Icy morning

The local news stations have had a blast predicting Icemagadden all week long.  It was originally supposed to start on Thursday and last throughout the weekend.  Here it is Saturday and yes, we do finally have ice.  It isn't a heavy coating that would cause power lines to break, but it could certainly cause an older person to break if she (I) slipped on it.  I sprinkled dry laundry detergent on the back deck and steps so I can safely get to the grassy areas of the yard, where I'm not likely to have a problem walking.  A Facebook friend reported that her husband saw cars off the road due to slickness.  We're scheduled to receive a larger amount of ice tonight and into tomorrow.  That means filling containers with water just in case, because when the power goes out, we have no water available.  Just one of the joys of living in the country with a well for your water supply.

I have weaned our two steers, so of course they think they're dying of starvation while putting away about half-a-bushel of grain (calf starter) and half a bale of the best alfalfa hay I've ever seen.  In another week they'll be three months old.  No more mixing up milk replacer twice a day!

The tickets have been purchased for my trip to Cozumel with my daughter and her husband.  We won't be staying at a fancy resort, but with a longtime friend of theirs.  To be honest, I think I'll feel more comfortable with that type of lodging than I would with a fancy resort where I'd be constantly embarrassing myself and my family with my lack of "class".  I am going to have to buy a swimming suit, and I don't look forward to that.  I don't go around mirrors much these days.  (You don't need to click on that link.  I just happened to remember a song title as soon as I typed that last phrase, and put the link there for my own benefit.)

My only outside chores now:  Make sure the barn cats have food and water, keep the calves in hay and (unfrozen) water and feed them grain twice a day, and tend to the chickens.  Only one of my pullets is still laying; I guess the sub-zero temperatures discouraged the others, because normally pullets lay eggs throughout their first winter.  I suppose that one egg costs me about $3 if you figure in the cost of chicken feed.  But I don't keep chickens to save money, I just enjoy them.  Even though there are only four of them, they do dispose of a lot of our table scraps.  They especially enjoy stale bread.

For some reason I can't attract desirable birds to my feeders, just sparrows for the most part.  Since those sparrows eat a large share of the chicken feed when I leave the chicken house door open, I don't feel inclined to watch them eat up all my song-bird seeds, so I'll probably give up on attracting wild birds this year.  I hung out a couple of those thistle-sacks that used to draw finches here, but haven't seen a single finch at them.  I imagine the problem is that I haven't put any feeders out for two or three years and the birds gave up on me.  

That's all I have for this morning.  Here's hoping our power lines don't go down.  Now I'll just hunker down and try to stay safe.

Peace.