Tuesday, February 16, 2016

finally! warmer weather blows in - and maybe a bit of spring fever

I got home last Sunday and walked directly into a spell of frigid weather - days spent mostly keeping hay put out, mucking the barn so horses could go back in for the night, keeping ice off water troughs and buckets, and grooming to keep their coats clean.

No riding! It's just been too cold for me.

Then we hit a spell of ice and snow and sleet - called here a "wintry mix." For us it was mostly a thin layer of ice pellets with a layer of sleet on top. Not fun and only a little pretty to look at.

I went to bed last night and it was below freezing and still mostly white outside and woke up to 50 degrees and rain and a huge river flowing through the front field. The sun is supposed to come out soon and temps will continue to rise toward 60. I am so ready for some warmth and sunny skies and dare I say it, spring.

And some riding.

That's about all that's going on here on November Hill. I'm getting good writing time in each day and (mostly) keeping on top of chores. We put the very last of the holiday decorations away this weekend and took the tree down too. 

I think we've reached that point in winter where suddenly everything feels blah and dull and cold and it's time for the season to change. The point where I stop thinking "yes, the cold is knocking out the pesky insects, the bare trees are beautiful" and start thinking how nice it would be to see green again, and okay, not ticks and fleas and biting flies so much, but if they come with spring, then sure, I'll take it.

The goldfinches are getting their colors back and the daffodils are up and maybe ready to bloom this week as it warms up. I am more than ready to see some color. Dogwoods and redbud and longer days.

The sky outside just brightened a few notches and I'm waiting for the sun to burst out. Feel free to share your winter woes with me!

2 comments:

Grey Horse Matters said...

Well to share some winter woes. The entire weekend from last Friday until today was well below zero temperature wise. My pipes froze in one of the bathrooms in the tub upstairs and the supply lines to the toilet tank froze too. So the anticipation of whether I had burst pipes or not was killing me. It all broke loose about 10 last night and all was fine. No burst pipes.

Out in the barn Sami, Nate and Mellon's waterers weren't working so we had to use buckets for them. They are on the North side of the barn and so freeze in really cold temps even though they are heated. It's been snowing on and off for a few days. The last 3 or 4 inches came down last night. Today the temps are in the 50's and it's raining cats and dogs and all the snow and icicles are sliding off the roof and eaves making a hell of a racket.

Am I ready for Spring. A very big YES!!

billie said...

Oh, Arlene, that sounds like a big fat mess. The worst is when there's been lots of snow and ice and then you get a warm day but it RAINS - all that water. I am so glad to hear no pipes burst.

I just got in from the barn. We got so much rain last night water ran into one stall and there is standing water everywhere. The pony and donkeys are having their hay in the big barnyard where the sun is brightest and Keil and Cody in the dirt paddock. None of them want to go out in the mushy fields but there is no way I am letting them stand in stalls all day!

It's gorgeous out now - sun and a breeze and close to 60 degrees. But until things dry out it's still a mucky mess.

Definitely channeling spring for all of us!!