You have to almost admire this winter for its tenacity. Had a full day. Had brunch at the Pine Grove Diner with my friend Drew – the oatmeal there is perfect. Then went to Vermont to see my friend Ray Smith’s new paintings (I’ll put them up tomorrow), and in between, walking dogs, training Frieda, taking photos, watching the remarkable inaugural concert on HBO. It was sweet seeing Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen sing Woody Guthrie, but I loved the whole feel of the concert. Perhaps the second time I’ve watched TV in six months. Tonight, more snow and cold. The waterer to the donkeys and sheep appears frozen. We’ll see what happens. Ben Osterhaupt is a local carpenter, restorer, and fixer of things. He is arriving in the morning.
  This is the kind of crisis that is integral in the life of a farm. So is someone like Ben who can fix it. But the cold, snow and ice have been relentless for months now, the worst in recent memory. Another storm on the way this weekend.