We received 3 inches of fluffy, wet snow, this week. Our scenic view has been refreshed with a clean, blank canvas. The new snow intensifies the wintry blue skies. The sunrises and sunsets now cast a pale pink shadow, across the whole landscape. The moon’s glow seems brighter, allowing us to see clearer, even in the middle of night. There is something magical about fresh snow. I try to soak it all in, as we trudge thru the barnyard, completing our chores. Maybe it helps to know it won’t last long. We are on the downhill slide to spring weather. The time frame for heavy, long lasting snowfall has now passed. We may still get the occasional wintry flurry, but it won’t stay long. In our corner of the world, the weed seedlings will soon be waving hello. The ground squirrels will begin stirring from hibernation. I am thankful for our mild winters here. The cold weather is hard to navigate while caring for livestock. Cold and moisture take their toll on the animals. Simple daily requirements of feeding and drinking, seem more difficult. The water is icy cold, they need extra feed intake to maintain their body temperatures, all while nourishing the ever growing babies still on the inside. The wildlife’s inate desire to migrate with weather changes, is a crucial survival trait passed down for generations. Mother Nature’s way of caring for her own. We rancher’s have big shoes to fill, while caring for our own herds.
Nate and I had decided to sort cows, the day it snowed. The weather forecast promised some form of moisture. Less than a 1/2 inch of snow accumulation, high temperature of 38 degrees. It sounded less than threatening, probably just a little burst of slushy rain. Or so we thought at 5 a.m. that morning. Nate fed cows early, coaxing them into the corrals with a bale of hay. A modern day re-enactment of the Pied Piper and his mice. After a successful “gather”, we shut the corral gates. Nate then went to unload an awaiting semi truck, full of meadow hay bales. The small white snow flakes began to fall just before lunch, the storm breaking occasionally. We warmed up from the morning chill, grabbed some extra gloves and headed for the corrals. The little cowboys were happily watching a movie, inside our warm house. We promised not to be long. The task would be simple. Wean some bigger, summer calves, seperate the older cows and first time mothers, from the rest of the herd. Our nice little snow flurry turned into a full on blizzard, for the rest of the day. The cattle were completely covered with frozen snow, blotting out their red and black colored hides. The accumulating snow covered the frozen puddles, masking them from view. The corrals became extremely slick, slowing our movements for fear of falling. Even the cattle tiptoed down the sorting alley. Our quick, simple task turned into an all afternoon excursion. We managed to get the cattle organized in groups, according to feed requirements. The older cows and first time mother’s are now closer to the house, for extra special treatment and better observance. The freshly weaned calves are now with their siblings in an all-they-can-eat feed yard pen. And we feel better prepared for the impending beginning of calving season.
The little cowboys have been delighted with the quality of our recent snow. It has the perfect packing value to create miniature snowmen. It makes impeccable snowballs for random attacks on their nearby parents and fenceposts. Mr. C was not convinced he needed to suit up in warm clothes to enjoy the fun. However, he soon discovered the tempting snow was colder than it first appeared. He now gladly dons his snow boots. Big W goes thru several pairs of dry gloves each day, returning the wet ones to dry by the warmth of the wood stove. We even had the opportunity to make fresh snow “ice cream”. Finding fresh clean snow is not an easy task when your yard is patrolled by a guinea hen, 3 rouge ducks, a Great Pyrenees guard dog and Rooster, the wonder dog. Big W managed to quickly fill 3 large stock pots with clean snow, placing them in the freezer for safe keeping. We then each devoured a large bowl of snow “ice cream”, only pausing long enough for our cold induced “brain freeze” to pass. It is these simple things that truly make me smile. When one person sees the glass half empty, there is always the optimistic one that sees it half full. The cold snow that complicates and prolongs our everyday tasks, is also the magic required to create snowmen and snow ice cream. It will melt into the life giving water that is needed for the growing spring grasses, quenching the thirst of livestock and humans alike. In everything, there is a silver lining. Sometimes it is just a little harder to see at first.