This was the toughest morning I can remember at the farm. The gates and doors were all blocked. We couldn’t open the barn, get to the hay, slide the doors, or even find a path up the hill that wasn’t six or seven feet deep. Punishing winds, snow, then sleet, then snow and ice. We dug a door open at the side of the barn, hauled a bale or two of hay up the hill, dragged a bucket and three jugs of water up – it took four or five trips. The donkeys are completely trapped in the barn, and we will get another bale of hay up and some water, which will freeze by tonight. It is supposed to snow at least until noon, and heavily gusting winds are piling the snow up to levels I’ve never seen.

We just back into the farmhouse and are having some breakfast.Then back out. Took some video. It is beautiful. The snow and ice are rock hard and can’t be shoveled. Had to pour boiling water on the pasture gates to get the latches working. The donkeys are anxious, but okay, dry and fed. But they will be up there for a few days at least.