I like the snow. Really, I do. From the comfort of my warm house, fire blazing in the wood stove, fresh hazelnut coffee brewing in my coffee pot, and perhaps a batch of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven… I love the snow. It’s so pretty!
I grew up in Northern Minnesota, and let me tell you – we had SNOW. Not pitiful little amounts, but large, seemingly neverending amounts of snow. To top it off, once the snow came, it stayed. For months. Literally. And alongside this snow was bitterly cold weather. You know, twenty-below weather. Or, like the forecast my little brother (who still lives UP NORTH) recently posted on his Facebook page, “Feels like 60 below” weather. No. Thank. You.
You’d think I’d be used to cold weather after 18 years living in the north country, but alas this is just not so. Give me 75 degrees any day!
Unfortunately, in the ranching world, cold and snowy days do not mean that we get to stay indoors where it is warm.
No, cold and snowy days mean more chores around the ranch to ensure that our cattle are sufficiently taken care of.
Subzero temperatures on a ranch means that ice must be broken on top of water tanks, sometimes a couple of times a day.
Hay must be fed in larger quantities, more often, to keep the cattle looking and feeling their best.
Before babies, I would go with Mr. Handsome (that would be my husband) just about every day, dressed in my coveralls, insulated work boots, and multiple other layers of warm-weather gear, and help cut the twines off of hay bales before we unrolled them for our cows.
Now, admittedly, I do get to stay indoors a lot more frequently on these cold days simply because it is too chilly for our Little Princess to be outside. But the men on the ranch never stop working.
I love bumping along in the feed truck with Mr. Handsome when the time allows. I also love warming him up with a good, hearty lunch and cup of coffee on the days that I don’t go with him.
Ranchers don’t get snow days. We don’t have an office that we can call into to say, “My car is stuck in a snow bank and I can’t come to work today.” And you know what? That’s okay.
