The song choice for Song-ography today is Hazy Shade of Winter by the Bangles. I have to tell you, I’m sick of being sick of winter. Yeah, we’ve had tons of beautiful icicles and skies.
Moose is adorable trying to find a place to nap off the ground.
SOOC Moose
But on the farm the frigid temperatures and poor conditions are not just an inconvenience, it’s life and death.
If you look closer, you’ll see Moose has a bit of frostbite on his long ears. He gets them wet drinking, and then they freeze. Sadly, several of my long-eared goats are looking a little rough.
SOOC
I can’t get my gates open, so I’m not sure how to prepare for the girls giving birth next month. Hopefully, we’ll get a solid week of warmer weather (without an ice storm at the end of it) to let me get rid of ice and open the gates.
SOOC Mary
MJ, my steer, isn’t walking to the cattle tank. At nearly seventeen, with three gimpy legs, I don’t blame him. I’m carrying water to him every day.
SOOC
The goats’ side of the cattle tank has an ice rink in front of it.
SOOC
I’ve been babying Quigly all winter. He was one of three goats that caught a cold/crud last fall. The winter has been so hard, he just hasn’t been able to catch up. There’s not been five minutes all winter that he hasn’t had access to food (which is why Little Bit is so round), but he can’t eat enough to gain weight.
SOOC Little Bit and Quigley
I’m thankful, he’s just holding his own.
Sharing with Song-ography, SOOC Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday, Monday Mellow Yellows and Blue Monday.
Teresa
Eden Hills 
Those icicles are amazing! And your goats are adorable (and I didn’t think I would ever call goats adorable, but they are!).
Goats are very adorable! Thanks.
i hope the weather breaks for you soon.
Thanks. I really do worry about MJ the longer this goes on.
Hope your weather gets warmer for the goats. Just looked at all of your beautiful images right down the page.
Thanks. I hope you enjoyed your visit.
It’s sad to have frost-bitten ears. It does look like Little Bit is eating well! Hoping your weather breaks soon–for you and your animals.
Thanks, Patti. I could put up with it in my nice warm house, but it has been a rough winter for the animals.
And that makes it hard on you to see them like that, for your heart and soul go into their care.
True. Wish I had a big heated barn for everyone. 🙂
Hope the weather gets better soon. You and your animals need a break.
Sadly, I think we’ve had our break. The coming week is supposed to be pretty cold again (20* below normal).
Cool, cool icicles and as always – cute goats. Hope Little Bit feels better and winter cuts you a break soon.
Thanks. I’m sure warm weather will help Quigley a lot.
Oh my..that first shot with that beautiful golden light bouncing off the icicles…simply beautiful! Thank you for joining in at Song-ography.
Thanks for hosting, Kathy. This winter has given us some spectacular scenes.
Despite all the hardships and cold the goats still smile sweetly for you and your camera.
Yes. Goats are natural models. 🙂
Those icicles look like the wind was blowing to make them form sideways! Nice to see some sunny pictures.
They were from our blizzard/rain/ice event earlier in the week. It was quite windy.
Beautiful icicle pictures!!! Your goats look like they smile at you…..are they? Or is that just the way their mouth is shaped? If they do smile, no wonder you love them so. I hope you do have a couple of weeks of warm weather and no rain or precipitation of any kind…..to help you to get all caught up. You work too hard!
Goats smile. They really do. Some are huge show-offs for the camera too. Thanks. I do hope it gives me a chance to get prepared for babies.
Cold but stunning winter shots,
Your goats look pretty and healthy. Hopefully the coming babies experience warmer weather.
I do hope things warm up a bit for when the babies arrive.
Sending up prayers for MJ and Quigley. xo
Thanks. I think Quigley will make it since he’s hung in this long, but MJ truly worries me since he’s on the old side of things.
Hi Teresa,
Oh, your job is so tough–especially in this nasty looong winter. I wish that I could offer some encouraging word, but . . .
all I have is:
Happy Blue Monday!
Thanks, Sally. We’re certainly hoping the worst of the winter is behind us!
Winter. Yuck. Ours is rain and more rain. The ducks are happy anyway. Why, oh why, can’t the Goatmother take pictures like you? 🙂
The geese and ducks were happy here when we had rain the other day. Not so much when the hail, sleet and snow came. 🙂 Your goatmother is very good at taking pictures.
I’m embarrassed to tell you that I LOVE your icicles. Please forgive me. ;))
I keep hoping people won’t mind my whining too much if I have pretty pictures to go with it. Glad you like the pictures.
Those icicle photos were fabulous. – It is sad though that the animals are having are hard time getting through the rough winter. I don’t envy your job but at least you are doing the best that you can under the circumstances. Hoping you get a break in your weather soon.
Thanks Ida. It’s a one-two punch between aging critters and the cold.
Winter is a time I do not miss farming. Miserable, especially during the horrid cold. I do enJOY these pictures. Those smiling goats…how cute.
The goats have been pretty good through the winter. The worst part is my old ones. It’s hard on them.
It does look tough on all of you – however beautiful the icicles are. The poor goat with the frost bitten ears, surely your Spring and a big thaw are just around the corner for you? Hope so
Wren x
This week is horribly frigid again. I’m hoping this will be the last week of the horribly cold stuff.
First, I must say I admire your spirit so much. Even though this post is tinged with sadness,, I feel you should be proud of all your achievements and especially proud that you have the strength to hang in. I am sure Moose is smiling, just happy to be loved. And love that first photo of light on icicles. So magical.
Thnaks, Gemma. This has been a rough winter for the animals. That’s for sure. Moose is a sweetie.
Dang, I saw where your weather has turned colder again today. Poor goaties with their frostbitten ears! This horrible winter has GOT to end sometime and I hope it’s sooner rather than later for the sake of all the critters.
Me too. I’m sure most of the ears will heal with just a bit of scarring on the tips and no real losses, but I still feel bad for them.
pretty ice and such cute critters!! spring is coming, i can feel it!!
I’m ready for it!