Hibernation

I have been hibernating. Below zero temperatures and winds 25-50 mph, make for brutal winter weather. Even a winter-lover like me is tired of it.

Here in southern PA, this is the coldest February ever in more than 80 years of full records. And, till the month is over, it may well be the coldest month ever, surpassing all those Januarys too. For February 2015 the average temperature is 21.45, well below the average of 32.4 and even well below the previously coldest February that featured a balmy 24 degree average.

Every weekend this month has featured a storm of some kind, which means I’ve spent my weekends shoveling snow, not taking photos or even sitting at a computer. My chickens have survived thus far. One night I was tempted to bring them inside. That was the night it was -5 with 35 mph wind and up to 55 mph gusts. I decided against it, mostly because the only place inside where I could put them was my bathroom, and I just couldn’t deal with that idea. So instead I surrounded the coop with two bales of straw, covered it with a blanket and a tarp and hoped for the best. They seem to have done okay.

This past Saturday the latest snowstorm brought whiteout conditions and more wind. It was quite a storm. I took the photo I’m posting today in the morning before the storm hit. The sky certainly proved the old adage "red sky at morning, sailor take warning."

For myself, I am looking forward to days where the temperatures get as high as, perhaps, 40; that don’t drop below zero or into the single digits at night, and that have calm winds. When that happens, my hibernation will end.