I was sitting down in the living room, resting as I was supposed to be doing from my stubborn stomach virus. I was picking up a new book to read and looked out the window. I jumped up, grabbed my camera, and ran outside, with no time for a jacket or boots. Maria took this photo of me before she opened the doors to yell at me.

Watching from her studio, Maria shouted at me to get inside, but I got some shots in before I retreated. It wasn’t until I got inside that I realized how cold and wet I was. I got some good photos,  captured the moment, and at least I wasn’t naked.

I’m not that stupid.

There is a wonderful beauty to these storms; I can never really resist trying to capture it. Everyone has their own storm stories; I tell mine in pictures.

Yes, going outside like that was probably stupid, but I’d do it again in a flash.  Seconds matter. Next time, I might take the trouble to get some boots on.  I felt better right away.

I even came in to eat some rice conjunction Maria cooked up for me. I kept it down.

This was (still is) the meanest storm I’ve seen in many years.

We are used to frigid weather and snowstorms, but that is not a big deal here. But we were not used to a storm like this, which went on for days, dropped inches of ice and snow on us, pulled in arctic temperatures to freeze our world, and is still saying goodbye with a late afternoon snowstorm.

I don’t wish to think of all the people who will fall on this ice, sleek and sneaky, or who are shivering tonight. For many thousands of years, people lived in nature, but now, so many of us are completely disconnected from it. We depend on others to keep us safe and warm.

That doesn’t always work.

By mid-day, the old timers were clucking that this was no big deal, and then came the final parting blast. They weren’t expecting it.

It will take us a long time to dig out of this one, and the temperatures won’t be above zero for days. We’ve got our sandbags ready.

Many people who weren’t used to it got clobbered around the country and moved to states where it supposedly didn’t happen. I guess there are no states like that anymore. I can’t go to the Mansion for Christmas, but it looks like we will get to our inn for a Monday night Christmas (the inn is closed on Christmas Day. Fingers crossed.

I can’t be sure yet, but it looks like our power will stay on. As the ice freezes after the snow, limbs will fall, and wires will be cut. We’ll see. Bless our wood stoves.

This photo was a pleasant surprise. I’ve been trying to catch the chickadee for days.

Maria and her friend never stopped working, right through the worst. After we sorted out the bathtub and water crises, Maria got to her studio to make some potholders.

The chicadee seemed to be working along with her. Maria is not stoppable, and she is an animal whisperer.

Asher, in the storm, came up to the fence to look at me. He seemed not to mind the snow. I bet he’ll end up in the Pole Barn when the thermometer plunges, as it is doing now. We found the hens confused, and rather than jumping into roost; they were huddled below it, unsure what to do. The snow came on fast.

They won’t jump up if the wood bars are covered with snow.

Maria went out and picked up each one and put them into the roost. They were mostly asleep, she had to chase one of them around the yard a bit, but they are snug and dry in the roost, where they will remain for a few days.

The valley by the farm, during the height of the afternoon storm. No sign of the hills beyond. Brrrrr.

The donkeys and sheep had just been fed when the aftermath of this eternal storm finally hit. The big storms usually lasted a few hours; this one has gone on for days. Lulu and some of the sheep hung in there to get the final bits of hay. Then they retreated for the night.

We’re feeding them second-cut hay and grain for energy. The water tank is heated, which also helps to keep them warm.

I felt the cold just looking through the lens of my camera. Animals accept; they don’t whine or complain or obsess about weather forecasts. They just are; they deal with life with dignity and poise. I learn a great deal from studying and watching them.

 

I treasure my quiet hour in the afternoon, but it’s been tough this week between the mega storm and my stomach illness. I slept for hours and hours and couldn’t eat. I think it was yesterday that I opened my eyes and saw that the sun had briefly popped up, and there was this lovely reflection of the fish in the tank against the living room wall.

I watched the reflection of the fish for a while, then fell asleep.