Winter has arrived - and departed

Veteran readers, as you have read here, winter has only made cursory probes into the farm this winter, in stark contrast to the severe cold and snow of the previous two winters. Until Saturday, the lowest temperature recorded on the farm was a night low of 23F. That all changed when a huge, deep Canadian cold front blew its way in beginning Sunday night, dropping the temperatures by more than 20 degrees. The Monday high temperature was 19F accompanied by gusty winds and brief periods of blowing snow. Brrrrrrrrr. The fireplace was on constant duty with both felines and canines sprinkled about the floor and chairs in front of it.

Mr. Fuzzy admits to the preconception that chickens have no range of facial expressions other than stark terror but on Monday, he was able to perceive a distinct expression of "miserable" of most of the chicken faces.

Unlike the prior winters, this dangerously cold weather was not destined to last, with a warmer air mass arriving unheralded today, boosting the high right the the very point of freezing; the next few days are due to continue the warming trend until the highs are near 50F (10C) once more - and the various and assorted denizens of Stratheden Farm return to a less stressful and hazardous existence.

As a proof of this bold and positive change, the sky lit up dramatically at sunset tonight, as shown below. Less than fifteen minutes before, Mr. Fuzzy was motoring back from the village and saw the most spectacular sun dog of his many years. It was larger, brighter and more contrasty than any beheld by his ocular organs; alas, like that six pound trout, there is no photographic proof.

Happy New Year to all.