Winter. How did our our pioneering forefathers manage to keep going through our harsh Canadian winters? Temperatures in mid to late January plummeted down to the -20c to -30c range and created a wealth of challenges on our little farm.
The chickens' water froze daily, as did water for the barn cats. Eggs froze in nests and cracked. And don't even get me started on the frozen manure in the coop, which could not be chiseled off without the use of power tools (which I did not resort to, for the record).
We had a huge dump of snow on Wednesday, approximately 20cm in total. This made hauling water to the barn an enormous chore, more so than usual. After three trips my work pants were soaked through and stiff with ice - I swear they could have stood up on their own!
Although the last few weeks have been hard and I shook my fists at our powerless and waterless barn many times, I have to admit that I love the physicallity of the work, and the urgency of it. I would not normally enjoy lugging gallons of water through the snow, but knowing that our hens are thirsty makes me dig deep and love doing it.
I chose to change my life. I was once a very sedentary apartment dweller who walked her dog around the block twice a day. Now I am up before dawn to care for our menagerie of animals. And in the evenings their comfort and well-being comes before my own. It even comes before a glass of wine!
There is no question that this little farm and the animals I care for each day have saved me from the drama that plagued my life for almost two years. Loss of parents, pregnancies, relationships, and dealing with bitter and angry family members could have ruined me ten times over. But I could never give in to my heartache because the animals were counting on me.
I owe my current happiness to them. Really. I pushed through the hard times under the power of obligation to these furry and feathered beasts and in the end I am stronger for it. As a bonus, I fell in love with the routine and a genuine sense of satisfaction whenever I leave the barn. I also gained an appreciation of what life was probably like on this farm 100 years ago, before the luxury of electricity and running water in the barn.
Today's commute: 65 minutes.
