After finally seeing the temperatures warm, the scurs have set the Weather Eye on the spring setting. Is Old Man Winter finally on the way out or will he stay just a little bit longer? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny with highs in the low 30’s and lows in the upper teens. Thursday, sunny with highs in the low 30’s above and lows in the upper teens. Partly sunny Friday with a modest chance of evening snow. Highs in the mid-30’s with lows in the low 20’s. Saturday, mostly sunny with highs in the low 30’s and lows in the low teens. Mostly cloudy on Sunday with a slight chance of snow. Highs in the upper 20’s with lows around 10 above. Monday, March 1st, sunny with highs in the mid-20’s and lows in the low 20’s. Cloudy for Tuesday with highs in the upper 20’s and lows in the low 20’s. We’ll surpass 11 hours of daylight on February 25th. The Full Moon for the month occurs on the 27th and the sun will set at 6 p.m. CST. The normal high for March 1st is 33 and the normal low is 16. The scurs may need to take the Weather Eye in to the Nash Rambler dealership for servicing. We don’t need another spate of record cold anytime soon.
The Full Moon on the 27th goes by The Full Snow Moon as this is the moon in the northeastern US when snowfall is usually the heaviest. It made it difficult for the tribes as well as the settlers of the day to hunt for game. Hence it was also known as The Full Hunger Moon. The Ojibwe knew this as the Sucker Moon for the suckers that were running in area rivers and streams. It was also in this timeframe that the Sioux named this The Raccoon Moon as the trash pandas began awakening from their winter slumber and moving about the landscape. At the ranch we know it as The Moon When Buckets Stay Thawed. Smashing ice out of frozen water buckets is overrated.
What a relief to finally get back to some semblance of normal temperatures on Monday. You knew it was getting serious prior to that when just getting above zero for the high made your day. Although it still didn’t get as warm as was forecast, beggars couldn’t be choosers. Temperature records were set at the SROC on consecutive days from February 12th through the 15th for record low high temperatures. Low temperatures, while well below normal, weren’t record setting. However, no one seemed to remind automobiles that wouldn’t start or water systems that froze up of that. Sunday’s snowfall was a bit of a surprise, but with temps in the low 20’s Monday morning, one could move snow in relative comfort. Frost depth at the SROC also reached 17” as of the 22nd. Starting to feel a little resistance when closing the walk-in door on the pole barn. As if on cue, when the frost depth reaches 19” at the SROC, the door begins to bind. That’s what they make bungee straps for.
At the ranch the warm up meant a welcome respite from the warm water bucket hauling and panel climbing that had become standard choretime operating procedure. Saturday, after a load of cracked corn was tarped and backed in the shed, nine ewes with lambs were moved just ahead of the snow into the loafing area. It was finally warm enough that there was no concern of chilling the smaller lambs. A good job done as chores become much more streamlined when feeding larger groups. Individual pens are time killers and not good for sheep or shepherds either one. With warmer weather, the sore backs and hips of the latter are finally on the mend. Now, if we can get the bottle lambs under, control it would free up additional time for more important things. A good nap comes to mind.
The cold weather necessitated lambs be brought in the house, and when the weather pattern became entrenched, they stayed put. The three inside are as active a group as I’ve ever seen. Once out of their wire dog kennel, they’re on the move, aggressively searching for a bottle. Since a person has only two hands, it works best to feed one and then the other two. Trouble is they are so wound up it’s still like a three ring circus. Usually after feeding I’ll just let them run in the garage while cleaning out their bottles. It’s literally like babysitting a bunch of kids. They crash and bang into things along with pulling down anything they can get ahold of. They’re extremely fond of jumping into the hay and straw brought in for them, not unlike kids jumping into a pile of leaves. As long as there’s some racket, I don’t get too concerned. As Mom used to say about us kids, it’s when it gets quiet that it’s time to worry.
Our building site has a new owner: A rooster pheasant that apparently is setting up shop to attract hens into his new found bachelor pad. He spends major chunks of time scratching around the birdfeeders and picking up the seeds dropped by other birds under the spruce trees. This one also seems to have an obsession with peeking in the dirty windows, apparently able to see inside quite well. If you look out the window and he detects even the slightest movement, he’s off like a rocket. In the past we’ve had rooster pheasants we’ve suspected were descendants of one we nicknamed Little Jerry. They’d strut their stuff around the yard much to the delight of the lady pheasants, paying little attention to what was going on in the house. Given the tendencies of this one, he might more aptly be named Tom.
Ruby has had another relatively easy winter. Nothing new about that for the WMSBC (World’s Most Spoiled Border Collie) who spends large portions of her days snoring on couches and beds. Ruby has no scruples however. She tends to do her business in unique places. The other night during lamb check, she was growling and barking on the trail to the barn, so I told her to go poop or something while I fed the bottle lambs. Sure enough on the way back to the house there was a big pile in the middle of the trail. Likewise when filling bird feeders. Have to be wary or you’re liable to step in a fresh offering. I don’t mind her using the front yard as a latrine. Running the snow blower over it in the winter and the lawnmower in the summer takes care of the issue. Then she decides to use the sidewalk. No scruples whatsoever.
See you next week…real good then.