COLD!! COLD!! AND COLDER !!!!

Up early to check out the road conditions as Hubbie and I both have dental appointments in the next county south of here. Hubbie went down to get the paper and said our road was dry. We figured if our road was okay surely all the others we needed to travel would be fine also. So after chores in the frigid weather we headed south.
By the time we got to Columbus which is in Polk county there was no snow at all.
We spent about 2 hours in the office,Hubbie's work took the longest. I had a mold made of my upper denture and have to go back tomorrow afternoon to make sure it is going to fit properly, Hubbie is going along also to take his partial in to get it relined.
After we left the office we visited a couple of thrift shops in the area and had lunch at Wendy's.
It was sooooooo cooooolllldddd all day today it was almost impossible to spend any time outside. I took water to the chickens and dogs a couple times and gave them extra food.I had to refill all my bird feeders again today as they are very busy during this cold snap.
We decided we had better fire up our upstairs wood stove for tonight and when Hubbie started cleaning it out he found a hole in the stove pipe so he needed to make a trip to Lowes.
I had just taken an order for 14 caramel cakes for Saturday and I needed to go to Walmart to get extra ingredients for baking.
Hubbie dropped me off at Walmart and went on to Lowes, timing was perfect as he called to say he was back just as I finished checking out.
We hurried back home to get the stove back together only to find our way blocked by fallen trees that had blown down while we were gone.
Thank you Lord these fell after we drove under them on the way to town !!!!
As Hubbie got out of the car to walk up to the house after his chainsaw I looked over at the pond in the pasture and thought what a common sight this is becoming in the winter time around here. Last year this pond stayed frozen over almost all winter with snow on it most of the time starting a week later than it has this year.
As I waited I saw this patch of Bittersweet growing on the bank beside the driveway and thought about how mother nature's own decorations are so festive.
Not only does this decorate the landscape but these berries are an emergency food source especially for the Eastern Bluebirds that make our pastures their home.Hubbie made it back and made short work of all the trees that had crashed down across the driveway.
These are black pines and they are very top heavy so we are glad they fell without hurting anyone. There is still several up above the drive that need to be cut, but definitely not today !!!
Back at the house we finished the stove pipe and got a fire going,man it feels good in here with the fire.
I hurried through the chores this evening with the temperature at 17 and the wind worse now than it has been all day.
The chickens were all happy to be shut in their warm houses a little early with extra corn. And Sadie and Annie got a bowl full of warm food with meat scraps mixed in to warm their tummies through the night. The plastic I put up last night really is keeping the wind off them and they act like they are warm and happy to be in their night time place also.
It is already 13 degrees at 9:00 tonight so I can't imagine what it will be by early morning but I can tell you I'm very thankful for a nice warm place to sleep tonight.Hubbie wasn't the only one wielding a chainsaw this evening as trees are falling everywhere.Remember when white Christmas trees were popular??? Mother nature likes white trees.

Tonight the main purpose seems to be staying warm !!!
Thankful to God for safe travel today and for a warm house and praying for warmth for all the animals outside that are braving these frigid temps.
Good Night and God Bless.