What did you do today?

[deschutes dawn]

Bend update. I milked at -2 last night. Bre and I went out terrorizing the Christmas bazaars at our daytime high of 19. Actually starting to get used to it, I was able to go in and out of buildings with just a sweater. At this time it's sunshine and 25. Tomorrow we're supposed to get above freezing. Get out the shorts!

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Add on-my blanket destroying horse has done it again. The fourth blanket in a year and a half.

[Taffy]

The sun was shining and it was 20*. I decided to take the goats for a hike to the tree row and let them browse. They gobbled up the cottonwood and blackberry leaves! While the rest of the goats were browsing Fuzzy stood just out in the hay field acting like the herd guardian. Fuzzy is from a raw milk dairy and had never been out and about until I bought her 2 years ago. She still browsed some but is the wary one when it comes to our excursions. I also filled the water troughs since it was nice out. Better now than in icky weather! I never got cold the entire time I was outside. Has anyone else noticed you don't feel cold until you come inside and start to warm up?

   


  Guard Fuzzy 1.jpg (Size: 97.98 KB / Downloads: 67)

[Nanno]

Bend update. I milked at -2 last night.

^ And THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is why I moved my stanchion indoors last Monday, and there it will stay until I'm done milking!

Taffy, it looks so warm where you live! We had another 5 inches of snow last night. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

[Taffy]

We had a low of 9* last night. This morning the hay fields looked like we'd had snow from the heavy frost. It looks a lot warmer than it feels! Sunshine warms the heart.

[deschutes dawn]

Just heard on the news we set a new record low last night. Minus 19. It's not even winter yet! Geez!

[Dave-Trinity-Farms]

I was thinking about coming over for late bow but... NOT A CHANCE!

[Taffy]

This morning the blue spot is where the goats were browsing in the photo from yesterday. We had a light hoar frost last night and again were 9*. Living so close to the Columbia River we can get some spectacular hoar frosts. There's a light breeze right now and the sun is shining. Charlene - after the Rendy I thought I'd like to have a vacation spot in the Bend area. I've changed my mind!

   

[sydneyjd]

Celsius or Fahrenheit?

[Charlie Horse]

I'm actually thinking about testing gear for cold weather camping again soon. Last year I tested my sleeping bag in -1F and windy and it worked great. I need to figure out my cold weather clothing/boots now. Next I need to figure out animal shelter solution if I intend to use goats and bring the dog. When I had my yak, there was no worry about cold since there's nothing my state could throw at a yak that would make it feel even slightly chilly. Goats and the dog are another story. Of course I've always wanted a reindeer too so perhaps someday you'll see me out there packing with yaks and deer in the cold, goats in the summer. I think cold weather survival skills are something worth working on and learning. How the mountain men did it, I do not know. My infinitely compressible, crazy warm, water and vapor shedding Wiggy's sleeping bag sure is a precious commodity and its hard to imagine understand how people in the past could sleep with just some kind of buffalo hides or wool blankets (considering the weight of those items vs modern nylon stuff). On TV you see the cowboys with a bed roll and nothing much else on their horses as they cross the country, but I suspect in reality there'd be three to five mules or horses following with a bunch of crap strapped to their backs. Everybody packed back then.

[deschutes dawn]

Dave, the weather is starting to change. Freezing fog for a couple days then 40's and chance of rain for Friday, drying off a bit for Saturday. Should be fine for a hunt, just damp. Perfect for blacktail.