My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 207 Snow on Laba Festival
It was cold during the day and even colder at night in December. The northwest wind blew all night, making the temperature inside the house seem even lower. Therefore, Chen Ling moved the stove into the house early and covered Wang Susu with thick blankets to prevent her from getting cold at night.

But in the middle of the night on the seventh day, after the stove was extinguished, Wang Susu still felt cold. She opened her eyes groggily and thought of getting another thick quilt, but then she saw that it was bright outside the window. The light came through the window paper, making the bedroom no longer dark and gloomy, but slightly brighter.

After a slight pause, I immediately realized that it must be snowing outside.

She quickly nudged her sleeping husband beside her to wake him up.

"Ah? It's snowing?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling sat up abruptly. Without even putting on his clothes, he got out of bed, walked to the window, and pushed it open. He felt a biting cold wind rush in, and outside everything was white.

"Wow, so much snow!"

Chen Ling was forced to drink two mouthfuls of cold air, and couldn't help but shiver, but his face showed surprise.

Just as he was about to pull his wife over to see the snow, he saw Wang Susu shrink back into the quilt, covering her neck tightly without leaving a gap.

He immediately slapped his forehead, blaming himself for being careless.

My wife is pregnant, why do I brazenly come over and open the window? What if she gets cold?
He quickly closed the window and took a quilt from the cabinet to cover Wang Susu.

"It's snowing quite heavily. I'm going to go check on our chickens, ducks, and livestock in the yard so they don't get frostbite."

"Hmm, turn on the light and take a look."

Chen Ling turned on the lights inside and outside the house, got dressed, put on his coat, and went out.

By this time, the snow on the ground was quite deep, and it crunched underfoot.

Under the electric lights outside the courtyard, the northwest wind blew snowflakes down in a soft rustling sound, like willow catkins or reed flowers, sometimes blown askew by the wind, sometimes swirling and fluttering as they landed on the ground.

The rooftops, trees, bamboo groves, and the entire yard were covered in a thick blanket of snow, which, under the dim yellow electric lights, created a gradually warm hue that looked extremely beautiful.

Seeing this, Chen Ling excitedly rubbed his hands together, exhaled two long puffs of white breath, reached out to catch a few falling snowflakes, then bent down to grab two handfuls of snow from the ground, stuffed them into his mouth, and ate them until they melted. Only after feeling the unique cool and refreshing sensation of melting snow did he feel that he had had his fill.

Only then did I trudge through the thick snow to check on the sheepfold. The lambs were only about two months old and had weak immune systems. Since it was their first time experiencing snowfall, they could easily freeze if they weren't kept warm.

As Chen Ling entered the sheepfold, he saw that the lambs had already hidden under their mothers' bellies, with only their little heads sticking out, bleating softly and looking at him curiously.

It was clearly feeling cold, so it kicked aside a few clumps of sheep dung, went over and gathered up some dry straw to make a thick, sturdy bed for them, fed them two mouthfuls of the grotto's spiritual water, and then got up and came out.

Hearing the noise, the two dogs crawled out of their kennel, wagging their tails and running up to him, rubbing against him. He slapped them away, and then they ran around in circles in the snow, frolicking and splashing about.

They were overjoyed to see snow for the first time.

Chen Ling ignored them, figuring those two wouldn't freeze anyway, and then went to check on the rabbits, chickens, ducks, and pigeons.

After going around in circles, in the end, apart from the two pairs of wild pigeons kept in the barn, one of which was a male pigeon that had been caught and was constantly bullied by the female pigeons at home, pecking at its head until it was bald and bloody, the others were all fine, all curled up in their warm nests, sleeping with their eyes half-closed.

Seeing this, he felt relieved and went back to his room to sleep.

The snow gradually stopped in the early morning.

The villages, fields, and forests were all covered in a blanket of white snow.

Today happens to be Laba Festival.

Unlike the previous days, Chen Ling and his wife got up early to cook Laba porridge instead of sleeping in.

As the saying goes: "On the seventh and eighth days of the twelfth lunar month, your chin will freeze off."

In the freezing cold of the twelfth lunar month, cooking a pot of hot Laba porridge is the greatest comfort to both body and mind.

Wang Susu had already prepared all the ingredients for Laba porridge before the twelfth lunar month.

It has a complete range of ingredients, including rice, millet, red beans, black beans, peanuts, sweet potatoes, red dates, and lotus seeds.

Once inside the kitchen, I took out all the ingredients and rinsed them with water.

After cleaning, Wang Susu added water and put it in the pot.

Chen Ling squatted in front of the stove, tending the fire, occasionally pulling the bellows. Soon, the firewood in the furnace burned brighter and brighter. Even with an iron plate blocking the furnace opening, the crackling and booming sounds of the firewood burning rapidly could still be heard.

The firewood was burning brightly, and the steamed buns were soon piping hot. Wang Susu was worried that the rice porridge would burn and stick to the bottom of the pot, so after a while she would remove the steamer rack and stir it in the pot with a rice spoon from time to time. When the pot was bubbling and bubbling, the kitchen was filled with steam and the rich aroma of Laba porridge.

Because it was cooked for a long time, the sweet potatoes inside were naturally sweet and very easy to overcook, so it quickly turned into a pot of soft, sticky, and fragrant sweet porridge.

The Laba porridge was ready. The young couple ladled the thick porridge into bowls and brought them to the table. The Laba porridge was colorful, with black, white, red, and yellow hues all present, and its color, aroma, and taste complemented each other perfectly.

Take a gentle sip, and your mouth will be filled with sweetness.

Upon closer inspection, one finds the rice in the Laba porridge to be sticky and delicious, the beans to be fragrant after a little chewing, and the sweet potatoes to be soft, tender, and sweet. Drinking a bowl of this hot Laba porridge immediately warms the whole body.

Taking advantage of the first snow, we ate Laba dishes and drank Laba porridge, making this Laba Festival extremely comfortable.

With the sour and crisp Laba vegetables and the sweet and hot Laba porridge, Chen Ling devoured three steamed buns in one go.

They ate a warm meal in the kitchen while the lambs hopped and frolicked in the snow. Having adapted to the winter environment, and having been given special spiritual water the night before, they no longer felt cold.

The little weasel was also huddled in the tree hole in the yard, its three little heads squeezed together at the entrance, looking out. It was either watching the lambs playing in the snow or staring at Heiwa as he rolled around in front of the doghouse, but it refused to come out.

After a while, Chen Ling finished his meal and came out with a bucket to feed the poultry and livestock.

They scurried out of the tree hole, lightly skimming across the snow, climbed onto Chen Ling, and snuggled into his warm cotton-padded coat pockets for warmth.

They're cunning; they know this is a good place.

Even after Chen Ling finished feeding them and cleared several paths in the yard, they still refused to come out.

Seeing that they were just staying put and not making as much noise as before, Chen Ling let them huddle in his pocket.

Then he locked the door with Wang Susu, who was dressed neatly and bundled up tightly, and went out to see the snow together.

It was quite lively outside at that time.

It wasn't just the Laba Festival that made us happy, but also the heavy snowfall.

As the saying goes: "If you're covered in three layers of snow in winter, you'll sleep on a pillow of steamed buns next year."

A timely snowfall promises a bumper harvest, which is the best omen for ordinary people.

People were busily sweeping snow in front of and in their yards, while little children, even teenage girls and boys, were playing and having fun in the snow, having snowball fights and building snowmen.

The adults, on the other hand, were complaining about this year's solar terms.

The snow this winter is something we've been waiting for a long time.

Although the weather has been mostly sunny with little rain or snow in previous years, it's only "little"; it doesn't mean there won't be a single snowfall before the twelfth lunar month.

Moreover, this year there is a leap August, so the solar terms are two months later than usual.

We waited and waited, getting increasingly impatient, with the New Year fast approaching.

This winter snow fell shyly and secretly, like a young woman, in the middle of the night before the Laba Festival.

"Come out for a stroll, Fugui."

"Yeah, just came out for a stroll, shoveling snow, Uncle Lai. Quite a few tree branches have broken off."

"You can tell. I heard the snow crunching sound outside while I was sleeping last night. This snow is quite heavy, it was worth the wait."

"..."

"You're up quite early today, Fugui."

"Good morning, sister-in-law! It's Laba Festival today, how can you stay in bed?"

"Haha, where are you taking Susu?"

"Let's go for a walk in the fields and see the snow."

Greeting the villagers along the way, Chen Ling and Wang Susu slowly walked out of the village through the thick snow. The fields were a vast expanse of white, the green wheat seedlings completely covered, not a trace of green visible.

It was like a snowy world, with the surrounding mountains also looking like they were wearing white hats, covered in pure white snow.

However, the wind outside the village was much stronger than inside. There was a wind gap here, and as soon as you stepped out of the village, a cold wind blew over, as if it contained ice shards, which hit your face and caused a slight pain.

The cold wind, carrying icy air, made Chen Ling shiver involuntarily as he inhaled it.

But once the respiratory system adapts, the whole body feels refreshed.

The two dogs did not follow them this time.

The young couple quietly admired the beautiful snow scenery, enjoying their own private world.

As for the three little weasels in Chen Ling's pocket, they were almost asleep in Chen Ling's warm and cozy pocket, so they were definitely not third wheels.

The two strolled along the snowy path in the fields, and walked to the orchard to check if the framework of the farmhouse that had been built had been affected.

Seeing that everything was alright, I wasn't in a hurry to leave. I went to check out the bird traps and snares, but unfortunately I forgot to scatter food these past few days, so I didn't catch anything.

The two looked around and felt that a snowy day wasn't complete without playing in the snow, so they built a big snowman outside the farm before happily returning home.

……

They don't visit each other on Laba Festival here. Chen Ling originally wanted to take advantage of the snow to have a drink with Wang Lixian, but now that's not an option.

So he stayed home, keeping Wang Susu company as she made and stretched the new quilt. He would squat on the floor inside the house, helping her by pulling this or straightening that part, doing whatever he could to assist her.

Most of the quilts in the house are double quilts.

Now that Wang Susu's belly is getting bigger, if she and Chen Ling share a double blanket, it's easy for her to catch a cold if she turns to her side at night, and there are many other inconveniences as well.

So after discussing it, the two decided to sleep separately for the time being, each using a single quilt at night.

The single quilts at home are now a bit thin; they're mostly used in spring and autumn.

We'll have to make two new quilts.

The cotton ginner came to our house a while ago and ginned all the new cotton and old cotton cores, which came in handy.

Wang Susu planned to stuff the whole thing with this year's new cotton, stuffing it thickly so it would be warm to cover herself with at night.

As for the double quilt, it can be used as a windproof quilt for two people.

……

Wang Susu's needlework was undoubtedly excellent. When she was tucking in the cotton quilt and making the quilt, the large embroidery needle in her hand seemed to have eyes. She would push it in with a thimble and it would immediately emerge from the other side. One stitch after another, the sound of the cotton thread rustling was constantly heard. The needle moved smoothly and skillfully.

Chen Ling watched it all and found it enjoyable, not boring at all.

After the lining is sewn on, put on the duvet cover and stretch it again.

So, they carefully sewed all around the quilt, both horizontally and vertically.

Even stitches, both horizontally and vertically, prevent the quilt from appearing fluffy and the cotton batting from shifting around inside, resulting in an uneven thickness.

This makes the blanket more sturdy and durable.

However, needlework is delicate work. The cotton filling of winter quilts is thick, making it difficult to work with a needle. Even though Wang Susu was skilled in needlework, it took her more than a day to finish this quilt.

Since she was pregnant, she couldn't squat on the ground sewing quilts for a long time. After a while, Chen Ling would help her up to rest.

The single quilt is finished.

The red quilt, also sewn with red cotton thread, features clusters of golden phoenixes. The gold and red colors complement each other beautifully, and it feels soft and comfortable to the touch.

It was much warmer to cover myself with it at night.

……

This year's snow was, to be honest, quite heavy. It stopped during the day on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, but started again at night and didn't stop until the afternoon of the ninth day.

After two days of heavy snow, needless to say, the mountain roads to the county town are impassable, and it's impossible to go shopping for New Year's goods recently. If it snows for another day, the mountains will be completely blocked by snow.

Chen Ling helped his wife make a quilt, then went to the kitchen to boil a kettle of water. He took two still-warm eggs from the pot, peeled them, fed the egg whites to the little weasel, and crushed the yolks to mix into the cornmeal in the earthenware pot. Then he carried them to the east warehouse to feed the pigeons.

After arriving at the warehouse, some diluted spiritual water from the grotto was added.

This is for the injured male pigeon.

It's been getting really badly bullied by the domesticated female pigeons lately. Chen Ling treated its injuries a few days ago, but it got beaten up again the very next day. The wound on its head hadn't even healed before it was pecked open again, leaving its head feathers plucked out and bleeding continuously.

There's no way around it; since it's a pairing, you need to cultivate a bond, which requires the male and female to get along with each other. You can't tie the female pigeon's beak shut either.

In this situation, the only solution is to raise the male pigeon to be stronger and supplement its nutrition daily so that the female pigeon will accept it.

In most cases, this kind of thing won't happen if a male and female pair are kept together.

The problem is that Chen Ling's pigeons were too strong.

The male wild pigeon acts like a son in front of the female pigeon, but the female pigeon doesn't even look at him.

So Chen Ling thought of raising the male pigeon to be stronger so that it could subdue the female pigeon.

Anyway, he's not in a hurry; he just wants to be able to find a partner next spring.

But to my surprise, it worked in just a few days.

Although the male pigeon's wound had not fully healed, Chen Ling provided it with special nutrition every day, preventing the wound from worsening.

Surprisingly, because it was cold in December, it kept going near the mother pigeon to keep warm.

It doesn't matter if I get a good peck from time to time; I'll still go over there at night.

Actually, male pigeons weren't originally this cunning; they just got chilled by the cold weather.

In addition, the space was small, and after a while, the mother pigeon really did lose her temper.

Chen Ling then lifted the basket, revealing two pigeons, one large and one small, nestled together. The smaller pigeon had a bald head, exposing bone and scabs. Chen Ling reached out, picked it up, and placed it on the ground to feed it.

The pigeons were used to this process; they neither resisted nor tried to escape, but simply stayed quietly by the earthenware pot and ate.

After it had eaten its fill, I put it back under the basket, and it immediately started cooing and went to the mother pigeon.

Seeing this, the mother pigeon spread her wings to try to swat it away, but it just kept moving closer. There was only so much space under the basket, and the mother pigeon had nowhere to hide. So the two pigeons huddled together again, keeping each other warm, and pretended to doze off with their eyes half-closed.

"Yes, that's good. Next spring, hatch a brood of baby pigeons for me, and I'll make sure you eat and drink well every day."

Chen Ling nodded to himself.

I thought to myself that it seems you have to be shameless to pursue the opposite sex, and the poultry industry is no exception.

After glancing at the leftovers from the pigeons in the earthenware pot, Chen Ling walked to the large water vat by the wall, scooped up some water and rinsed it twice. Immediately, the food scraps in the earthenware pot floated on the surface of the water, and all sorts of colorful fish quickly swam up from the bottom of the vat, snatching up all the food scraps on the surface.

These are the fish in the small pond in the yard.

After Wang Zhenzhen started her winter vacation, she and Liang Hongyu, one old and one young, scooped out the fish from the small pond and put them into the water tank.

As for the red eels inside, they all hid in the mud caves. Chen Ling was too lazy to care about them. There were plenty of them in the cave now, in groups, and no one like the lynx was willing to pay for them anymore. He didn't want to bother looking for them again.

After feeding the fish, put the earthenware pot down.

Chen Ling then pulled out the rectangular chicken coop in the corner, where all sorts of birds were fluttering around. He blocked the coop door with one hand and reached in with the other to grab two sparrows, which he then held in his hand.

Then, braving the wind and snow, he went outside the yard to lure kites.

(End of this chapter)