Saturday, January 4, 2014

Sunday Stills - White

This week's challenge is the color (or absence of) white, which seems very appropriate given the current climate.   These were all taken over the past week.  


So far, we have all managed well enough with the insane temperatures.  Every week recently it has fluctuated between extreme cold and sudden, short warm bursts that bring rain followed by more cold.  It is very hard on everybody, especially livestock.  It was somewhere between -15 and -20 last night. 

The weather man is saying rain, (RAIN!) tomorrow into to Monday morning with temps back down to -20 Monday night and Tuesday.  Much of the country is bracing for even worse.  All I can hope is that we all get through the next few days and that this insane pattern won't continue.  If it does rain, make sure your animals can get completely dry before the cold hits again.  They can handle the cold, but only if they are dry and out of the wind.  
 

Tanner is the one who suffers the most in this crazy weather.  The older he gets, the harder the cold is on him.  He has trouble getting through the deep snow, his feet get frozen and if he gets cold, he gets very lame.  I spent several hours this afternoon snow-blowing, clearing around the house and making paths for him. 

I took my camera out in the woods with me yesterday and had to kick myself because the battery quit before I could get any shots.  The light was truly amazing, something very rare and astonishing.  Perhaps it is just as well, I am not sure it could have captured what made even the dark shadows seem lit from within.  I'm not sure that any camera could have, although it would have been nice to try.

Today, it just wasn't the same.




Make sure your critters have drinkable, unfrozen water, lots of hay and shelter from the wind.   Be careful and be safe. 




14 comments:

  1. No kidding! That's what we were doing today. Re-arranging so all the animals can get out of the wind. I even moved Opal into the Machine Shed. There is a round pen there and she will be better off in there.
    She is somewhere around 30 yrs old and dang, the old lady deserves it.

    I just love photography in the winter. Your series of shots are absolutely great!
    The ice though can not be good!
    Tomorrow night wind chills could be as bad as -60? Really? I have to work.
    That is just plain nuts.
    I wonder if our vehicles will start after our shift?

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  2. Brrrr it looks so cold! Great advice, really hope you all stay safe and warm. We've got terrible weather but it's coming down as rain, lots of flooding but thankfully all here are safely sheltering in the stables. Hope the weather lets up soon.

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  3. Great shots, if we could only have the snow and 30 degree temps is might be tolerable. This is going to be one brutal winter, keep the kids safe..:-)

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  4. Please explain that pic of Ramsey!! It looks like his head is thawing from a block of ice!!!

    Your winter photos are lovely. The ice is so treacherous but so pretty too in the sunlight. I'm worried about the flash freezing after all that rain we're supposed to get. Time for the cleats I guess.

    Thinking about you all… I know your herd is safe with you.

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    1. Ha! That's just goofy Ramsey. I was trying to get a different shot, but he had to come stick his nosy nose in the camera, it made everything come out all wonky. It made me laugh, so I included it. Aside from that bit of snow on his face, he is fuzzy and dry. He is not easy to photograph as he is either attached to me or moving.

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  5. Unfortunately I can't 'not' go to work. This job is part of Security in which we have to be there 24 hrs a day 7 days a week.
    I imagine we'll do some 'modification' to our outside duties.

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  6. Sometimes the photos in your head are what you really want to remember. The brown tree shot is my favorite.

    We too have the rain coming first and then minus temps. What an awful weather combination.

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  7. I love the pictures. Such good advise. I worry all the time about the animals belonging to people who don't know how to take care of them. Keeps me busy making sure everything has water to drink! Thank you!

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  8. We are kindred spirits in this freeze. Thanks for all the good advice for the animals.

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  9. Beautiful shots and very important messages regarding these outrageous weather conditions. Thank you.

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  10. I'm sure it's cold and annoying... but it's so pretty!

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