The Reason Birds Fly South

Is the same reason I slept in my coat last night. No that isn't true, birds fly south because they are smart. I slept in my coat because I am not smart, or at least not smart enough to keep a closer eye on our propane. It had not been that long since it was checked but I should have known it would not last long at all with the kind of bitterly cold temperatures we have had here the last week or so.

Sitting at 0% propane on a Saturday night when it is 10 degrees outside and snowing is not a good place to be. I sure was wishing we would have bought a wood heater like we had planned on, but never seemed to have the money for this past year. Luckily, we did have a kerosene heater but no kerosene for it. Since none of the gas stations around here carry it, a late run to Wal-mart in the falling snow was the only option left. Luckily they do carry Kerosene in their camping department and they must be quite proud of this too because they charged an arm and a leg for it but I guess that is better than losing them to frostbite.

As long as I kept my coat on the heater actually kept our living room pretty comfortable, so that is where both my husband and I slept last night. Of course since the heater ONLY heated one room, comfortable is NOT what the toilet seat was this morning. Brrr!!

I am very grateful to Beard Propane in Erie for bringing out propane to us on a Sunday! I have also started a weekly to-do list and "check the propane" is on it. It is a good thing too because there is nothing but cold in the forecast with a predicted low of -4 Thursday night with the possibility of even more snow.

I haven't forgotten about the animals, they have shelter and a thick layer of bedding. Frost free water buckets and stock tank de-icers make sure that everyone has water available too. The goats have hardly left their shelters since the snow fell. They do venture out and walk a single file path up to the feed pen to get some grain each day but afterwards it is straight back to their shelters they go. It is important to keep a close eye on them in this kind of weather and make sure they always have water and hay.

Tarps and blankets have been hung on the front of the sheds to block even more wind and cold out. The picture is of Dym the nubian and a group of young does born this past spring making their way up their little path from the shed to get their daily grain. Hay is delivered to their shed for them in this kind of weather. I think they are as ready for some warmer weather as I am.