Up here, we usually have a soft winter, December to early January, and then a hard winter, mid-January to April or even May.

This year, the hard winter came early, it is here. We’ve had days of snow, ice and rain, and as of this afternoon, a bitter arctic cold – the coldest by far of this year – is descending with blowins winds and plummeting temperatures – single digits in the day time and zubzero temperatures at night for at least two weeks.

Ed Gulley’s Tin Man will need his heart, and I will need my heavy socks, lots of firewood and perhaps tonight is a good night to get out our electric blanket. I do love the winter pasture, time to get out the monochrome camera and start paying attention. The Tin Man is the symbol of our farm, and also a barometer of the weather. In just a few weeks, it will be Spring.