Winter, Bah Humbug

I so know why the ancient people in the northern hemisphere celebrated the winter solstice, the longest night- shortest day of the year. It meant that now the days start getting longer- hurray! There will still be a lot of dark days but they are getting longer- no matter how slowly. Lets just get this part of the year over with and gone.

This has been the worst December that I can remember for snow fall and cold. Global warming - bring it on, I’ll take it. I am wading through snow to my waist here to do chores, you get a path made and the wind blows a drift back across it. My knees and hips are killing me. We paid a guy to plow our drive and the next day the wind drifted the snow across it deep enough it was to my knees.

We live in Michigan, I should be used to the snow, right? Let’s just say we have been spoiled the last few years, both by lesser amounts of snow and a neighbor who shoveled our path to the barn with a little 4- wheeler thing- its too narrow between the fence and where our cars are parked for a big plow. The neighbor is gone now. We have a snow thrower- but it wasn’t used in several years and Steve couldn’t get it started this fall. It has a pull start that makes it very hard for either of us to use too.

The road in front of our house was plowed, but it drifted over too. We live near a corner and its worse on the North- South road - pick ups and 4 wheels are getting stuck there. Wind chills make the temps feel way below zero- not a fit day for anyone. As soon as they plow the roads I’ll have to pay to have the drive plowed again. And it looks like we are going to get another round of messy weather tomorrow and Christmas Eve. Looks like the family Christmas get together may not happen for us. It’s an hour and a half drive. I no longer take big driving risks.

My little horses haven’t made many trips outside the barn- the snow is up to their bellies. The tom turkey stands just out side the chicken door but I don’t think anything else ventures out. The poor duck at least has the shelter I made him but that is where the worst drifts are between the barn and the pond gate and I have a hard time getting food to him.

Last night I crawled through a back bedroom window to get into the back yard. The dog door had so much snow piled up against it the door wouldn’t open. All the gates to the yard had huge drifts in front of them and I would have had to wade through tons of snow to get back to where their door is. Outside the window snow was to my waist but it was a much shorter trip. I cleared the snow away in front of their door and a small area for them to potty in. Then I scrambled in a very undignified manner back through the window. We have no door that opens into the back yard but that is going to change this spring!

I just keep thinking that in 3 months it won’t seem so bad, when we get the spring equinox and maybe we will get lucky and get a January thaw- of course we will probably all drown then! And we will be getting stuck in the mud instead of the snow!