Winter either bites with its teeth or lashes with its tail. ~Proverb

It is certainly winter and the Farmers' Almanac has, unfortunately, been right again. They had predicted colder than average temperatures and when it wasn't too cold, large quantities of snow: We've got both! The fact that they can predict the weather and be RIGHT amazes me!

We've been hunkering down. Yesterday's high was 7*, with the windchill it was 0*. When Matt got up at 4 this morning it was -5* outside, when I got up at 7 it was 1*. Both of our furnaces (gas and wood) have been kicking on alternately, which is not typically. When we're home we burn only wood, but when we're not here the gas kicks on to keep the house above 55*.

The chickens are doing well. They've been locked in their house with plenty of food and water. We're still getting 3-4 eggs a day in spite of the cold. Yesterday, when I got home, the hen house was a cozy 25*, which is warm enough for them. We do have to check the water twice a day though, because it keeps freezing (surprise! surprise!).

By the time I went to bed last night it was 16* in the hen house, and this morning 13*. When I went out to thaw their water, I noticed that they were holding a foot up under them while walking around. As long as a birds feet stay warm, they'll be warm. I threw some more wood shavings in (added another 6" to the bottom of the house) and had an escapee. I thought for sure I'd be chasing her around the yard...nope she sat right there and didn't move. I put her back in the house, then one by one picked each of them up and zipped them in my jacket for a few minutes to get them warm. I think they'll be all right.

Hopefully you're all keeping warm. Let our thoughts and prayers be with those who have to be working in this bitter cold (my dad, Matt, and Nate M.) and particularly for those less fortunate, who don't have a warm home or a place to go.