It’s actually going to be colder in central and southern Texas in the next few days than it has been here in years. I’m not saying I don’t still want to move there, but if I could skip it and go straight to the tropics I think I would.

Being homesick for a place where you’ve never lived is weird, but it’s the best way I can describe how I feel, especially when the winter weather starts wearing me down. It’s more psychological than physical. I can handle the cold, and I’ve been through way colder winters than this. I still go out barefoot in this stuff. The cold doesn’t hurt me, it offends me. And apparently my cockerels feel the same way.

On the plus side, I don’t have to round up the waterfowl at night, because they’re already inside when I get there, including the geese, who normally stay out. And my RV is warmer under a blanket of snow than it is on a cold, windy night.

Could be worse. Sometimes I’m tempted by the low price of farms in northern Michigan and Wisconsin, but then I look at the weather report.

Hard pass. I’ve had my share of frostbite over the years, and I think I’m willing to put those days behind me for good.