No sooner had we posted concerning how moderate the temperatures had been this season, and Winter reminded us that it has weeks yet to live.The temperature plummeted on consecutive nights to 20F or lower - not very cold by the standards of many places, but colder than our animals like and cold enough to freeze our pipes. Hoarfrost formed on trees, and the normally green and brown evergreens turned frosty silver.
The poultry were largely unperturbed, but the sheep have been snuggling up to each other for warmth, and more of them have shown signs of trouble. Farmers, now well prepared for these problems, paused between bashing open the ice on drinking troughs to carry sheep to the porch and dry their wool and wrap them in blankets with hot water bottles.
The heads of sheep who succumbed earlier have been collected, and put in boxes for shipping to the USDA. Sometimes, to get everything to fit, a farmer first has to cut off the horns. For those who are faced with this need, a regular wood saw works fine, and if the horn is slender enough (as in the case of ewes) a ratchet pruning lopper works well too.
The USDA would appreciate it if the heads were not frozen, but this is wishful thinking on their part. Everything not living is frozen, and is likely to remain so for days, and possibly weeks. In our corner of Washington this is merely a short part of the year. In Montana, North Dakota, Idaho and Wyoming this is months at a stretch, with no prospect of a break.
There are bits of fence construction and similar work to be done, but the frozen ground is like concrete, making any such work an exercise in frustration rather than productivity. The days are short enough that not much will happen in any case, leaving us to huddle indoors and reassure the cats that the sun will return in due course.
Was it Heinlein who wrote a story prompted by his cat looking for the "door into summer"?
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