Here in Iowa, like most of the rest of the country, we are currently locked into a polar vortex that is producing low temperatures of double digits below zero and highs of single digits above zero, sometimes not even reaching above zero. There has been steady snow to go with the cold out here on the acreage, along with the accompanying winds that turn a couple inches of snowfall into two foot high drifts around the outbuildings and across the driveway. Both the house and shop propane tanks were filled at the end of December and are now at 50%. I worry about how often the furnace keeps kicking on, day and night, if it is wearing out. Thankfully our tractor, outfitted with a snow thrower, continues to start and keep us dug out. It is an old John Deere 420 that I encourage before trying to start it, pleading with it, “Come on old girl,” then praising it when we are done and back in the machine shed and I am brushing the snow off of it, “Good job old girl.” The dogs always come out with me, to look for bunnies in the shed when I open the door, then to run around the yard and on top of the hard packed snow drifts while I am clearing the snow. When the job is done they are ready to come back in with me, all three of us cold and snowy, looking for warmth and comfort. Today, Valentines Day, the high temperature here was -7.

I read a few articles recently about an increase of interest by people wanting to move from cities to small towns and rural properties. In many areas rural prices have been rising in response to the desired exodus. Since we bought our place out here in 2018 I have not seen a single for sale sign on our road or anywhere around us. The neighbors we have met have lived here for a long time. It seems that when one lives in the country something keeps you there. A blizzard blew threw recently, dropping several inches of snow and leaving the usual high drifts resulting from 36 to 48 mph wind gusts. Our two dogs, Marley and Steve, love to lay down and crawl along the big drifts and then roll on them. They stand up caked with snow then shake it off. I don’t know how many rabbits are living out here now but it seems every other time I enter the machine shed I scare one up, and there are tracks in the snow all over the acreage. We have two squirrels around the place but no songbirds are to be seen or heard. After the last blizzard I filled two of the bird feeders but so far nothing. Last time I was in town I noticed the river was almost completely frozen over, which usually brings the eagles out of the river valley over the plains looking for food. Sure enough a few days later I was driving along our road and saw one fly up and land in a barren, empty field. I came to a stop parallel to it and we looked at each other for a few moments. It flew off and I watched it go until I could see it no more. Winter creeps along.