Baby, It's STILL Cold Outside

Although the weather folk keep promising the temperatures will warm, we were in the teens last night again. That is warmer than the single digits of the weekend but hardly "warm". On one of the single digit days I made a huge mistake. Afraid that the goldfish pump was pumping all the water out of the bottom pool and then freezing as soon as it left the spitting frog and so not returning to the bottom pool, I turned off the pump in the morning.. when it was 7 degrees F outside... forgetting that would also turn off the lights that were keeping my citrus trees alive. I did not discover my mistake for four hours. My citrus trees do not look happy anymore.

Not just tender plants are suffering in this cold snap. Birds are finding it tough to find food under the snow and ice. I've doubled the amount of grain I throw out for the birds. But the Varied Thrushes prefer apples. Dozens of them feed under and in our apple trees. It is very difficult to get photos of them as they are constantly chasing each other around. Here are four who managed to hold still long enough for a picture.

Today, the sun shone and the temperature rose above freezing (barely) for the first time in a week. I walked through the woods to the creek and saw a Dipper, but he left before I could get a photo. The ice sculptures in the creek were more cooperative. I think it will take a lot of above-freezing days to thaw these sculptures.

Sun on the snowy trees made them prettier than they've been. Or maybe it was my attitude that has improved with the slightly warmer temperatures.

Also helping my attitude are the two bucket de-icers Johnny bought and installed (the last two we could find anywhere, locally or online... all are on backorder), one for the goats and one for the horses. I still have plenty of icy buckets to thaw, but two big water barrels are frost free.

Here's hoping the predicted freezing rain tomorrow does not materialize. Bring on the warm!