Saturday, December 11, 2010

It Snowed on Mauna Kea!

Here's a link to all the observatory cams up on the mountain....which is as close as I am going to get, probably: Snow on Mauna Kea

I don't like the elevation.  It makes me feel dizzy and headachy, so I prefer not to head up there.  I like to look at it from down here, though.  It is very beautiful on a sunny, relatively warm day on the Big Island and look up at a snow capped mountain.  They say Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain on earth if you measure it from the bottom of the sea, but I think that's cheating!

Even though it is 7:20, I haven't gone out to feed.  Bad farmer.  I did take my oldest to work, and the usual crowd of suspects wasn't lined up at the door, so everyone must be a little sleepy.  Generally, when I drop her off, there are a number of customers impatiently waiting for 7 am, but today, no one.

I am trying to decide between baking Christmas cookies and cleaning animal pens and the house.  I am sure my 11 year old will vote for cookies.  She's had those cookie cutters waiting for a couple of weeks now!  When I was little, I learned to do the work first and play later, but for her sake, my little girl who works pretty hard, I may just do those cookies and save the cleaning for later.

Ohia the laminitic paint horse is having a better day, and if the rain stays away for a bit, I may walk him and the mare  out to the "arena" (flat, unfenced, cinder area I laughingly call arena), and work with her.  She is more comfortable if he is there, and there is some good grass out there.  The trainer fell through for the third time, and since using a trainer was more of a convenience/lazy me thing, I guess I am going to have to do it myself.  I am feeling a little old and stiff to deal with a feisty TB/WB cross, but she already had her ground work with me and she trusts me.  It shouldn't be that bad.  If worse comes to worst, I can rig up some kind of electric fence round pen out there - the lack of fencing and barriers on the arena was worrying me, but I should be able to think of something.

Last night, I decided to check in on the ewe by flashlight.  She didn't look like labor was starting, but all of them were quite diverted by the flashlight.  I stood watching them for a long time, even singing them some Christmas carols.  "Away in the Manger" felt appropriate.  I don't sing that well, but the barn was seemed quite pleased- or maybe they were just startled.  My mare came to exchange muzzle rubs with the ram, and the adolescent lamb and the non-pregnant ewe came and stood looking up at me at the fence.  I confused the rooster, because when I stopped singing, he started crowing.  I guess I am just lucky the dog didn't start howling.

6 comments:

Chai Chai said...

The rooster was calling for an encore! I vote Christmas cookies.

NancyDe said...

I guess chickens aren't fussy...maybe it will make him feel more kindly disposed to me so he doesn't try to attack me when I feed his harem! I think you are right, cookies are the best option for today. I know you are going to laugh at me, but I am cold :). It is 60 degrees in the house, so it must be in the 50s outside .... yes, I know I am being ridiculous after reading your and OhioFarmGirl's posts.

Faith said...

Oh, l love baking Christmas cookies! :o)

LOL Keep those roosters confused. It will make them work harder to stay out of the fraying pan.

Those photos are stunning!

~Faith

NancyDe said...

I did warn him he better be good or he'd be dinner.....

Chai Chai said...

Nancy, It may be brutally cold outside but inside it must be around 80* in the rooms around the wood stove!

NancyDe said...

We had a wood stove in our old cabin. That second winter we were here it was actually in the lower 40's in the house (and outside), so my in-laws sent an old wood stove. It was so nice. Now we have a fireplace, but it doesn't warm things up like a wood stove does.