Winter has arrived!

I hope you had wonderful holidays and are ready for Spring!  Ohio has been hit with severe weather and this morning the wind chill is suppose to be -23 degrees and linger for a while.  It has been a very cold week with actual temperatures below zero.  I love all the snow but the cold temperatures that come along with it are not fun.  I am thankful for a warm house!  The air manages to creep in through any little break but what can you do when it is below zero and the wind is blowing?  Please bring in any pets from the cold and try to feed the wild animals.  Keeping the wild animals fed outside is very enjoyable.  If they have some food in their belly they might be able to survive the cold.  I would like to build a shelter for the deer to be able eat inside.  They have a trough I feed them in but it is outside in the weather under a tree.  I usually see 12 most days.  My neighbor told me yesterday she got a nice laugh from one deer who didn't find any food in my trough or bird feeders and stood looking at our house for 5 minutes.  My trips to the mill to buy deer food and bird seed in 50 pound bags are worth it.  Seeing them every day gives me a lot of pleasure.  Someone told me recently that animals do not feel pain.  Wow!  That really upset me!  I was struck speechless!  I could not pull my jaw off my chest long enough to begin to say all that was on my mind!  I decided if they had not learned to have compassion for animals at their age I would not be able to inspire them with a quick kick to the shin ending with, "Did that hurt?"  It might take more pain than that and I wasn't carrying my club!  Animals are sometimes more intelligent than humans.  They give us far more than we give them.  Hoping you have a wonderful new year and enjoy every minute God has given to us!  Bear hugs to you!~  Carol