Although we've been seeing signs of spring for weeks now, yesterday the season suddenly seemed to take hold and although I could be wrong, I think it's now here to stay. The first carpenter bee late last week has now turned into a cloud of whirling dervish bee activity by the barn shelter.
The dogwoods are blooming. The tulips are blooming. By mid-day the horses had parked themselves up at the barn seeking shade. It was 80 degrees and with still not quite shed out winter coats and no leaves yet on the trees, they needed a break from the hot sun.
I got the stalls clean for them, turned on the fans, and started sorting out who was going to go where. Keil Bay was determined to be the first one in a stall, but Salina, usually perfectly happy to walk over and come through the gate into her paddock, wouldn't budge either.
So I held the gate open and called to whoever wanted to come through. Cody and Rafer Johnson marched through and their reward was getting to pick their area - barn aisle with clean stall and access to the big barnyard - or grass paddock with clean stall.
They both picked the barn aisle and stall and big barnyard, so I closed the barn doors and opened the gate again. Apache and Keil Bay decided to take the grass paddock and stall. They will happily share a stall so no problem there.
Salina and Redford, by default, got the barn shelter and two stalls.
Even with the fans on, the carpenter bees were making a tremendous noise. The birds were singing. Horses were snorting. And suddenly, just like that, it was spring. Which to me always seems very loud after the long, quiet winter.
March has rushed past and looking at the calendar for April I'm remembering that it's always one of the busiest months of the year for us. Activities stacked up on calendar blocks and things that need to get done inside and out. Four big birthdays. This last week in March feels like the calm before the storm. And one more birthday to go before month's end, which is a very special one.
Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.
~Rainer Maria Rilke
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
2 comments:
I'm happy for you that spring has finally sprung in all its glory. The horses all seem to know what they want and where they prefer to be.
Right at this very moment we are getting a spring snowstorm and it should last on and off until tomorrow. Just ducky!
Arlene, your weather this year has been beyond the pale! Here's to springtime in the northern climes arriving - and staying!
Meanwhile, we are preparing for the annual battle with ticks and flies and fire ants.
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