Solstice
I spent the first two hours of Dec 21's workday mucking out the pigs. We're down to four. It's a good break from stressing about VOIP and what's going on in the tech sphere.

Wheeling barrows out to the Great Mound, I passed the hay barn (the smaller longish building behind the pig barn). A large moose, embarrassed, left his or her free lunch and trotted off a few paces. It was still very dark, so even if I'd had my Canon with me you wouldn't be seeing this particular moose online today.

Moose can be dangerous. This one wasn't hungry — any more — and I saw no calves. I said "Hi." Kept on dumping loads of steaming muck.

Moose moved on over to the bare alder twigs poking from the new snow, and munched quietly. Lay down.

Welcome to the new year. We all feel better today, knowing that it won't get any darker. The light returns quickly.

Only the pigs were anxious; the black sow dumped five gallons of whey into the corner of her pen. Ah well.