Storm Warnings

A big storm is coming. I have been, and continue to, prepare for it best I can. The house is stocked with plenty of food, firewood, candles, batteries, chargers, water (in bottles and storage), lamps filled with oil and my biggest wool sweater at the ready. The shovels, roof rakes, ice spikes for boots and glove liners are at the ready. Power will certainly go out and that is fine on this homestead since the house is heated with wood and can be lit by candles and oil lamps. I am not at all worried about myself, but I am worried about tomorrow when I will be digging out every path to every barn, coop, hillside shed and feeding station by hand with a snow shovel. The house and barn roofs need to have snow removal as well. And this is on top of the usual obligations to freelance, part time work, illustration and logo designs so please be patient if you are waiting for updates. I will happily get to as many as possible in the early stages of the storm when I am homebound and need something to do.

I still have things I need to do, like top off all the water stations and prepare the chicken coops and sheep shed. The birds won't venture into this snow and I need to get the set up with stationary waterers (instead of walking 20 yards to a stream) and feeders, plus gates to keep the geese out from overtaking their food. The barn will house the geese. The horses need their blankets and hay brought to their shelter as well. I am taking sleds of hay and a bucket of water up the sheep so they have access to food and extra bedding until I can dig them out tomorrow.

It's a lot. It's a lot for one person and a lot for a house that stood for the last Civil War. But I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world right now. This place feels safe, and small, and cared for in a time of chaos.

Everyone take care of each other around here, and ask for help if you need it. We're almost through this winter. Ostara is a month away.