With yet another night of frigid cold (-20 degrees F), I push forward concentrating more on
the very moment right in front of me. Spring seems so far in the future I haven't even thought much of the gardens I will plant.
There have been no breaks this winter. I can't remember the last time we saw a temperature above freezing - usually there is an occasional warmer than usual day to boost your spirits and remind you that spring will come.
Another day of jumping on water buckets to break the ice, bringing in armload after armload of firewood (thank you dear husband), trying to think of another creative idea to do inside, warming up every little while by the wood stove - truthfully, it is tiring at this point. With Emmy coming down with the flu this morning, Mike won't be able to join Isaac and Nolan on a trip to the Boston area to shovel roofs with my father - there is great money in that right now. I was afraid being on my own here on the homestead would put me past the breaking point. I was afraid I would have to tell Emmy too many times that I can't snuggle with her because the wood stove needed tended or the animals needed me, or the next meal needed to be prepared. I was afraid that I would lose it from being exhausted after having to get up every 2 - 3 hours to put more wood on the fire. Mike and I are a team and this time of the year, truly depend on each other. The money would have been a wonderful blessing, but we're not doing this life for the money anyway.
Hope Emmy feels better soon! Here's to a wonderful sign of Spring showing up very soon!
ReplyDelete"We're not doing this life for the money" is the best quote I've seen in ages. Amen. I hope you don't mind if I use it.
ReplyDeleteHope Emmy gets well soon! Hang in there--we are all winter-weary, but this can't last forever. Spring will come. What a blessing that you have a loving husband to share the burden!
ReplyDeleteHope Emmy feels better soon and noone else gets sick!! I know what you mean about the cold, it has been terribly cold here in Pa. also. We have two stoves going at all times and it is still chilly. Our bedroom is upstairs at the back of our old farm house and it is about 40 degrees, at night i run a little space heater and the temp gets to around 46.thankful for fleece sheets and lots of blankets. our 3 youngest boys are definately not able to release all their energy because its just to cold to be outside for much longer then the chicken chores! I also am having a hard time coming up with fun interesting indoor boy activities. 31 days till spring seems like forever!! I guess we could start spring cleaning all the rooms without the woodstoves ,they get to dusty, so when warmer weather arrives we can be outside and not inside cleaning. Continued blessings and health to you and your family. Janet
ReplyDeleteI almost hit the point of despair this morning myself. After having walked to the market and carrying home as much as I could manage--and if I'm honest with myself, more than I could manage (the snow has ripped a piece off the car so it is unusable until we can get it fixed) I was truly exhausted with the winter, and the colds and croups...and I kept playing over in my head what I heard on the radio yesterday - that March is expected to be record breaking cold in our area. Then I saw the picture of your duck, and it's just enough to get me through today. Simple beauty.
ReplyDeleteSpring will come, because nature takes care of itself.
Thank you!
I hope Emmy is well soon! Our son is in the Boston area. They are at the breaking point, too. All they are doing is shoveling out day after day. Our DIL posted a video of the Mayor of Boston begging residents to stop jumping off roofs and balconies into the snow before someone gets killed. And silly as it seems we are all the way down in SC and cannot get out either. We had a major ice storm and the secondary roads have to just melt off. It is better to stay home than end up in a ditch.
ReplyDeleteWishing you all some warmth! Freezing mornings with outdoor animals are so much work. Hope your daughter feels better soon!
ReplyDeleteAh Tonya, I hope everyone is doing well now, and hang in there! HUGS
ReplyDeleteIn March 1993, we had a tremendous blizzard -- over three feet of snow -- which is uncommon for us. My husband had to stay in town because he was the only pharmacist in the county and had to be at the hospital, nursing home, and store to care for his patients. I was home alone with four children, under 12, and the farm to care for. We had no power for two weeks and had just moved into the house which was being heated by kerosun heaters (portable) and had gravity water. I pushed hay along the top of the snow to take to the horses and cattle. And then, I pushed water the same way. The creek was frozen, so everyone, from chickens to cows to horses, had to have water carried twice a day. And then I had to bring water to the house for the toilet because we couldn't get enough pressure to flush.. just a trickle to drink. I have no neighbors for three miles, so the only people I saw were the little ones in the house. How I longed for an adult conversation! LOL
ReplyDeleteI thought I would die. And probably wished I had several times during those two weeks.
But, now, years later, we talk about the fun of playing games, sledding, making forts, baking bread on the kerosuns along with pots of beans, and using candles to read by. Now, it is magic in the memory and not pain. I guess it is like childbirth.... :)
Hang in there. Spring is coming and this, too, will pass!