Sidetracked Artist

We’ve had cold, dark, cloudy, and frequently rainy days here for awhile now. It’s kind of dreary.   Typically winter, but a time to enjoy some indoor comforts like homemade hot soup and knitting.   Everything to its season. Legend has it that on February 2, if a groundhog comes out of its hole and sees its shadow there will be six more weeks of winter.   If the day is cloudy (no shadow), then spring is just around the corner. In fact, according to the calendar, February 2nd is the exact midpoint between the first day of winter and the first day of spring.   Winter is officially half over! Today we’re enjoying a bright, beautiful sunny day here in Bellingham.   So I guess it’s six more weeks of winter for us.   I would expect at least six more weeks of winter-like weather for us regardless of whether or not a groundhog could see its shadow, because winters are long here, lasting well into spring. The trees are bare; not ...

I haven’t posted much so far this year.   We’ve had an eventful few months, but most of our day-to-day activities haven’t been caught on camera.   This not only makes for less interesting blog posts, but I lose track of what I intended to write about.   And, well, I’ve been sort of distracted by some recent events. Everything is OK with us, there’s just been a lot going on, and some of it has been private.   And some of it is not up to me to share; not my story to tell.   Not now, anyway, maybe later. I’ve been reading a great deal this year, mostly because it’s been cold and rainy here these past several months, and I’m more comfortable staying in where it’s warm.   Being out in the cold makes my hands and feet ache.   I used to enjoy cold weather.   I loved downhill skiing, but my body just isn’t up for that sort of thing any more.   Keeping my hands and feet warm has become a daily challenge involving wool socks and slippers indoors a...

Chickens need a little extra care to survive cold weather. Their coop needs to be waterproof but still provide some ventilation.  A heat lamp will help keep them warm, and can increase their egg production.  As always, they need good food and fresh water, and the water needs to be kept from freezing. We have a small chicken coop, about 4 feet by 4 feet by 4 feet tall. There’s a hole in the floor just big enough for a chicken to access the ramp that leads down into the enclosed area under the coop and the attached chicken run.  There is a wire covered vent near the roof on the side opposite the hole in the floor.  During the night, the hole is covered with a heavy piece of wood to keep out predators and also to help the hens stay warm.  Pine shavings cover the floor and line the nest (the plastic basket to the left of the door). During the colder months, we add a little warmth to the hen house with two heat lamps placed inside the coop just below the ...