Winter.... you again.

Dang its cold.  Between lake effect, system snow and wind, I feel like Ive been shoveling every hour on the hour.  The driveway had to be blown out as many times in the last 48 hours as the rest of winter so far.  January is truckin along though, its nice to say we are past the halfway point now.  I have to say January gives me the hardest time mentally.  And now that its downhill from here, we roll into February which is the shortest month of the year, and on into March with lambing season! Before you know it, spring pastures bounce back, sheep are out of the barn, the kids go away to college and I'm 80 years old. ...

Maybe January isn't so bad.

Getting home is something though, the driveway takes its victims.  In the past, moats were built as security to keep away the rif raff, here at Windy Knob, we just have the driveway.  In the wintertime, the steep driveway claims most cars especially any front wheel drives, mini vans or others.  Even 4x4 only has windows of opportunity to make it up.  When it comes time to plow, its a 6 foot blower on the back of the tractor to chuck snow off the driveway.  Problem is the wind usually brings it right back at the driver, so you have to choose your angles and paths wisely.  Needless to say, its not one of my favorite farm chores.  When you finally finish about an hour later, your cold, numb and can't wait to ditch the cold wet clothes. 

Another side effect of winter is a crazy half cat, half capuchin monkey that decides to practice his parkour through out the house.  Of course dogs spend less time outdoors this time of year too, but they are older and pretty settled down at this point in their life.  However, Noah, the one and a half year old spawn of satan cat is anything but settled.  You can't help but laugh when he sparks into the arch back, fur standing up, ears split out to the side mode as he takes off after his next victim.  Usually its a toy of his, sometimes its up onto a chair or around a corner, but every now and again its a tail or a paw of a 160 pound Great Dane.  The energy that he used to spend chasing mice and farm animals is now erupting from within, so much in fact that if he catches himself too close to the doorwall when I'm letting dogs out, something (my foot) somehow accidentally (totally on purpose) coerces (pushes) him outside.  You see little cat paws around the deck, but within 5 minutes he is back in, for what appears to be yet another cat nap.