"Baby, it's cold outside..." I heard that song on the radio today and boy, does it fit the weather we're having!  It is very cold here in the Midwest and we're all feeling the arctic "breezes".  Our pole barn has a big door on one side to pull the grain trucks in.  We don't grow any grain here anymore.  That job went to the previous owner.  Now the pole barn serves as our garage, storage area and a place to pile empty boxes while we decide if they get flattened to use another day or taken out with the trash.  That big door is groaning as it swings on the overhead rollers.  I feel like it wants to fly up and over the roof.  That probably isn't going to happen but it makes such a noise.

Somewhere out on the big barn, there is a chain or maybe it's the old copper coil from the lightening rod, that is clinking against something.  It sounds musical, almost like a bell and the sound mingles with the howling wind. There the big opening for the hayloft only has one door on it.  We haven't figured out how to hoist the other one back up yet.  As a result, the loft has a real wind tunnel effect going on. I was up there looking for a lost chicken and was glad I didn't have to stay long.  I don't have any idea where she has gone to and am worried that the worst has occurred.  We checked the last good chicken hiding place but no luck.  Meanwhile, down in the coop all the eggs were frozen and split in their nests by the time I got to them.  Poor chickens!  I guess it's scrambled eggs for our breakfast tomorrow.

The silly birds won't go into the coop unless I scoot them inside so there they sat, sad, miserable and huddled on the steps to the loft making low chirping sounds.  Quite possibly this is the sound chattering beaks make! Maybe the chickens sit outside the coop because that darned possum goes in there and eats their feed.  What a creepy animal.  I had a "chat" with it yesterday and didn't see it back today but we'll see how long that lasts.  Barn Cat scooted along after me into the barn hoping to steal a bit of the warm oatmeal I brought out for the chickens.  I forget to put on gloves and a hat so by the time I had fed them all, gone hunting for the missing chicken and got back to the house, my hands were just about frozen. 

So, groaning door, clinking metal, howling wind, the hiss of air slipping through every crack in the barn walls, chattering chickens, mewing cat, the sound of warm breath blowing on freezing hands, boots crunching on frozen grass, wisps of snow dancing and swirling around the corners of the buildings.  All make for a perfect wintery night and when I step back into the safe warmth of the house, I can thank God all over for the simple blessings in life because they are, indeed, the most precious.