how is everyone coping...
 

With this brutal cold? Homesteader or homemaker, what are you doing to care for yourself and/or your animals? Frankly...I' m cooking and eating too much! :ashamed:

I'm spending too much time on HT

It is winter, you deal with it, granted it is warmer here, but I have lived in some brutally cold places, and ya just deal, do what you need to do outside then then get in the house and get warm...or go ice fishing!!

I had some cabin fever this afternoon,sunny but cold.Wood splits easier at 15 degrees,just have to keep finger tips warm

I go out and work on cutting up brush close to the house. The wind has been brutal that last 36 hours or so combined with the cold. Other than that, no big difference. I have plenty to do inside. I have been going out 3 times a day feeding the feral cats that hang out on the backside of the property in an old building. I do it at sunrise, just before sunset, and then add a midnight one when it is nasty cold. I also make sure to carry some water with me to make sure they have a shot at some hydration before it freezes when the weather is like this.

February in WYO and we're still waiting on winter to show up.

I usually keep a list of stuff I need/ want to get done ie: post second hand stuff to sale sites, organizing stuff, etc.

I reserve all my crafting for the winter like cross stitching, painting, etc. And my writing and editing projects.

I have five or six magazines that I have subscriptions to and I rarely read them if there isn't snow on the ground.

At least we are getting this cold on a weekend. Our school is closed tomorrow due to an inservice day - so we don't have to worry about the school closing due to the cold weather as it's already going to be closed.

We had got lots of hay and gave to the goats and also put hay in the dog's boxes. Other than taking the indoor dog outside, we've been staying inside except when the dogs have to fed.

Dug up the dahlias and gladiolus bulbs, divided and replanted. Weeded a few flower beds. Opened up the house and let the breeze blow through. 64 and not a cloud in the sky....James

Feeding the animals, hauling grain, and researching/planning for the coming farming cycle.

My kids are going crazy. It's been pretty cold out and windy. No outdoor animals right now so we just all hangout in the house. Today has been pretty cold in the house since there hasn't been any sunshine. I love sunny days even when it's cold out. Our sunroom really makes a difference keeping the house warm. But dang when it's cloudy it's cold[emoji52]

Regarding the cooking and eating too much - made 4 loaves of banana nut bread last night, as DH was finishing of the first loaf (there are only two of us), he said that he didn't think I made enough :)

I've been drinking an awful lot of coffee with cocoa mix in it!

75F yesterday but only 68F today - yeah that is brutal.
We worked in the garden and bought some seeds.

In my part of Virginia, it will be 7 to 10 inches of snow starting Monday evening followed by some high's below freezing and lows around zero give or take a couple. It is unusual for this area, so my thoughts are with people who are not well suited for these temperatures and wildlife. I used to live in a house that was horrible once temps reached the 20's due to no insulation/drafts. I unfortunately expect to hear stories of people dying from carbon monoxide or fires in the news this week from their efforts to keep warm. I just thank God that I no longer have to live in such a house.

not bad if the power stays on. I see they are up to over 3000 out now. I pity those people on a night like this if they haven't got a backup. all I would have is the gas fireplace with no blower.i'm pretty confident though. only lost power twice in 8 years. I'm on the main line.

a couple roofs collapsed I see and lots of flooding. I could get the door open a few inches earlier. but everything is froze solid now. I can't even see through the windows for ice. we're being told to stay off the streets anyway for 36 hours. it's treacherous out there by what I'm seeing on the news. lots of food here and ways to cook ,lamps, flashlights, tons of candles and lots of quilts just in case. ~Georgia

Woke up today -4 degrees f and the electricity was out. I fed the chickens came inside ate bread and peanut butter for breakfast as the toaster didn't work, Had a cup of hot chocolate, heated it on the wood stove. Decided to make a loaf of bread, dug out the old top of the stove oven when all was done raising I baked it. I bought the log stove since I could cook on it, the nice fancy one with glass doors I wanted didn't have enough room to cook so I got the one you see. The loaf hit the top of the oven so it flattened out and I have to raise it off the stove so I have the other pan upside down to hold it so it isn't too close to the stove top. It is cooling on my dead electric stove. Power came on shortly after taking the photo.

Bored.. and waiting for planting time, nothing much to do outside, ground is alternating between frozen and a swamp.got the posts in for the new chicken house two days ago. not been able to get the mesh on since the ground froze again (and we want to burry the bottom) Lots of computer time.

Thankful that your power came back on! (:
Nice looking bread, too. I feel like making some biscuits.

It is very cold and we have been getting snow regularly here. I spend a lot of time watching our two grandsons; one of which is an infant, so I do not get outside like I would like to. I also work from home on the computer as my "real job". Hubby and I did go to our property yesterday where we are going to build our house. He used the snow rake to get the snow off the pole barn he built. I removed snow from other things. It was very cold and boy were we tired. Yes, I too have been eating more than needed and have gained weight. I can't wait for spring to get outside. Trying to stay warm as it is going to get bitterly cold tonight with very high winds. It was -5 at 6:00 p.m. We are in for more snow this week with unusally below 0 temps.

down to 4 tonight, the wind was very bad last night. Chickens doing good, with one heat lamp and the heated bases for the waters. Neighbors water is frozen so I spent the morning sharing my stored water, I dont understand why people dont atleast have a few milk jugs or 2 liter soda bottles filled with drinking water. To cold to do anything outside, snot frozen to your nose cold.

Mostly plowing snow.

LOL, I have biscuits in the oven right now, and a pan of hash frying on the stove. Our usual weekend supper ...

We have heat lamps in the barns and light bulbs in the barn cats' boxes. The four littlest ones (kittens b. September) have been given temporary admission to the porch. The duck and Indie the Aussie are snuggled up in their den. Moxie the goofy cat is out rolling in the snow; I guess all that long hair is keeping her warm!

Me, I'm happy to have a nice fire going in the woodstove. It's COLD out there!

Better than the past two winters.
Cold....but less snow to get around is routine,
Rather than spending more time snow clearing.
For those interested around here with winter sports, it's
outstanding. Ice fishing on the lakes is excellent with
No slush to deal with thanks to cold temps. Snowshoeing is
is about as good as it gets. Deer might actually start rebounding
with easier conditions moving and feeding. Overall, this winter
Is what we in the north are used to and even enjoy for
the most part. It's nice to see longer days and steeper
angle to the warming sun.

It has been quite cold here the last two nights with howling winds that moves everything it can around.

I had already closed all the window shutters on the barn and hung two rubber-type thingies that usually go under carpet over the back gate and adjacent shed. This kept the wind out of the barn. And with all of last year's bedding now nice and thick, the entire herd was snug.

I was a bit concerned about the fowl; however, they had all (including guineas) roosted early and are taking this cold weather very well. (I throw out extra cracked and whole corn for them so they don't need to work so hard foraging.)

Both dogs were brought into the house and only Valentina wanted out in the middle of the night because she heard something that concerned her. (After she had checked it out, she was glad to get back inside.)

The wind chill has taken the temps so low I wake to find 1/2-1 inch of ice on all the animals' water dishes except the one 5-gal heated one hanging on the wall in the barn for the goats. Thus, after feeding the animals and letting the fowl out, I carry 2 large buckets of "hot" water out and broke up and fixed their water.

As for myself, I wrap up warm to tend the animals, staying out doors only long enough to get the job done. Then I create myself something warm to eat and drink and watch old Daniel Boone Movies. I feel rather pampered in that my power has not even flickered, my furnace is working well and the oil drum is still half full. My well water is probably the best tasting water one could have and I have plenty of time to read the Scriptures ... online where I can make the type large and read without glasses. :)

At 9 PM it' s -11F and I am unashamedly tucked in under an electric heating pad! Earlier I did a tour and found icy air streaming
in through several electrical outlets and one side of the entry door. Made do with taping plastic bags over the outlets and tacked a plastic, flannel-backed tablecloth over the door. Kind of primitive, but actually effective since I didn't have anything else available. 😊

Its about 15 degrees here in southwest Missouri wouldn't know if the power went out as we are off grid . It is sleeting and getting a little ice built up . Cut 5- 6 ricks of wood yesterday and dumped it next to the wood shed . Today we mostly hung out in the house did put out an extra round bale for the cows as they can'tget to the stockpiled forage very well in the ice and sleet .

I was just fine until I went to San Antonio last week to see some of the grandkids.....It was 78 there for 2 days. And now the winter seems to be much colder. I only have chickens this winter. I moved them out of their unheated coop and into the barn so they have it pretty posh. But like I say, I'd rather have it like this now than in April.

Its about 15 degrees here in southwest Missouri wouldn't know if the power went out as we are off grid . It is sleeting and getting a little ice built up . Cut 5- 6 ricks of wood yesterday and dumped it next to the wood shed . Today we mostly hung out in the house did put out an extra round bale for the cows as they can'tget to the stockpiled forage very well in the ice and sleet .

I turned the pk around so I wouldn't have to do it in the ice and snow to get out. I then put a feed sack over the windshield held down by the wiper. Ive got to get chicken feed tomorrow as I forgot to get it today after church.
Ive got the H boxed in with the front mounted blade on it not hooked up so I cant raise it, meaning I cant go forward. Its backed up against the horse grader. That mean s I have to start the 34 CC Case if I want to blade snow. It hasn't ran for 4 months at least and is nearly out of gas. GOOD thing is. Ive got a couple gal of high test gas in a can that should help it to start, IF I got enough umph to turn it enough to take the rust offa the points in the mag.

You know, as much as I complain about our heat/humidity in the summer (and I do complain about it...a lot), I'm SO GLAD I don't live where it gets as cold as some of you are describing.

I've been watching the news about Boston and other parts of the NE for the last couple of weeks and, if I understand correctly, not even those who live there are accustomed to as much snow/ice as they've received lately.

Stay warm, folks!

ETA...our high today was 51, but it's forecast to be only 38 Thursday...that's practically ARCTIC to most folk's down here. :)

Life is good here in my little bit of Springtime/Summertime. It was a bit cool today as the attached greenhouse only held at about 64 degrees during the day reducing the heat pumped into the house so I had to run the radiators to keep the house warm.

Spent today giving my generator truck , portable generator, portable propane heaters , blackout lanterns, TV and radio communications a quick readiness check as the forecast then was leaning more towards the potential power outage potential than the less severe potential they are now predicting.

The yard cats are holed up under the house, the dogs are laid out on the bed after five 30 minute exercise and training sessions and I am getting ready to go out to the still mid to upper 50s degree greenhouse to feed and water a couple of the compost bins that add to the heat collection of the water filled heat mass collection barrels.

Maybe while I'm out there I may harvest some greens and chives to cook down tomorrow.

It s not easy that is for sure it was -30 yesterday morning and -15 this morning never made it past 0 yesterday, our water is froze ,, doing chores is not easy in these cold temps for sure, we go out in shifts till everything is done, I need to run the hose today so hopping we can get these pipes thawed out , good thing I stocked up on water before this brutal cold we have both wood stoves going and burning lot's of wood this year for sure,, but I know this cant last forever so thinking about spring and birds singing helps me get through for sure.

I make sure the cows have lots of hay...but I do it quickly! I make sure the pigs are well fed and have deep bedding...but I do it quickly! :cool:

Where in NW PA Stef?

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We had -19 degrees at 6 AM

The coldest I can remember was back in late 90's when we had -32

The woodstove is roaring, all the animals are in housing or out of the wind, plenty of coffee and food, the tractor is plugged in, and there is no way I am going to try to make the commute to work so I get to stay home (yay!). We are going to work on our greenhouse plans, update the Spring to-do list for the farm and start on the farm tax prep (yuck). We've got plenty to keep us busy. :bouncy::happy::bouncy:

Was -28 at 5 and it's -12 right now. Yesterday I stoked up the wood cookstove and made bread and buns. Woodstove is burning Ash nice and hot but does not last as long as oak. I'll be getting the cookstove going soon.It is nice and warm inside,tanktop and a skirt with underlayers some handknit thick socks. We have alot of snow,dh piled it against the foundation,that helps keep the pipes warm.

Maine has been very windy lately. A bit of snow, but mostly whipping like dust devils. A lot of negative temps.

All very seasonal. :)

For cold temps. here in WI it is cold for this year but not compared to other years. It went down to -10 a couple of nights ago but last night not so cold. One yr. back in the 1990's it went down to -36 with a wind chill of -76. That day no going anywhere except to feed animals.

I have been splitting more soft wood for early am fire starters. Also, washing woolen hats and socks to have plenty on hand.

Made a pot of beans (urad matpe) in the crockpot last night for stick to the ribs eating. I didn't use any seasoning so as to see what this bean tastes like unadorned. Not bad, earthy like a lentil. Today I'll season them up with ham, onions and spices. That thick potato soup with ham and onions really hit the spot last night. Had some Challah sp? bread to go with it.

I woke briefly at 4 AM and checked Accuweather. It was - 15 F ( that's minus 15 F). Don't know if it got lower than that as I fell back to sleep. It's a little past noon and we're all the way up to 4 F!

Today will most likely be spent much as the last couple: messing with the computer, maybe going to visit my next-door neighbor, heating up a pot of chili, maybe making some biscuits or corn muffins. Or snickerdoodle cookies?

If the weatherman gets it right we're supposed to reach 20 F tomorrow. I sure hope so. Need to get down off this mountain and make a run to the grocer.

Gravytrain...south and inland of Lake Erie.

LOL! That'll feel practically BALMY!

Brrrrrr...ya'll are making me cold!

I always use the same coping strategery--Ignore the truth and facts.