We admit it...we're wimps in the cold .  Does it matter that we're having a VERY cold winter?  It surely doesn't help us deal with it any better...we still have to go out twice a day to take care of the animals.  How they deal with it has been fascinating to watch.  The chickens don't like it in the early morning hours, but they still manage to get out and search for food quite a bit of the day.  The Australian Shepherds don't seem to mind too much, though they do like the shelter of the barn at night.  The cows' hides have grown this wonderous beautiful thick coat so they seem to be managing.  Even the cats get out and play on the cold days, though they are getting fat eating plenty of mice and drinking milk almost right from the spigot.  The one animal that doesn't seem to be affected IN THE LEAST is our Great Pyrenes dog.  I've yet seen her take shelter from the cold or rain in her dog igloo.  She sleeps out in the dirt... rain, shine or freezing cold.  In fact, she seems made for the weather...with her white coat of fur she blends in well when it snows.

But take our family...now that's a different story.  Even though we have 3 boys from Russia, working out in the cold is NOT something they enjoy!  Even Ted has had problems...his many war injuries sure make his joints hurt .  Me...well I've taken to wearing my long johns....IN the house!  Oh yea...not only is it cold outside, but our 111 yr old farmhouse has a few drafty places.  Though we're thankful for our wonderful propane wall heaters, there are some rooms without heaters....the room where I work on the computer is one .

Heating the barn during milking time became a priority a while back.  We've done several things; each help a little.  While waiting for the money to have custom barn doors built, Ted devised a way to close the large opening the animals use to come in for milking.  He bought a large tarp and nailed it across the top.  He also nailed a long board at the bottom of the tarp, then made a pulley system so that it can be raised and lowered from the bottom.  A few tacks on the sides, with an opening at one bottom corner for the dogs, which didn't take them long to figure out how to use.  He bought two electric heaters which are used to heat cow sheds...these don't work well in our big barn.  Next he bought a propane heater, which does put out alot of heat. Our barn is so big though it only raises the temp a few degrees, but is a source everyone can go to and get a little warmed up.

All in all, when milking and morning chores are done, the boys have been outside about 3 hours.  That's a long time...this morning's wind chill was 1 degree....actual temp was 5 degrees .  So I have devised what I call the "Warm-up Station".

In our home, the warmest spot is our mudroom half-bath.  It is a small room with a wall heater all to itself.  Close the door and it becomes quite toasty very fast.  But it does have a very cold tile floor and since the boys are coming in with toes that are so cold they can't feel them, that is a problem.  Out comes my trusty electric heating pad.  The boys go in the Warm-up Station one-by-one, sit on the toilet, and put those feet on the heating pad with a towel.  Then they get a cup of hot Honeybush tea to sip.  Sounds good to me right about now....