So Far, So Good

Considering how long it took me to make up my mind to create a blog, I am very impressed with how things are going so far. I think this is going to work out very well.

This new year has gripped us by the throat here in Saskatchewan. At least thats what it feels like when I go outside and try to breathe air at minus 40 degrees. Wednesday morning I think they were saying that the windchill was more like minus 52. Of course, we prairie people never let on how cold it is - the weather is always played down. A tornado will be called "a bit of a breeze" and 40 below is "a bit nippy out there". We sound tougher that way, like we can handle more - just bring it on! I had to laugh the other day, an English family have recently bought a farm in the district and are spending their first winter here. They were in town early this week during a very significant snowfall, and I asked them what they thought of all the snow. The answer was that they had heard the forcasts calling for a snowstorm and they would have been very disappointed if nothing had shown up. I just laughed and said "You're already Canadian!"

It's been so cold all week that Mitchell's car has refused to leave the garage so he's been catching a ride into town to work when I go. I've always found that a moving vehicle is the best place to talk to teenagers and we've had some good chats. Yesterday's topic was where not to put your tongue or lips when things are frozen. We both had stories to tell.

The snow that fell last week is still sitting there, just waiting for the wind to come up. There's over a foot of it, and when it does blow no one will be going anywhere till its over. At least all the cattle have been moved back home for the winter now. They weren't so hard to move this time once we got them convinced to leave the shelter of the trees they were in. It was straight down the road and into the corral where the feeders were already full of hay. We aren't expecting any calves until much later in the spring, but it's good to have them here where we can monitor their diet and health easily in the deep, dark days of winter.