Tools of the Trade

When the weather doesn't allow easy passage of the wagon to the donkey yard, it's time to get out the sled.  No well out by the beasts, which means water has to be hauled out in buckets.  (In the summer several lengths of hose snake out from the house to the water trough.)

The handy blow torch is a must in freezing temps.
I've been caught in the predicament where I didn't have my torch, was able to jockey the latch open, but when it came time to depart, oops, it had frozen up again.  Let's say I wasn't game to try to scale the gate.  After enough rubbing and working the bugger, yes, I did escape.  And my I add, the donks were of no help at all.