows. I have plastic stapled up on so many windows I have lost count. Even have a cat litter bag stapled over an attic window. We look like hillbillies but at least it turns away the wind a bit until we can get somebody to come and put some windows back in. Too icy in yard for a ladder and of course the windows that flew out are on highest part of house. The mice are coming in to get warm. I am trapping a few every day, they are driving the dogs nuts and my one dog sits in one spot in the kitchen and stares at the wall where she last saw one.

ok. Done whining... no.. not yet... haha. Stuck my wet hand on the gate again tonight. When will I ever learn. Ouch. haha.

take care... Keep writing, comfort in not being alone.

wish me luck on my car, last thing I needed was a big fix it car bill.

 

[Performancemini]

shorthorsemom, you definitely have it worse than me! I guess I don't walk dairy cattle; though I am glad there are people who do, of course! I saw a documentary once of a beef farm in Wyoming or Montana or such. Such a time at calving time; between calving problems and unpredictable weather. Wow!

I have to go for Physical Therapy on my ankle tomorrow. It's supposed to start snowing some in the afternoon. My appt.s at 11:15, so I hope I don't run into anything!

 

[jacks'thunder]

Our lilac bush has those little tiny "pre-buds" on it. I told it (through the window) that it was jumpin' the gun this year!!! It's so stinkin' cold again. The wind is blowing and sending chill through the leaky old windows and tonight, tomorrow and tomorrow night is going to go WAYYYYY in the minus wind chills again. Hubby has the horses in the barn until????? My insides are not happy with all this. Starting to get stomach aches off and on and eye strain from playing on the computer (especially solitaire). Keep showing the flowers!

Thats so funny I was just commenting on our lilac bush too! I cant wait for them to bloom!
Fingers crossed shorthorsemom, hope your car is ok!

Margo, those shoe spikes are great! But I have moon boots on steroids so they wont fit

Ok this is the view out my front window this morning

all within the same hour! The wind is so crazy bad. It was kinda neat though, we saw these snow tornados this morning! Like those little dirt devils you see in the summer but snow! I have never seen that before! Cold cold cold!

I just wanted to add I did the best thing ever! I broke out the 1980's snowmobile suit! OMG I should have done that a long time ago! I was warm, and I had movement! Lol! Now no I don't look stylish but I could climb up those round bales with no problems! If you have a Salvation Army or Goodwill near you go find one! Well worth having!

 

[shorthorsemom]

I just saw next weeks forecast. 12 inches of snow predicted for Monday. I can hardly stand it.

Funny, first time I typed this I wrote 12 inches of snot instead of snow. Probably an omen.

My car got fixed last night. Bless the locksmith that worked on my Honda ignition for an hour late last night in single digit temps with high winds in my icy driveway to get my car going. He was awesome and didn't charge me a mint either. Rare individual. Evidently something that happens on Honda ignitions all the time. It was a feel good.

Here is a photo for you to enjoy, something I saw and photographed yesterday in a thawed spot in the yard. Gave me hope until I saw the forecast for next week. UGH. more snow. Run Robin run, we are far from spring.