As you know I am always bad at remembering holidays...(well really, this isn't a holiday). Today was a warmish day..41 degrees..sweatshirt type of day...it is really nice to get rid of all the heavy coats and hats and gloves...even though the weather forecasts 3 - 5 inches of snow for us on Wed - Thurs..we can always hope it blows out to sea. My chickens have started to lay eggs again, I got 5 total in the last 2 days, (someone still owes me a egg) so I have stopped telling them that they are all going into the cooking pot. I let them out today and moved some rocks and things so that they could find some sleeping bugs to eat, they were so cute, following me around waiting for me to move things and when they saw something move, the rooster would make this clucking sound and all the hens would run really close to see. They found some lose dirt near the foundation in the front (the ground never freezes there because of the wood stove) and they scratched it up and had a dirt bath..Poor things, it must have been a long winter without a bath!! Our cows are all looking forward to spring and Eddie (hopefully) has done his job and we have all pregnant cows. We are selling Eddie to a young couple who are looking for a bull for their cows. They came to see him and were pleasantly surprised how docile he is. All the others ran right over to greet the new people, it was really hard for them to get close to Eddie with all the other heads fighting to get their attention..but they really liked Eddie and we are waiting a few more weeks to make sure all of our cows are pregnant before we send him off to them. The water buckets have thawed and the ice is floating now, making it easier to drag the hose from down cellar and hook it up to the outside faucet to water them, (we were putting through the kitchen window so they could have warm water). They really no longer need warm water. David and I took a ride today and we saw a ice fishing derby, so much for our thinking that the ice is melting!. There were people all over the ice and lawn chairs and some even had a fire on the ice. They all had holes cut in the ice for their fishing equipment. I don't think I would want to be out on the ice, at all!! I would be sure that if I was out there, the ice would crack and I would fall in. There is no doubt in my mind that it would happen. I hate going out on the ice. Emily all winter long has been bugging us to teach her how to ice skate, I told her to have her Daddy make her an ice skating rink in her back yard. I recall vaguely that we had one when we were little, I remember Dad setting it up in the back yard. I really don't remember if we ever skated on it, I just remember what it looked like. There is a house up the road, where they have a hockey rink set up. They board it all off and put plastic in it and then flood it in stages during the winter, so it freezes really nice and their kids play hockey. (they must have lots of extra time on their hands!) The ride to work is getting more interesting every day!! The frost heaves in the road, have made my commute a roller coaster ride..HELPFUL HINT: Do not drink coffee while driving unless you have your coat zipped completely up to your chin. Very dangerous!! Not only is the coffee is hot, but my shirts look pretty bad by the time I get to work. And while I am complaining, here are a few other things: I am low on glasses (no Christmas glasses this year). I had to buy some miscellaneous ones at a yard sale! Some of them had liquor names on them and now they are disappearing also. I am also low on forks...I don't know where they are!! I broke one of my glass measuring cups...(I know, I know, what was I doing with a glass one!!) it was my favorite..I have plastic ones, but I use them to feed the chickens with. I can never seem to keep my kitchen clean..I am sick of sand, it is everywhere..The dog bites my vacuum cleaner when I use it, the cats will only go out for a short period of time.. On the bright side...because I am an optimistic person..The days are getting longer..the temperature is warming..the snow is melting..i am getting eggs again and pretty soon things will turn green again..See there is a happy ending...Love you all. Patti
