It has been dropping below freezing every day for the last week.  That means extra work managing frozen water issues.  But it has also been clear and sunny so improves images.  Here is our tom turkey looking regal.

I was able to felt Hodor’s fleece on the back porch.  Since I use hot water, I am not too cold doing it, which is nice.  

I was also able to felt Harlen’s fleece.

The mornings are cold for the animals (including me!).  All of the critters are in the sunshine then.  Mavis figured out it is warmer in an empty black rubber tub.

Inside the hay barn, there are the longest spiders webs I have seen here.  They go all the way to the floor.  The sunlight helps illuminate them.  These photos do not do them justice.

The older peacock is looking iridescent in the sunshine.

I pulled the flint corn off of the drying rake.  It looks pretty in the sun as well.

Tom had to comfort Ryeleigh while I vacuumed the house Wednesday.  I thought she looked cute.

I have been trying to train Marji to walk into the stanchion.  She wouldn’t step on the plywood platform though.  So I camouflaged it with straw in hopes it would be less scary.

On Saturday I went to Franz Outlet in south Mount Vernon to pick up bread for the animals, mostly the pigs.  I decided then to head to Fir Island.  Here is the view with some Trumpeter swans in the field.

I was heading to Skagit City School to a Holiday Bazaar.  It was a nice chance to go inside this old building.

Then I went to another holiday sale at the Rexville Grange building.  Unfortunately it was in the basement so I couldn’t check out the upstairs.

Saturday night we roasted Andal’s franks over the fire which was quite hot on a cold night.

Yesterday morning was quite cold again.  I put a sweater on Ryeleigh.  She did not appreciate it.  She finally seemed comfortable in it outside but then lost it near the hot tub.

Some ground nesting birds are eyeing the cow pasture.  I wish they would choose an empty one, but they aren’t listening to me.  The bald eagles appear to be courting around our farm.  The snow geese are flying high overhead.  The GBHs are flying low overhead.  I love all the birds around here.  I recently learned that in England they leave teasels on their lands for the goldfinch to eat.  So there is a use for our teasels after all (since I do not use them to full woven cloth).

And I am making progress with Marji going into the stanchion.  She is clearly stepping onto the platform now.  Hopefully soon I can get her all the way in.  Tom plans on building a head stanchion for me, and maybe I will have milk again soon!

I had mentioned previously that I made some pickled rutabagas, and I was asked to report how they turned out.  I didn’t like them.  They were quite hard and didn’t seem pickled to me.  I put them out for the chickens, and they aren’t eating them either.  So a fail.

Today it has finally warmed up.  No longer do we need to bring in the hummingbird feeders each night, empty all of the water containers and refill them, and empty all of the hoses.  The morning chores are so much quicker and easier.

And now I am watching the World Cup, USA versus Wales.  I must say, I have never seen a national anthem sung as passionately as the Welsh did.  I am hoping for a good game.