Snow. And more snow.

I am not so much a tea sipper as I am an enthusiast of dark, dark cups of espresso or the like.  But there is something to be said for a mid-afternoon cup of very hot Earl Gray before heading out to feed and water animals - especially in the 12º snow and wind that we are experiencing this week.  (Well..it was actually 6º during this morning's feeding/watering/snow shovelling tasks, and is forecast to be -6º tomorrow morning!)  Once I am properly bundled in my boots, hats, gloves, snowmobile outfit (no, we don't have snowmobiles, but I wanted something a little sportier-looking than the Carhartts I see in every pickup that drives by), being outdoors in the freezing world can be quite enjoyable.

There's a hush on a dark, snowy morning or in the dark, snowy evening.  I can hear birds and wild things down by the creek.  We have a pair of pigeons who have taken up residence in our big old barn, and they can be heard cooing when I walk in.  Our horses are friendly folk, and are always eager with a cheerful nicker when they hear the grain bins open.

Tonight I was out feeding and re-shoveling paths from the house to the barn, and to the duck house, and another path out the front gate and across the road to our mailbox.   Our neighbor, Frank, pulled by on his tractor and snowplow just then, and bless his heart, plowed our front driveway all the way back to the barn for us!  Great neighbors are just that.