Animals

A Wind Chill of 25 Below!

"UNCLE!"

Isn't that what we used to say when we had had enough?

That Arctic vortex has seemingly settled itself right over the farm,

and it is cold beyond cold here!

Everyone is staying indoors today....with lots and lots of hay... or heat lamps!

Every surface is covered with a layer of ice.

And may I just add that these are not the conditions under which

one would enjoy chasing down a band of bad ponies who have gone AWOL!

Forgive me, I have gotten ahead of myself.

Let's back up to yesterday... when, luckily, it wasn't quite this cold.

It was early afternoon and I had just made bread dough

and set it aside to rise when the call came.

I answered the phone and the conversation went something like this....

Becky: "Hello. Your horses are up here at my place."

Me: "You're sh***ing me!"

Becky: "I sh** you not."

Me: "I'll be right there." (hangs up phone) "*@*%*@*!!!"

I quickly threw on layers of warm clothing and headed to the barn...

all the while knowing that I had not let any stall doors open earlier in the day.

As I arrived at the dry lot,

I found that the gate was open and the horses were indeed gone.

(I had never even used that gate in the past couple of days.)

All that remained were two lonely donkeys...

who looked as though they had lost their best friends!

I grabbed a handful of halters, some hay and some feed for enticing horses.

Sure enough, there were my five horses...

happily grazing in our blueberry patch...

with Becky keeping guard.

The long and the short of it is...

we got those five equines back to the barn without incident.

(no minor feat with icy driveways to walk)

It always amazes me how innocent they look after these adventures.

Like nothing ever happened....

Didn't I just say yesterday.....

"It's always something!"

And I still have no idea how that gate got opened,

but I'm taking no chances...

I added an additional lock.

While I was out and about yesterday, I snapped these pictures of one of Becky's barn kitties.

She has two black barn cats...both named "Bob".

So, here is one of the "Bobs"...not sure which one.

But, he sure is photogenic!

Love those eyes!

Cat yoga.

PS: the bread was great!

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Animals