The Cold has clamped down across the country, the west is in the deep freeze, I have a couple family members that have woke up to minus 47C.. that is deep biting cold.. bitter to your bones cold..
So while we are also having a cold snap on the farm, and it is a chilly minus 27C with nasty winds, we are still having sunshine.. which is awesome, because its pouring sun heat into the living room.. pull the heavy winter curtains for the dark and open them wide for the sun warmth..
The sky’s are clear which makes it colder at night but gives us such pretty blue during the day, something I always loved about my birth province is alberta.. big sky country!
Highbushcranberryfruit
Its that odds time of year when we can be in the “frost bite” warning temps while the sun if you lay in it can warm your bones.. Grateful for the small sqaure bales on these days in the barn.. so much faster to grab those bales and get them out to the horse’s and sheep.
A Evening Grosbeak Male enjoying his BOSS
The wild birds by about 200 give or take a few dozen on any given day are thriving on their BOSS.. While they have cleared all the other trees, the seed bearing grasses they are not eating the high bush cranberry fruit.. spoiled birds lol
What a good looking Catahoula Remmi is!
The younger pups are having lots of in house training, dog puzzle, mental work, find it and toys and bully sticks but they still must have a couple runs a day.. they are just big active breeds that need to get out and move.. So I layer up, and walk the paths that we have blown and shoveled out.. we have not left the farm in to long.. even I want to have a driveway visit.. or a bush hike.. when warms up a touch, we are hoping to go snowshoeing.. I hope to get you some nice photos on the trip..
We are starting to e-collar train Remmi so that he learns when he gets “buzz” that he needs to turn and run back to us and get cookies and reward.. this NOT a shock, its only a buzz feeling and sound.. So it will be starting to show up in his off farm photos at times.
They say the cold out west is settled in and will be keeping there till the end of the month, for us however, we have four more days and then its to start to warm up just a touch.. I hope they are right..
Taking each day one at a time, meeting each issue as it comes.. Working hard to see each small blessing and taking the time to reflect as needed.. Its always a harder week for me between Feb 2nd and Feb 7th.. This year had a number of outside our control added pressures.. nothing you can do but dig in and hold hard.. time will bring you to the other side..
I hope you are all layered up, safe and sound with warmth in your homes and in your hearts..
Just another Day on the Farm 
I think of you every year during this week 😘
Totally serious question, as we’re similar in age….do you see yourself staying in the same climate/region as you get older? I’m sure for me it’s tied to my uncooperative thyroid, but I just cant tolerate the cold like I used to…and (comparatively) it’s not THAT cold here. Im counting down the years till I can return to the coastal South and its 50+ degree winters.
Hugs and thank you so much for your private writing me..
yes, at this time, it would appear that we plan to stay here.. we have had a number of very indepth talks, the farm will be paid off this year and we have only going to happen once in our lifetime inheratience coming in at some point over the next year or two, and as hubby has 8 year till his 30 year at work or 13 years for him to have a 35 year pension from work.. we are really having some heavy talks.. Do we put money into our farm now to build in aging out or do we hold, do what is required and save hard and heavy for a planned retiredment move in 10ish years.
So far, we have solidly come down on the “stay” invest in the farm..
I hear ya. We’re having similar discussions. Jeff has 3 years left for his 30 years and both kids will be out of HS by then. Isaac is talking about following in Jeff’s footsteps and going Army Airborne, which will take him to Ft Bragg, NC about an hour from where I grew up and about 2 hours north of where I’d like to move/retire. It will also put him close to a Boeing plant where there may be some engineering/mechanical opportunities as that’s what he is really interested in. All I know is THIS is not my home and I’m desperate to get back where I belong!
I think if you feel that way, that working with your family, i am sure at some point in the future you will be movinv back there.. in a way I am a little sad that I don’t have any place that really calls me home.. alberta and the mountains calls me but not to that extent.. that sounds like its a soul calling.. and I know I would be following it, if I found that place myself.
Same situation here, but your temperature converts to about -14 degrees F, which is way worse than what we’re having in Southwest Michigan, at 10 degrees. I’d love to get out into that sunshine on my snowshoes but I have to work up to it.
They say that the cold is everywhere right now, that its a polar vortex so it makes sense you have some as well.. I hope you are also getting that sun warmth though the windows.. even a short little waddle walk can be a fun but it might be nice to wait for a little better weather..
I also miss the winter sunshine and bright blue skies of an Alberta winter but I DO NOT miss those extreme temperatures! Stay warm out there.
I have to admit that when Big Brother and mom and such are -40 plus below it makes my -30’s a little easier but not by much really.. its still cold!
Too cold for this little grey duck! Here’s to hoping that it warms up soon.
Glad to hear you’re keeping warm, but also enjoying the sunshine while it lasts. That picture of the grosbeak is wonderful!
It’s been cold here as well though nowhere near as cold as where you are – this morning was we went to get Husband vaccinated it was -6 degrees Celsius.
Congrats to hubby for getting his first vaccine, or is a single, ours are currently all doubles.. That is still chilly.. I am so glad you enjoyed that photo.. I thought he was very handsome.
Yes it’s doubles here as well in the UK, but at least he’s got the first dose down which confers a degree of immunity, and he’s booked in for his second one. I am unsure when I will get mine but the moment I get the letter, I’m booking it XD
Again wonderful, they say that we might? be offered it by sept 2021 but it could be at late as nov 2021..
Hubby and I sometimes discuss ‘moving to something/someplace better/different…’ (our place is paid for).
Then we realize that although it might. It be the ‘perfect’ place, it would take many years to recreate what we want somewhere else. To be honest – neither of us has that level of energy anymore. And we don’t want another mortgage. Sometimes I peruse the real estate listings and yes – the grass does look greener elsewhere….but at what cost. My hubby always says ‘never, is a long time’ – so yes, I won’t say we’ll never move along….but I think it would boil down to us not being in good enough health to stay here.
I hear you on that ” never say never” but overall we feel the same way, while its not impossable to find somewhere else that has waht we have, it would not be easy,and we have planted and created so much here that its hard to think about giving it up.. but yes, like you.. health would be the reason I think.. maybe a few other things, for sure the next years stable is better..