This little tree of mine …

It’s all about light for me … this season of dark afternoons and freezing nights. The dark is daunting. It comes on so quickly this time of year. It seems I’m barely finished my lunch when the skies turn that dusky blue.

The way I see it this is the PERFECT time to find every reason to add sparkle and bright lights inside and out. This way as the afternoon gets gloomy I can look forward to appreciating the Christmas tree as I come in after chores. I plan on appreciating it for a good … long … time!

Even on a sunny day it is a beauty to behold! In fact … it seems that I’m not the only one who appreciates a ‘house tree’.

It also serves very well as a toy stand … or so Smokey thinks!

I KNOW I didn’t put THAT decoration on the tree! Hehehe! Smokey has made a perch for himself about two thirds of the way up the trunk. It is not uncommon for one of us to come along through the fireplace room to find him lying in there … or jumping out to surprise Ozzy.

The ‘game’ works both ways now. Oz’s ‘box of invisibility’ is now tucked under the tree. Oz hides in there until Smokey comes by and then AMBUSHES him much to his delight.

I have a feeling that when we wake up tomorrow the snow will be gone … Not sure how I feel about that. It is much nicer to have white snow on the ground than the mud and browns of November.

We got a fair whack of it over the past two days. Probably over ten centimetres. I haven’t plowed the paddocks – which I DO in full on snow season. It gets too hard and very difficult to walk on if it isn’t cleared. So … I guess I am counting on tomorrow’s rain.

Yesterday’s sunshine was amazing. The goats had a great time up on the hillside in their climber. I took up two bales of straw for bedding and made their lower level cozy and warm. I also filled up their hay rack. It was great to look out during the afternoon to see them sleeping in the sunshine.

Tweedle Deb and Lindy each had a short sunbathing session in the Coop. I had to go pick them up from where they were hunched up sleeping on the Clubhouse floor … and I think for perhaps a minute or so they were grateful for the sunshine. Their flock instincts kicked in too quickly for them to really get the full effect. Tweedle Deb simply ruffled her feathers, gave me the stink eye and then begrudgingly had to jump all the way down to the floor and had to walk all the way back out to the clubhouse… Lindy on the other hand just starts to cry. She has me trained to come looking whenever she makes that sound. 😉

When they showed up Paddy danced around them – scolding and guiding them back into the main group. Guess I had better not mess with his duties. 😉 Hmmm … maybe next time it is Paddy who I should bring into the Coop sunshine. I don’t think they’ve realized yet how warm those southern windows will be …

Everyone is all tucked in safe and sound for a night of rain. The goats are nestled deep in their bed of hay. The jennies are laying in their thick layer of wood chips. The chickens are snoring away on their roosts. Guess I should find my own way to my duvet.

Have a good night all!

Hugs from the Meadow Mice