The sunrise was absolutely beautiful this morning. It feels so good to be home. I’ve really missed living here. I walked out onto the deck as quietly as I could to take a picture, and managed not to rouse the sheep, amazingly. We got a call not long after from one of the guys we’d asked a bid for for the barn and addition foundation. This one came in really high — 18K for the addition, 22 for the barn. Ouch.
I’m really enjoying my new farm chore outfit. I’ve tried a couple of things, like a cheap snowmobile suit that we bought right after the fire from K-Mart. It was huge on me because I was 100 pounds heavier then, and ugly. (the suit, not me, I hope!) So I started watching e-bay, and found a one piece ski suit for $20. It’s great. I can just hop into it from my robe, and the legs are made to go over ski boots, so they handle my Wellies perfectly.
I keep my knife and my gloves in the pockets, so I pop on a hat and I’m all set to handle the weather. Hay doesn’t stick to it, which was one of my main requirements. It is so warm that it made me sweat in it this afternoon, and it was 8 degrees outside. My only complaint is that it is a little snugger than I’d like. Frank says that’s a good thing, not a bad thing.
There’s a weather warning tonight for dangerously low wind chills. It is supposed to get to -20, and winds of 40 mph, which will make insane wind chill factor. So we took extra care with the critters today, topping up all of the hay feeders and I even grained twice. Usually I only give a bit of grain in the morning, but I did it twice, which I’ve heard generates some heat. They are sure going to need it tonight.
I made a big deal out of getting the trailer moved into the llama’s pen, because they have such a crappy shelter from us this year. It’s not only ugly, but poorly made and probably doesn’t give them much shelter from the wind in particular. Kevin and Valerie got the trailer into place, and opened the fences for us while we were in Vermont last weekend, which was great. But they won’t use it!
I worry that they are just too smart for their own good. They do not like the trailer, now I remember. They will hang out next to it, but they are very suspicious of me trying to trap them in there to take them someplace. Talk about agoraphobic! They want to stay exactly where they are, thank you. They remember that the trailer takes them away, and they like here! Poor things. So they stay in the crap shelter while Bill and George enjoy the trailer alone. Why won’t they all snuggle properly?
I wish I could convince them to get in there. There’s a divider in there that doesn’t come out, and I wonder if that’s the real issue, and I should stop anthropomorphizing them. Hmmm. Nah.
Hmmm, Ma. I really think the llamas don’t like being in a shelter with their backs to the main house.
Kevin and I had everyone in a big shelter down the trail, which they loved. But, it was not facing the house, although there were gaps in the boards on the back, so they could still peek out and see it. Their solution (sheep & llamas) was to put the llamas on permanent guard outside watching the house, and then every now and then all the sheep would rush out, do a perimeter check, and all rush back in.
So, apparently mom and dad are part of the herd (the BEST members, they have food!) and must be monitored at all times. Unfortunately, they cant do this if in the trailer.