The Ice Man Cometh!

"SNOW!" I wrote on Facebook after I had looked out the window in the middle of the night. Sure enough, when I awoke yesterday, everything was covered in white. But it wasn't snow, it was ice! Tiny pellets carpeted everything with nearly an inch of something between sleet and snow.

We were housebound for the day, except for getting out to feed the animals. Howard went out to start the riding lawn mower he uses for transportation to the barn, (it pulls a little wagon with supplies) but no amount of struggling succeeding in starting it. There was no choice but to walk down the slippery slope (literally!).

What if he fell? I asked myself. I had to go with him! Both bundled up in coats, gloves and scarves, we set out, he with his cane and me holding on to him. Thankfully we didn't fall down, although it was slick in spots! When we reached the chicken run, we were able to hold on to the heavy wire mesh that enclosed them.

I got a taste of his chores, watching him break the ice on the pigs' water tub, as well as on water for the goats and chickens. In the relative protection of the barn, we bucketed feed for cats, chickens, pigs and goats, and our dog Jack. Carrying the feed to the pens required my determined farmer to hold on to the fence with one hand and the bucket in the other. After gathering the eggs, we made it back to the house safely and thankfully.

The afternoon was quiet with snoring and dozing in front of the TV. Although I finished, folded and put away two loads of laundry and made a chicken stew, I was still restless and bored, wondering about the mail in the mailbox by the road. Finally, nothing doing but resolutely going for the mail and taking out the trash would satisfy.

Walking timorously and carefully up the hill (I dared not risk the icy walkway with its icy handrails), I stepped wherever possible on frozen leaves and grass atop the ice. Only slipping a little once, I deposited the trash and retrieved the mail and the newspaper! The sun is shining today and icicles are dripping, although it's still cold! It'snow joke!