Snowy cows

I just realized I never posted these pictures. The Sunday after Christmas was so icy and snowy we had meeting at Mom and Dad's instead of driving half an hour. Afterwards, I wandered around and took pictures. 

Frozen drips

Ice sheeting off the sign

Fence wire ice

Snowy northside

I walked through the calf pasture to the cedars. The calves became the main event.  

My flash was highlighting close snowflakes, which I didn't realize until I was home.

Cows are such stoic creatures. About weather anyway. They put their back to the wind and just endure.

They were all intensely curious about me. I think they harbored suspicions that I was carrying hay in my pockets. 

I was the pied piper. 

And then, for no apparent reason, they all went mildly crazy. 

This calf on the left was dancing and prancing in front of me. Crazy thing.

I shooed it away and they all took an exuberant lap in celebration. 

Crazy calf

I love this one's eyes.

Residual warmth

Carefully watching me in case I did anything interesting. 

Ice and snow crystals on birch trees

I never did get a good picture of snow on cedars.

That night, the temperature fell with a crash and everything froze fairly solid. Owen had a few calves to put through the chute, so Justin and I went up to help him. 

Tractor tires in the wet spot.

Broken ice

Elsie and Gilbert had a large stack of books to look through while we worked cows.

Aren't they a beautiful color?

There is something so elegant and dainty about all those tiny drips along the branch. 

Sending the calves back to the barnyard

Gilbert bellowing for some reason and a smiling Elsie June.