Saturday, December 5, 2009

Cold, warm and wonderful

It was ridiculously cold today.

Ridiculously cold for this part of Texas. Because we don't do 21 degrees. Period.

And it was, of course, my day to feed at the barn. Because this is precisely how my life is going. I feed one day a week. So of course it's going to be colder than a well digger's ... you know.

Here's Cibolo demonstrating how cold it is by standing outside, surrounded by frost.





Apparently he... ahem... enjoys cold weather. I thought those things shrunk in the cold.


Personally, we don't really have the clothes for this kind of weather. After all, this doesn't happen but for a few days in January. Maybe. Most years it's too warm for us to even light a fire in the fireplace.

So I was freezing. All my warm socks and gloves have long since disappeared (I lived in Chicago for two years and did eventually learn to dress for the cold - but that was about 20 years ago). I decided the mucking of the stalls could wait since I was losing feeling in my extremities.

Only a few of our horses were blanketed at the barn, most were being kept in, out of the weather. This is big Cloud, he's a sweet MFT.




After I finished feeding, I was stunned to find all the water troughs frozen over. After breaking through the ice on all of them, I hightailed it for the warmth of my car. Needless to say, I didn't ride. I haven't for a week! Darn work.


Onto the warm stuff...

We had our annual tree decorating party. We always invite a few people over to put the ornaments on the tree. Everyone gets in the spirit.




Roxie was shocked at the size of the tree this year.




I got a new camera. I'm not so good with it yet.




But the tree, that was easy...




Next week - Shopping!

9 comments:

Pony Girl said...

Cute post. I wonder why it's been so cold in Texas? It's been cold here, too! Super frosty and slippery roads this a.m. I have a lot of outside work to do with my horse tomorrow....you bet I'll be wearing my thermals! ;) We have trough heaters to keep that ice from forming! They are great. I remember as a kid, hauling out hot buckets of water for the horses.

Paint Girl said...

I can't believe it is so cold there, that is how cold it has been here all week, and I work outside in it! Thank goodness for hand and toe warmers, or I wouldn't survive. I never thought I'd do well working in the outdoors in the winter, but since I am always so busy, I get very warm and before you know it, I am taking my coat off!
I hate the ice dilemma in the troughs, but we have water heaters, so we don't have to worry about that. I do hate when the ground gets this frozen, the horses have such a hard time walking.
Your tree turned out great! I just got done decorating mine!

jacksonsgrrl said...

Yeah, what is up with this crud? I am supposed to be still happily riding, not going to the store to buy gloves! I even considered buying Jackson a blanket, but have decided against it. Unless....

Anonymous said...

That is cold for you guys - stay warm!

Unknown said...

I remember those ice storms in Austin when the whole world shut down! Out here everyone is used to driving in snow and ice all winter. Our high a few days ago was 14 and I was just thinking yesterday how warm the 20s feels!

In Texas I only had one wardrobe. Here, I actually have a winter and summer wardrobe that I have to change out.

I had to laugh at your Cibolo photo. I see the guys do that here when they are standing in a foot of snow and the temps are well below freezing!
Carmon

Unknown said...

Pony G. I think we are just becoming extreme in Texas. It was insanely hot this Summer, now this crazy early Winter!

Paint G. You are way tougher than me. I didn't warm up the entire time I lived in Chicago and I worked indoors!

Jacksongrrl: I know what you mean. One more cold snap and I'm buying blankies for our horses.

Kate: Is this cold some of yours?


Carmon: 14! That's nuts. Totally nuts. :)

On the "hanging" Maybe the guys use it as a thermometer. :)

Leah Fry said...

It snowed here last week. How weird is that?? So where in Texas are you?

My guys don't seem to mind the cold either ... in that way LOL!

Cactus Jack Splash said...

Jack will happily send his "tarp" to you. He wouldn't even want it back LOL

Michelle said...

Crazy weather! I was just thinking last night how ridiculous it is that it's been in the mid 80's, muggy and hot here in Florida this past week. I remember those days of frozen water buckets and frozen hands/feet. Argh! I feel for you!