Homestead Hill Farm: Not Your Typical Tuesday

When I wrote about quixotic Valley weather, I didn’t realize that we would experience it again quite so soon.

Tuesday dawned in a dull sort of way. Before I could capture the sliver of red beneath the clouds, it was gone. You know the saying “Red sky at morning, sailors take warning”…

By the time I reached the barn, the sleet and snow had struck with a vengeance. It was hard to convince the ewes that they really needed to leave the barn in order to eat. After inhaling their grain, they returned to the barn to snarf down hay while complaining loudly about the weather.

Even the dogs seemed more than a little reluctant to follow me on my morning rounds. I really couldn't blame them, the sleet stung as it hit my face, the wind was blowing so hard that it was difficult to balance the load of hay and buckets on my trek from the barn to the henhouse and ram paddock

Waylon looked like the beginning of a snowball as the white stuff piled up on the wool on his back. He seemed to eat even faster than he usually does as the snow and sleet swirled in the cold, brisk wind.

When the henhouse door was opened, the hens just gazed out the opening as if to say, “uh uh…nope, ain’t doin’ that again!” They were finally convinced to go outside where the feed and water waited for them. But, it must be so cold on those little, naked chicken feet in the snow.

Despite the wintry start, by noon the snow had stopped and the sun was making a feeble attempt at shining. The snow melted as quickly as it had fallen.

Walking down to the Post Office in town was actually rather pleasant, although the wind was beginning to pick up again. I had to laugh out loud when I spied the “town goats” in a new location. This time they were mowing the lawn at a rental property. While the goats had absolutely NO bearing on the weather...their wandering around town is more than a little amusing...and the grass is turning green.

I hurried back up the hill as the skies blackened. Sure enough, the heavens opened and a downpour ensued right after I got home.

But…LOOK! A RAINBOW! A DOUBLE RAINBOW!