Winter is much colder here than on Vancouver Island, even though we are 4 degrees latitude farther south. We have had snow on the ground since early December, actually since the week Marie had gone to Nanaimo after her sister Cathe’s unfortunate death. Except for the couple of days when we had the huge rainfall and flooding in the area here.
Mercifully, we do get more sunshine than on the Island, so that brightens it up.
Sunrises are not bad, but they are hidden behind a hill from our place. Sunsets, on the other hand, are truly spectacular.
We had a “Sun Spike” sunset a few days ago. Hadn’t seen that before.
Breathtaking! Apparently, this occurs when ice crystals in the atmosphere reflect the sunset light upwards into the almost flame-shaped spike.
Our hens seem to be doing well in their henhouse. Clucking and crooning, and laying eggs. They are 6, and they lay between 3 and 5 eggs a day. Some days, they even lay 6 eggs. Keeps us going, and they have paid for their feed now since we got them in mid-December.
The henhouse is build out of recycled pallets, new plywood and OSB strandboard. The walls and roof are closed in with plastic tarp and Particle Board Sandpaper Belting.. Makes for a good, solid and effective house. We light up the inside with an incandescent (GASP! How Old School!) light bulb from 7 AM until 9 PM. We need to change out their water 3 times a day at least so they can drink. We usually give them warm water so it lasts longer before it freezes again. Besides, they like it when it’s warm.
We are thinking a lot about the next growing season and what we are going to plant and grow, and where on our land we will do this.
We have been walking around and “surveying” to see where we want to make more trails, where to clear, and where to build bridges across our creek and “pond”. Bits of orange ribbon are beginning to appear all over trees on the place.
Time is stretching out…watching Star Trek TOS reruns on DVD, and Mythbusters on Netflix. HMM.
Work at Kingsbrae is scarce due to the weather and the money is getting scarce at the end of the month…
This too shall pass. The first winter is the most challenging.
