Blizzards, biscotti, and improvised entertainment

As per the starred note on the post below, two days ago we had a storm of EPIC proportions. About 1-2 meters of snow in one day!! Plus, there was thunder and lighting and everything...very strange for December. The storm has left us without power for the past two days, which has actually been surprisingly easy to deal with. We can still cook using the gas stove/oven and the wood-fired oven outside, read/play dice by candlelight, and crowd around the wood stove for heat.

I've quickly adjusted back to life at finocchio verde. There are two long-term wwoofers about my age staying here until at least spring. Andrea (26-ish) and Dimitri (20) make life really entertaining around here, though I have to guard myself from snowballs and being thrown face-first into snowbanks. They're good fun, and have taught me lots of italian profanity (which will come in handy for Italian 202, I'm sure). It's a good deal. Both boys have horses, one of which is due to give birth in late-January.



Each morning and evening, Dimitri and I go to the barn to feed the sheep and goats. While they eat, my job is to make sure all of the lambs get enough to drink from the lactating sheep...which is SO much fun. They've all grown attached to me, especially one beautiful little guy (who I've named Hercules) that comes running when I call his name. Strangely, they love my boots and my pants, nibbling away at them as I try to get them to drink from their mom's udders. No baby goats yet, but I'm hoping one will come soon. One more lamb was born last night, and I got to see it in it's first moments. What a beautiful thing to watch! I'll put up pictures later.


To entertain ourselves in the snow, we invented a new game involving cars, snowy roads, and sleds. Fun stuff! Lots of shoveling snow too, which can be fun as well. Andrea has been teaching us how to juggle too, but I need a lot more practice. Maybe we'll make an igloo too? Who knows.


Until later,

K