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greenstormYesterday we had a "flash freeze" weather warning. I've had snow, cold, and rainfall warnings before but nothing like that. I'd known the weather was going to drop so I hauled out the snowblower in the rain and got most of the heavy snow off the top of the driveway and loaded up the pigs with fresh straw. Sure enough, between 3pm and 9pm it dropped from 3C and lightly rainy to -10C with tiny snow flurries. By 4:00, when I woke up to check the dogs, it was -15.
This kind of weather turns snow into concrete. Earlier this winter it was very cold and the snow was fluffy and weightless and easy to move. When it warmed up the snow was heavy and relatively malleable, at least unless it was compacted. Now the ground is just 3' higher.
It's easier to move around. That's good for me, I can go to the back of the property if I want. It's not great for the animals. Wild animals can come in easily over the snow and eat my birds; my dogs can go over the fences which are now effectively less than 2' if they realize the crust is there and deviate from their paths.
So, when I woke at 4am, I went outside to give the dogs treats. Avallu was curled in the side where the saddleback geese nest and Thea was out under the big straw bale on the driveway. Neither was barking, neither was wandering. My thought is that if they get treats at unpredictable times they'll stick around a little more rather than going to, for instance, investigate the new neighbours or the rival dogs down the way.
It was really beautiful out. With this moon we've had and the crust of frozen rain reflecting back from the snow I could easily read. It's so neat to be out when all the shadows are in different places; the moon goes where the sun never can. It wasn't death-cold or anything so I could sit there in my boots and big jacket and pet Thea and watch the moon for a bit, could take a moment between worlds to breathe. We all came in, I built up the fire and stared at it for awhile, then I went back to sleep. I feel rested now.
I do need to raise the fences some, this involves twinning the posts with probably t posts and hanging snow fencing or whatever is around on them. If there's a visual barrier the dogs won't go through. They also won't go through on the south side of the fence so it's mostly along the road I need to worry about. If they do get out, I can't see the one neighbour making it in for them to harass unless he's on a snowmobile.
Luckily the birds are all nicely tucked away in the goose shed (formerly the woodshed) and the chicken coop etc. I'll step out this morning and check on the new chickens who went without heat last night; I'm trying to wean them off the lamp and it really wasn't that cold.
This kind of weather turns snow into concrete. Earlier this winter it was very cold and the snow was fluffy and weightless and easy to move. When it warmed up the snow was heavy and relatively malleable, at least unless it was compacted. Now the ground is just 3' higher.
It's easier to move around. That's good for me, I can go to the back of the property if I want. It's not great for the animals. Wild animals can come in easily over the snow and eat my birds; my dogs can go over the fences which are now effectively less than 2' if they realize the crust is there and deviate from their paths.
So, when I woke at 4am, I went outside to give the dogs treats. Avallu was curled in the side where the saddleback geese nest and Thea was out under the big straw bale on the driveway. Neither was barking, neither was wandering. My thought is that if they get treats at unpredictable times they'll stick around a little more rather than going to, for instance, investigate the new neighbours or the rival dogs down the way.
It was really beautiful out. With this moon we've had and the crust of frozen rain reflecting back from the snow I could easily read. It's so neat to be out when all the shadows are in different places; the moon goes where the sun never can. It wasn't death-cold or anything so I could sit there in my boots and big jacket and pet Thea and watch the moon for a bit, could take a moment between worlds to breathe. We all came in, I built up the fire and stared at it for awhile, then I went back to sleep. I feel rested now.
I do need to raise the fences some, this involves twinning the posts with probably t posts and hanging snow fencing or whatever is around on them. If there's a visual barrier the dogs won't go through. They also won't go through on the south side of the fence so it's mostly along the road I need to worry about. If they do get out, I can't see the one neighbour making it in for them to harass unless he's on a snowmobile.
Luckily the birds are all nicely tucked away in the goose shed (formerly the woodshed) and the chicken coop etc. I'll step out this morning and check on the new chickens who went without heat last night; I'm trying to wean them off the lamp and it really wasn't that cold.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-22 03:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-01-24 05:30 pm (UTC)