Frigid

Yes folks, we are having real winter this January!  Daytime high yesterday of minus 11 with the night time temps in the minus 20's.  Church, schools, businesses, and deliveries have been cancelled for up to three days.  Our friends up North must think we are wimps here in central Illinois.  Our D-I-L, raised in Minnesota claims they didn't cancel outside recess until it was below zero!😉

Us livestock farmers are still out everyday taking care of business.  Just a little slower and a little more bundled up.  And we take a lot of warm-up breaks.  With hot chocolate or cappuccinos.  I had to start our Massey Harris 44 today with the hand crank, because the cold battery couldn't supply enough juice to turn the engine over!  It has a gas engine and still has a 6 volt system.  We have a block heater, but we should also add in a battery warmer.  We use this tractor just about every day on our feed wagon.

One evening last week the temperature in our bedroom was 61 degrees.  We are again enjoying our flannel sheets.

Gus has an insulated Dogloo with a blanket covering the door, plenty of bedding, a heated water bowl, and plenty of high energy feed.  I still try to get him to come into the heated shop, hog house office, or even the garage, but he refuses.  I'm not sure why, but maybe he's afraid of being closed up.  In the summer if there is a thunderstorm he will follow me right in, but not in the winter.  He is half Norwegian Elk Hound, so maybe he is bred for cold weather.

I enjoyed eating beef tongue sandwiches growing up, but for some reason I haven't been able to convince my wife to make them for me.  Last week she found a recipe online that she decided to try, and she cooked us a beef tongue.  It was very good!  I think she will make it again for us.  First you have to get past the look of the thing!  Don't judge your meat by its outward appearance!

Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?
Job 6:30