deep winter

ok, it's officially "deep winter". this is not my favorite time of year, but i do enjoy all the seasons in their own special ways. my favorite time during this coldest part of the year is walking back to the house after evening chores in a fresh blanket of snow. everything is so quiet. i love the smell of wood smoke rising from area chimneys. i like how twinkling lights from my house and my neighbors houses pierce the darkness and show me the sparkle of the snow. i enjoy the crisp cold air as it grabs for the hairs in my nose. i laugh at my samoyed /border collie cross as he bounces through the snow toward the house. most of all, i love the winter sky. the stars are so clear. my old friends orion, taurus and gemini greet me as I step out of the barn into the night. the milky way gently reminds me that i am but a very small speck in a extremely vast galaxy and unending universe.

life on the farm gets hard this time of year. everything outdoors takes longer to do. it's harder to move with all the layers of clothing under my carhartts. i feel like ralphie's little brother randy from 'a christmas story'. animal water freezes, wood needs to be loaded into the wood box. it costs more to feed the animals since they eat more to generate body heat and there is no grass or pasture to graze on. heating the house must be factored into the budget and electric usage increases with shorter daylight hours. yes, winter is tough. winter on the farm sorts out the men from the boys...or should i say the women from the girls?

for now, i make the most of it and enjoy winter for what it is. spring is around the corner, right?