Frozen February

The past few days have been filled with the most beautiful special effects winter can offer. We have been dazzled with  ice-encased branches, fluffy snow, hoar frost,, fog, dazzling sunshine on glittering snow.

Sadly, my camera is broken  - a replacement on the way! - so I had to resort to my cell phone camera, but it did a surprisingly good job capturing the loveliness.

Feathery hoarfrost.

Frost-tipped Eeyore.

And Courgett

e.

Probably more snow photos than you wish to see, especially if you live in Minnesota. But we are forecast for melting temperatures the next four days, so it 's going to get kind of slushy and ugly out there.

Holiday Frosting

It is mid-December and we have only an inch of crusty, patchy snow, at most, but at least we woke up to  a gentle fog and pretty hoarfrost this morning, making me feel more in the holiday spirit.

Jitterbug's ears and tail were frosted.

Three of the four guineas that  did not go into the coop last night  because they were too freaked out by me cleaning it. They slept in the  now-bare treetops, and I was happy they all made it safely through the night; I have been hearing the great horned owls a lot lately, and they have been known to take a sleeping guinea!

A few more frosty photos from my morning walk around the farm.

 Dogwood showing its frosty teeth.

 Solveig, the Prairie Woman, looks more like a Christo sculpture now.

Cold hands.

Argiope Garden Spider, rarely seen in winter.

Weirdly Warm Winter Weekend

This was a crazy warm weekend, with temps 40 degrees above normal. There's just one thing to do to when it gets that warm...clean the chicken coop! Well, not JUST one thing -- we also  took down the rest of the holiday lights, cut up and hauled wood, cleaned up dog poops, and power washed the patio. 

The sap started running, so we hung some buckets and  boiled down a bit of maple syrup.

 The guineas raced gleefully around the farm.

The chickens played king of the compost pile and scratched around in the  mud.

Jitterbug lounged in the sun atop the  compost pile.

 Oops,  LaFonda wanted to star in that photo.

Luna also soaked up the sun, sprawled across the top step.

Today felt just as warm as yesterday, but it rained all day. By chore time this evening, most of the snow had disappeared and the pasture looked like it  was actually starting to green up!

The farmyard was mostly mud, but the ducks were enjoying it.

The guineas and chickens were  soggy and bedraggled, but  nevertheless chose to be out in the rain all day.

Fog began forming in the prairie and it became quiet and mystical.

We are forecast to have a couple more days of this balmy weather, and then wonter will return Thursday with cold  temps and  possibly a foot of snow.
I think all of us who do not have the luxury of escaping to a warm, sunny getaway are appreciating this respite from winter this year!