Wild Weather

Our wild weather continues.  After record high temperatures with tornadoes and a derecho on the 15th, we are still having weather challenges.  The day after Christmas saw fairly warm weather.  Just as I was coming in from milking, I started hearing thunder and seeing lightning.

By the time I got in the house, the rain really picked up.  Then there was hail.  That’s crazy.  We are not supposed to have thunderstorms and hail this time of year.

Hail on the deck.

Now we’re cooling down. Tuesday morning, just as I was getting Salem out to the car for his vet visit, the freezing rain started.

Salem napping after we got home from his first round of vaccinations.

Luckily, my trip to the vet is almost all gravel.  It wasn’t bad driving down, but by the time I got to the highway on my way home, the vehicles were traveling really slowly, and two trucks had simply pulled off the road.  I decided to go a little farther, but stick with gravel.  I made it home, but my patio was already getting slick.

It covered the window in ice.

It was still raining (and freezing) in the early afternoon.  There was quite a bit of ice building up on the trees.  Thankfully, there wasn’t any wind.

Sky is hibernating in the house (just a quick run out to take care of business).

The goats haven’t been out to pasture, so as soon as I schedule this post, I’m going out to give them some hay.

Bambi, Popcorn, and Flora

Tomorrow, the temperatures are supposed to go down.  By Saturday, we’re expecting another round of snow and a high temperature of about 7°F.

sunset

Sunset

At least we’ve had some pretty sunsets as a consolation to these weather challenges.

 

Our First Real Snow of the Year

Friday morning dawned beautiful with a pink sunrise.  (This is the view out of my classroom window–the gym is called the “Round House”)

By the time I got home, the rain had arrived.  The goats were trying for a last little bit of eating, but there was a drizzle and fog setting in.

Overnight it changed into snow.

Sky

Why, yes, it is still pitch black out when I go out to milk right now.

Zinnia headed back to the barn after getting milked.

By the time daylight broke, the clouds were gone and the sun was shining.

Coral in the Love Shack

There was a quick bit of ice as it changed from rain to snow.

It’s hard to see the sparkle of the ice in the tree tops.

The llamas were first to venture out to pasture.

Maybeline, Aurora, and Odie

It didn’t take long for the goats to come out too.

Xerxes coming out

The herd

I am so grateful the storm we had was just a mild snow.  My heart goes out to those who suffered such devastation from this system.

A Rainy Sunday

The rain began in the wee hours of Sunday morning.  And it was real rain, not just a little spit here and there.

Rain running down the window.

It’s been a long time since we’ve had a full day of real rain.

leaf on the new deck

Daisy in the doorway of the barn

But this one lasted all day and into the night.

   

Of course, the goats weren’t quite as happy with it as me.

Heading out to eat during a short break in the rain

 

Gidget yelled when everyone finally went out to pasture during a short lull.

Gidget watching everyone go out to pasture

I did give them some hay, but they really want to go out to pasture this time of year.  We even had thunder, and it was awesome!  The cats, dog and I spent most of the day snuggled in the house.

Sky and Tiger

Tiger

Bob

Rocky

It’s so nice to have a real rain, and there are more chances later in the week.