Saturday, January 02, 2010

ice is the new water.

ice pond

so it is like a zillion degrees below zero. ok, i exaggerate. i hear it's much colder in minnesota. but i live in missouri. so, i don't really care that it could be worse. it's bad here and our ponds are frozen solid. it snowed. and there is a layer of ice underneath snow. sure, i don't have to drive to work (i work at home). however, there is the old problem of feeding and watering all our animals in this state of "the road"-esque habitat. water is freezing on contact. my polartec gloves are sticking to the gate with only a few drops of water on them.

until this morning, i've been surviving by busting up the thin layer of ice on our ponds every morning and evening so that animals can drink. this morning i busted all the way thru a chunk of ice about a foot thick straight down to dirt. ain't no water left underneath. this is serious.

normally, we have garden hoses running into bathtubs placed in the goat and donkey fields. and an electric ice melter that keeps water from freezing. but it is actually too cold for that. i'm afraid water will just freeze up inside hoses and be a big crunchy mess. i also don't want to risk busting any pipes.

so this morning, i gathered up every recyclable water container i could find and my 2 gallon watering can from my garden and meticulously filled up our two tubs. several trips were made. and by several, i mean 50 thousand. but, tubs are now full. extension chords are run and electric ice melter is keeping the peace. i should have planned ahead. but the weather has been so erratic. one day ponds are liquid, hoses work, fields are muddy, and the next, it's a winter apocalypse.

all seven dogs slept in the house last night since the temps were so low. they have a pretty nice and cozy dog condo, but i'm an old softy. and our indoor dogs don't seem to mind too much sharing the floor, chairs, spare bedroom.

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