Waiting for Snow

We had a taste of it earlier in the week - now I'm waiting for the real thing - there are snow warnings all over the news.

 Well, I'm ready for it. There is a new round bale in the pasture - plenty of hay in the loft - grain in the pails.

The cold is a bit scary. After so many years in the 'frozen north' snow, itself, holds no fear for me. However, aging joints don't care for the cold. My hands complain the most, and the stalls are waiting for me.

 The sparrows feast at the feeder - a small brown flock of twitters and tweets. There are no other birds this year. I think the cats ate my doves. If I didn't need the cats for rat control, I'd bell them.

The rooster Sony paces off the confines of his Kingdom guarding his hens from the Barred Rock boys. Chicken World remains closed in bad weather. No sense in advertizing my flock as a meal for passing raptors, coyotes or stray dogs.

The horses are thick-coated, frosted-breath dancers - zigzagging around the round-pen as they head for the hay.

 If I should get the young mare under saddle again - the round-pen will become my garden. Close to water - out of the way yet accessible. It will make a fine winter chicken pen as well. Chicken World Extension - a place for hens to raise their chicks, doublely protected from dogs. Then the back yard will remain clear of temporary pens. I'm sure the neighbors will appreciate it – if not then my husband will.


 My urge to purge has taken over a couple of days this week. There is a lot of junk that will need cleared from my 'office' if it is ever to lose the moniker of 'crap room.' Until then I have the Den with its fireplace, French doors and the double windows onto the kitchen as mine. I invested in some fiberboard cubes (assembly required) from Wal-mart that are very useful and nice looking. I think I'll buy three for hubby's office and give all the computer stuff a home
.
 My chores await – writing will have to wait as well. My writing has slowed to a crawl. The characters mill about in my mind – but Life has taken me in a couple other directions (barn-ward today). I'm happy to report I'm not the only writer with discarded characters at her feet. Jean of Discarded Darlings has the same problem.