Friday, January 8, 2010

A Few Last Winters


A Few Last Winters

This winter weather has really been hard for livestock and wildlife in our part of the world. I guess almost every place in the country is in the same boat..or on the same ice floe.

I think my old Maggie has just about given up. Her frolic efforts are pretty feeble and send her into coughing fits. She no longer goes to the smoke house. I don't know why. Evidently it is colder there than out in what bitter, thin sunlight she can find. She was trembling so bad at feeding time this morning she could hardly walk. I think last night was about the end of her and tonight will be twice as bad with 19 below being called for in our part of the county.

This last series of storms is the first that she hasn't met with the joie de vivre of a happy fool, warmed by her great heart and insulated with two-inch underwear of fleece and an overcoat of heavy hair. But no amount of hay or windbreak cuts this kind of cold from 18-year-old dog bones after ten days of subzero to ten degree temperatures.

I couldn't stand it anymore so, even knowing that she may die sooner than later, I brought her in this morning for the duration.

She hates it inside and it took some coaxing to get her into the back entry way but there she is. She drank a good quart of hot milk replacer and after the shaking stopped she ate well. She does not like to be in and I imagine as soon as she warms up she will fight to get back out. But she WILL stay in tonight and as long as she will stay for that matter.

She has outlasted so many winters ...