I sure feel sorry for our livestock this morning. The wind chill is below zero and has been for the last several days, so the poor things are just having to do the best they can. I have rolled out hay, and the offspring have been pouring out plenty of that liquid gold. I don't even ask the price of a sack of feed any more -- keep on hoping the banker is feeling generous.

We have automatic water tanks in the barn and several in the covered pens. The salesmen always told me the tanks would be frost free and I wouldn't need to worry about water for the animals. Snip told me, in no uncertain terms, that he was thirsty this morning. His fountain was frozen solid and it took an act of, well something better than Congress, to thaw it out. Ponds can be axed and tanks can be broken, but automatic water fountains are another story. My hands were frigid by the time I got to the pickup and got the heater going.

It is turning out just as the persimmon seeds predicted this winter. The majority of the seeds contained little shovels or spoons as some call them. I found no forks at all last fall. Now, as I think about it, I didn't see any caterpillars crossing the roads either. Does that mean we can't really depend on such folklore? Some of it is always right. Some of it is always wrong. And, when it is right, we talk about it a bunch. When it is wrong, we just shake our heads and laugh about someone believing such nonsense!

Our road is now a blasted wagon trail. The ruts are deep and they cause the vehicle to be grabbed and taken where I don't want to go. My close relative is starting to fret about the groceries and wanting to replenish the larder, but I won't be taking her to town until the highways are better.

My oldest offspring got the tractor stuck. It took the three of us two hours to get it out. I didn't believe the ground was so full of moisture and frozen just deep enough to look safe. We hooked the hay truck up with a wench, and the wheels on the truck were spinning good! The tractor didn't move. Finally, found a way around the sumpy place and pulled it out backwards. The life of a beef producer is so enjoyable in glacial weather!

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, I am a blessed man. We have a warm and comfortable home, the chili is getting better every time it is warmed over, and we have not found any dead cattle due to the weather. I hope we all thank the good Lord for the good things going on in our lives and get through the bad.

We have some good happenings to report. School has been dismissed and, when there are Grands in the vicinity, we eat cookies! Can't get much better than that!

Bill is a pen name used by the Gravette author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.