The weather outside is frightful

It's 2 degrees Fahrenheit 

Ducks don't mind

I do.

I know how to fix it

Gina

Where is everybody?

Lola and Clyde came looking for me.  

How do they know that I am in the greenhouse?

They can't see it from the pond.

As soon as I let Pasha (on the left) out of the greenhouse, 

Lola and Clyde are waiting for me at the top of the steps.

Sometimes Pasha even gives each goose a hug ...

Pasha sleeps in the greenhouse.  The rest of the time he keeps us company.  
Soon the snow will melt and he will spend his days outside.  

The greenhouse is heated by the sun and gets additional heat when needed. 

They know I'm going to walk around the house with them so that they can have their favorite ground up corn.

They beat me to the trough. 

I have to stand there until Lola and Clyde have their fill. 

After that, it's a free for all.  

Spring is a long way off. 

Stay warm!
Gina 

Wild Canada Geese

They're not going home

Wherever home is this time of year. 

Wild Canadian Geese 60 feet from our house.  

Every year bringing more.  Family units of 7 and more come in groups.  

They feel at ease at our pond placing their heads under their wings for a snooze in the sunshine.

Happy week to you all. 

Gina 

https://betweennapsontheporch.net/

The best of two worlds

Inside/Outside

New snow.

Ready to go to work.

Wishing you a great week ahead.

Gina 

These could save your life

Two pieces of wood and a string.

And a sturdy nail into each end could save a life.

I love our pond... but not in winter.

See those footprints, they are heading straight for the thin ice.


  

Part of our pond never freezes, near the deep Spring where the water temperature is 65 degrees year round. 

After thinking long and hard we decided to lower the pond for the winter months. 

Large machinery and a friend with precise maneuvering skills made quick work of the task. 

He even cleaned out the ditches which carry the water to our fields.  

The water flowed so fast that many fish became stranded.  I gathered them into a bucket of water and carried them back to the Pond. 

An old farm Disk sat in one of the corners, getting in the way when harvesting our fields.  

Because the  equipment could only lift the Disk so far,

Our Friend backed up his big truck until it was level with the disk. He backed the truck into the machine (not the other way around) until it was swallowed up. 

When I asked him if he was going to use it as a "sculpture", on his farm, our Friend surprised me by saying that "he would see if he could make it work again". 
Not much is wasted in this small farm community.  

If you live near frozen waters you must have one of these in the ready.  Wear it around your neck and if you should fall through the ice, these handles can pull you up and on top of the ice.  

Just in case and nearby our pond, a boat for the open water, a rake to reach with and what could be a lifesaver...a simple string with two wooden handles. 

By opening the spillway, we lowered the pond by more than a foot.

Much safer.

Now only a small pool open for the ducks. 

It won't be long, the days are getting longer. There will be Spring.

 And Summer

and Fall, when I love my pond most of all.

Have a great week my dear 
Blogging Friends.

Gina

Partial repost January 2013

What a difference a day makes

An ever changing vista

The happenings of the last few days have left me fearing for the human race. 

I can't stop thinking about the unbearable grief of the bereaved families. 

I take solace in my surroundings.  

But how do they find peace? 

Wild Geese gather on our pond.  They are getting ready to fly South. 

Would our Emden geese go with them if they could fly? 

This time of year we lower our pond for safety reasons.
The ducks enjoy the newly exposed soil along the banks.  
Who knows what tasty morsels they find .

It snowed all day yesterday.

This morning the sun is shining.

And I have hope.

Thank you for letting me share my thoughts with you.



Gina

January Thaw

Without fail,

every Winter we have the January Thaw.

We have lowered the pond by several feet. 

It's safer when having to rescue whatever or whoever falls through the ice.  

Take care. 

Gina 

My Geese walk on water.

I mean, they walk on frozen water.

There is a lot of chatter out there.

The cold and snow caught them by surprise. 

It was 2 degrees Fahrenheit (that is minus 16.67 Celsius) last night.

No wonder most of our pond is frozen. 

A small area, where the water comes from deep within, always stays open.  

Hansel, Clyde and Lola can't decide who they should befriend.

 By late afternoon, most of the ice will have melted.

All will be afloat again.  

Hope you're staying afloat.  

Gina