Blustery

 It was another cold rainy morning but we were able to walk to the barn and back before Joan needed to leave to get her kids ready for Co-op. I stayed with mom all day. She was pretty tired this morning and after breakfast fell asleep in her chair. I filled her bird feeder than watched. Below are a few pictures. The red bellied wood pecker would chase the rest of the birds off when he would eat.

As soon as he would fly away the little house finches would arrive.

He was soon back.

He was chased away by the fat squirrel. 

Some geese flew in and landed but when went out to watch there was a white duck in the middle. As far as I know no one out here has a white duck. This duck has black tail feathers and looks domestic. I didn't see it fly in but later this afternoon I didn't see it anywhere on the lake so maybe it is wild. After researching it on the internet it is probably a snow goose that got lost from his flock and joined the Canadian geese flock. I didn't realize those snow geese have a shorter neck so thought it was a duck.

Above is a picture with both. Yes this 'white duck' was a snow goose. This afternoon the sun came out so mom and I quickly went out to enjoy the warm sunshine.

That didn't last long, soon the clouds were back and it turned cold.  The wind was gusting to 45 mph with sustained winds of 25 mph. The best way to describe the day is blustery. It IS downright cold!  Diane came home from work a little early and took my place so I had time to run home and clean the arena from Irish last night and still be back in the house by 5:00 pm just in time for our visitors Iris and Zeke. Their parents had a date night at Scapecci's. Zeke was very content on my lap cooing and smiling. Iris was busy painting until he fell asleep

then we worked on coloring an owl. 

After supper Iris made the dessert. She very carefully put mini marshmallows on a graham cracker then put chocolate chips on top of those. We put it in the microwave. She pushed the 2 then the 0 and finally the start button all by herself then watched as the marshmallows grew. She put the second graham cracker on top and took the first one to grandpa.

As soon as he took his, she excitedly ran back to make another and this one she got to eat.

After Rhoda and Lee picked them up I went up to get Irish and put her back inside the barn for the night. The wind is still howling. The temperature is supposed to drop into the 20s and with the wind chill it will feel like the teens or worse.  I took the picture below at 4:00 pm when I went up to clean the arena.

She is still not waxing but her udder is filling. She is due April 6th but last year delivered 2 weeks early. Sure hope she holds off until the weather is warmer. I read something today and at first just started laughing:  From Chauncey Devega: New research on Trump voters: Trump's voters lack "cognitive sophistication," they often believe the Bible is the literal word of God. 

I read the article and when finished went from laughing to sad then a started praying for this person Chauncey but after reading realized he was quoting from a man named Darren Sherkat, a professor of sociology at SIU. How does one live without hope? Can you imagine being this person? How devastating it would be to lose a loved one, how awful to grow old knowing death awaits and the worst is not having Jesus as your constant companion knowing HE loves you, He died for you, He waits for you, will guide you, comfort you and yes even convict you when you fail, and HE knows your future. So I am praying for Chauncey and Darren. If you want to read the article for yourself click HERE. It really is so twisted. (by the way even home schoolers are demonized in this article)