An Ox in the Ditch . . .

Due to an oversight by the editor, or the Plan of YHWH; this information was not published in last week's edition, as it should have been.  The information continues to be timely . . . and contains a praise report!

This past Sabbath was interesting.  I would love advice from any and all who have livestock and are living off grid or mostly off grid.  If anyone has some tricks of the trade for keeping water tubs warmer I'd love to hear them.  As it is, I do not plan any work for Sabbath, I even arrange the milking time to avoid milking on Sabbath, but I do open and close chicken doors, and make sure all critters have food and accessible water.  This past Sabbath, making the water accessible seemed almost like work, in chopping through more than a couple of inches of ice!

Now, Y'hshuwah gave the example of tending to the safety of critters as not breaking Shabbat, giving the example of "an ox in the ditch or an ass in the pit."  Yesterday, I discovered one more that I believe would be included in this.  There was a calf on the pond . . . and he couldn't stay on his feet on the ice to get back to dry land.  I was truly surprised that the ice was thick enough to hold him without breaking, so that gave indication as to what I was dealing with in the water tubs.

Knowing the critters need their water on Shabbat, as well as the rest of the week, I would love to hear from other homesteaders, as to how they prepare for winter Shabbats.

*After my experience Wednesday, the thought occurred to me that a writer/CEO cracking ice at 55 could be very much like the middle aged arm chair quarterback shoveling snow . . . So, it occurred to me Thursday evening to simply ask YHWH to protect the water tubs.  Friday morning was wonderful, it took no more than a tap with my walking stick on the tubs for the ice to shatter, to dissipate through the day.  I thanked Abba for that before retiring for Shabbat.

Shabbat morning, NO ice on the tubs at all!  Praise the Name of YHWH!