Let it Melt

It seems that one of the most interesting thing in my life these days is the weather. When I last posted four days ago we finally had snow on the ground. That one inch (2.5cm) of snow resulted in the schools being closed for four days. Canadian Jason still, after more than a decade in the south, cannot comprehend why an inch of snow leads to the schools having four snow days.

Thankfully the temperatures began a steady rise on Thursday.  After a few days straight of even the high temperature not being above freezing, we made it to 40F (4C). It sadly felt like a heatwave. If I didn't know better I would think I had moved to Canada or something. On Friday the high made it to 52 degrees (11C) and the horses were all thrilled to be out of blankets and wallowing in mud. Mother Nature was even more generous to us over the weekend. Saturday brought us lots of sunshine and a high of 65 (18C). We wrapped the week up today with a glorious 70 degrees (21C). By the afternoon even I was out of my layers and only needed pants and a long sleeved shirt.

As I was riding this afternoon the cold and the snow felt like a distant and very unpleasant memory. It has been nice to listen to the birds singing again after several days of silence. The daffodils seem to have been immune to our atypical cold temperatures and are rapidly growing. It was a relief for things to feel a lot more like spring and a lot less like winter the last couple of days. It makes winter slightly more tolerable, and I don't have the urge to eat every carb within a 5 mile radius of the farm.

Carter and Timbit enjoying an outing on Saturday; it's hard to believe that a couple of days before this picture we were freezing cold and had snow on the ground.

In case you think Timbit has suddenly turned into a saintly thing, this is what he actually does most of the time.

Fabrizzio and Merlin showing us what the farm looked like on Wednesday

Cino and Art (Alfie behind them) on Thursday morning

Igor finally left the heated barn office after three days of self-imposed exile and ventured out into the melting snow

Timbit on Thursday morning

Nemo on Thursday morning

Homer and King playing mid-morning on Thursday; the snow was rapidly melting

Cisco enjoyed a nap in the melting snow

Traveller and Lily were happy to get out of their blankets

Thomas napping, Moe and Hemi eating hay. The snow was melting fast.

Roho and Gus

Renatta, Cinnamon, Dawn and Charlotte

Duesy bothering Merlin and saying, "play with me" . . .

. . . and Merlin played with him

Paramount rolled immediately after his blanket was removed

Quigly and Lighty playing