Love Crows – Time To Buy C&H Winter Coats

Anyone who follows my early blogs will recall various posts about my connection to a murder of crows that make their daily trip from the foothills to Casa Claire. Absolutely love crows. Truly magical beasts.

https://www.nathab.com/blog/crows-are-as-intelligent-as-a-seven-year-old-child/

My murder of crows call out to me whether they spot me out on my rounds or working around my property. I always call back to them in my human voice – no need to embarrass myself trying to caw. They usually alight in a nearby tree and wait for the slowest of their members to catch up, cawing loudly to let them know where they can be found. Whenever I am out and about doing my shopping I can almost guaranty looking up and spotting one close by, just keeping an eye on things.

Yesterday evening, I went off to Murdoch’s in Longmont. I looked up and spotted the crow above, brilliantly sitting on the camera that pans the entire parking lot. The crow recognized the best vantage point as well. Fascinating creatures.

Murdoch’s is where I buy anything specifically mule related. I buy my bags of alfalfa pellets and wood shavings there. Yesterday, I needed to make sure I got Claire & Honey some heavy weight winter coats. I know, it sounds premature, but the winters here can come on quickly and if you don’t grab the coats you want when they first come in, you risk having your selections limited. That is especially true for Honey, given that she wears a smaller size – 63″ compared to Claire’s 84″. I have a couple of medium weight coats still in their packaging at home, but I wanted to make sure I grabbed some heavyweights for when the temperature hangs down for extended periods in the low teens. Last year we had repeated stretches below zero.

I have to find a place that will clean and repair last year’s ensemble. Mules are very hard on their coats, often tearing them as they try to scratch against trees and fence posts, or busting their belts rolling in the snow.

This year I found a matching set of plaid heavyweight coats in their sizes (only set there), and will be sure to post some photos the first time they model them.

I try not to put coats on them before their winter fur coats come in full. I don’t want to stymie their natural resistance to the weather. But I usually coat them around Thanksgiving. Medium coats will usually get them comfortably past the New Year, but I need those heavy weights on them come January into March.

It’s very hard to watch them out in the inclement weather. I must make sure that their heaters are working in the barn and that their trough heaters keep their water supply warm. I have my electrician coming out at the end of the month. I have to carry the water in buckets out from my basement to replenish the troughs because the outdoor spigots are turned off. I don’t need them freezing and bursting on Christmas morning. I had my plumber out yesterday to check on two that need replacing.

I always reach under Claire’s coat to make sure her core is warm (Honey won’t let me get near her). Claire’s body gives off a lot of heat.

If I thought I could get away with it, I would probably sneak Claire and Honey into my basement. Lisa would kill me.

So far these general efforts seem to work. Fingers crossed.

Well, today I have to clean my basement. Fucking hate it.

But there is no getting around it.

Tomorrow I have to do the weekly prep and outdoor cleanup.

And I have to find time to do the last edits on WTLLM.

No rest for the wicked.

Oh well, I hope my fine, five readers have fun things on your weekend “to do” list.

And I hope you find some time to do the fun things as well.

Now off to my kitty cuddle and my rounds.

Make your today a great one.