Wintery Update

It's safe to say that winter has arrived. Last week, it was 80ish on Monday, and in the 40's by Tuesday. I knew the cold was coming, and was able to harvest the last of our lettuce and a few bunches of arugula. Not that we're eating arugula anymore. I did it purely out of principle. The beets suffered a worse fate as I forgot about them until AFTER the frost, and were only recovered the next wintery morning. Yes, I panicked upon remembering them, and was out there in my crocs with socks, pajamas and fleece robe...yanking up frozen beets. I console myself with the fact that our beets didn't do so well anyway due to the heat. Despite this, I was able to pull up enough good sized ones for roasting with supper sometime this week. Yum!

Last week, on the last gorgeous, warm day, I determined that the girls and I would spend as much time outside as possible. I imagined our vitamin D stores packing away the goodness to get us through the winter ahead. Or something like that. So, from the picnic bench where I was watching the girls play, I heard a horrible sound. It was the sounds of a chicken in sheer panic. It turned out to be Sassafras alerting her (now large) babies to danger. I looked up just in time to see a huge hawk swoop down from the sky and attempt snatching up a yellow chickie snack. I jumped up, ran toward the hawk, hollering and waving my arms in attempt to save the chickies. It took off as I approached, but I knew it'd done some damage when I heard the chick crying. Once Sass and her babies were personally escorted back to the safety of the coop, I was able to inspect the chick. The hawk had talloned (is that a word?) it's back, and it's tush. The poor thing was in total shock from the attack and just stood there looking stunned while I checked it out. My Mom has had hawk trouble before, so I immediately called her for advice. Imagine my surprise when she couldn't initially come to the phone because her own chickens had just been attacked! I'd say the hawks knew the weather was about to become cold and were needing to find quick meals!

I returned to the coop with a few essentials: hydrogen peroxide, and warmed coconut oil. And gloves. I've learned that I can do just about anything when wearing gloves. The chick tolerated my spraying it with H2O2, followed by covering the wounds with the ever-amazing coconut oil (I was going to use the word "healing" to describe coconut oil, but don't want my hand slapped by the FDA), and set it in a warm box lined with shavings. When the cold weather came, I realized that I didn't have (or want to make) time to hold vigil as chicken doctor; keeping it warm at all times, making sure it ate and drank enough, etc. So, after it's initial treatment, it was going to be a sink or swim situation. A week later, I am happy to report that the chick is doing well and has healed nicely. The attack came about when Sassafras was ready to let her babies "fledge", but since this one was injured, she kept it warm under her wing during the cold nights. What a good Mama!

With the change of weather, I'm a bit relieved to be done with the garden. No more guilt over encroaching weeds, or not tending everything like I wish I could. So, the garden is done, and now we've entered the season of....wood hauling. Last year Andrew tried heating the house with our fireplace and blower. I thought he was crazy, but then I was bit by the bug, too. There's something incredibly satisfying about turning the thermostat off, and heating our living areas with pure, organic heat. Organic heat...it has such a nice ring to it.

The first couple of really cold days were exciting. My thoughtful hubby would start a fire before leaving for work, and I'd feed/tend it throughout the day, keeping us nice and toasty. The honeymoon ended a few days into it, when I noticed my hands looking quite aged. And then I felt my face. Desert-like, scary dry, zapped of all moisture. It was time to take action...lest I look like a 70 year old woman by the time spring finally arrives! I have brought out our humidifier, and slathered on more lotion in a week than I've used this year, and am determined not to let the dry heat suck the youth out of me. I shall prevail!