January - Brrrrrrr

We have had a colder than average January this year. There is no doubt about the fact that it is winter. It has made me appreciate the people who pioneered and settled this country. Going out to milk the cow in the way below freezing temperatures brings a picture to mind of a settler going out with his lantern in the wee hours of the morning and again in the early evening - with his breath fogging the air - icicles forming on his beard. As we fill up the water tank from the hose and make sure the submersible heater is plugged in, I think of families going out to chop ice off of the creek, possibly warming enough snow on their wood burning stove or going to the well to carry water in wooden buckets to their thirsty livestock (and cows drink a lot of water!). Life is so much more convenient now. We walk back into our warm, bright house and think of those people chopping enough firewood with an ax to carry them through a cold, dark winter. We owe a lot to those brave, hearty people who left what was familiar and comfortable to them and traveled across mile after difficult mile to a life of hardship and a terrific amount of work. Somehow, though, I think they must have had a pretty good life in spite of or perhaps because of it.

We are waiting on Rosey to calve. Every day we think that it surely must be the day... But, she keeps holding out on us. :) She is a gentle, old cow - this will be her last calf. She is very lame and at times can hardly walk across the pasture without her back legs giving out on her. We closed her up in the grain bin last night and today since it is so cold and windy out - we'd rather the calf was born in out of the wind, at least.

Buttercup is growing really well. She still isn't completely tame. We tie her up every time we milk her mama so she will get used to us. When we hold her lead rope, she stands still by us and even nuzzles us a bit, but as soon as we let her free, she scoots away as quickly as she can :)

So... Life keeps us busy. School is back underway after a winter break - now we are all looking forward to the middle of May when we are out for the summer. We're planting our garden in our heads already (don't know if we will actually get one in the ground, though :) ) and the kids are looking forward to getting to spend more time outside and - with the animals.