No Day for Daydreamers...

The sun was out and the wind just a whisper.

That's a rare thing during winter in Ohio.

Even though it was 5 degrees, I stepped into my skis and took off across the fields into the sparkling wonder.

A winter storm had glazed the existing snow cover in ice and then frosted it with more snow. Now, even two days later, much of the ice remained.

Because I ski around farm fields--that's what I have around me, I don't have to focus on tree limbs or obstacles in my path. I can just take in the winter time and let my thoughts wander.

But on this day, I discovered I'd have to pay attention to the terrain. While the fields looked snow covered, there were areas where the wind had blown the snow away, leaving patches of ice.

Though I was going just 5 miles per hour, when I hit those patches, my skis skittered and my arms helicoptered in an attempt to stay upright.

And so instead of daydreaming as much, I watched for ice and tried to keep my knees and feet closer together, and I skied on.

Because the sun was out, the wind was still, and it was a beautiful winter day in Ohio.

January Respite

When the sun shines and temperatures reach into the 40s in January, it's time to celebrate--even if that celebration involves moving manure and hay.

Several days ago, freezing rain created slicks spots and rough going throughout the farm.

The horse paddock turned into an ice rink, and the horses picked their way carefully around the slick spots.

Because of the ice patches in the pastures, the sheep stayed close to the barn.

And, because we were at the in-between stage of not-enough snow and too much ice, I had some rough treks on foot with the dogs.

Mother Nature must have known we needed to erase the ice and snow and start over with winter. So,, she gave us warm temps and sun. It gave us a chance to restock the livestock barn with hay -- and move the manure that had been piling up. I raked up the loose hay and dumped it in piles in the pasture for the horses.

And laughed at the dogs as they played in the sunshine.

And by day's end, we didn't have a completely fresh palette. Some ice remained, but the buckets were clean and free from ice, the stalls were neat and tidy, and a month's supply of hay was stacked in the barn.

And now I anxiously await a fresh coat of snow.