Grey skies still

Harley and Rolex tearing it up Sunday morning

The weather has continued to cast a perpetual greyness over us. This might be good in that it will keep me from overdoing things until my hand heals. But Sunday morning's fresh snowfall made the trails look so inviting. The woods looked like powdered sugar had been sprinkled overnight. The gang is always happy to romp in fresh snow. One of the great things about this winter is they can't get all muddy when they roll--just receive a nice snow bath instead!

John had a yearning to get a new halter for Ruffy, since some hooligan, aka Fuzzy B. broke her's when he had a spooky fit in the floor-less barn. I gave John a halter nameplate at Christmas, so we decided it was time to get her a replacement halter. We checked the boiling sap before we made the trip to Dover Saddlery, arriving back with the halter and other "essentials" just in time to rescue it from burning off. One and half more pints in the fridge. The trees are still giving us a nice amber run, far from the molasses colored syrup of last year.

The girls have become quite the pocket pickers. You can see in the above picture, Rolex and Ruffy sticking their noses in Johns hands, looking for carrot treats. Rattle a plastic bag, rummage in your pockets, and no doubt, you will be mobbed by horses. It can be tricky when Vance gets involved since he's the head of the herd and warns them away. If I manage to wave enough carrots in different directions, I can keep the peace. All those velvety noses nudging you, "Me next. Where's mine?"

Today John had time to get on Harley and Rolex for their first workout in weeks. He took each on a little jaunt up to Orris Falls and through an adjacent logged area. He reported back that Harley was good--they even had a nice fast canter. I held horses while he swapped tack and took Rolex out next. She wasn't so keen on crossing the brook--granted she hasn't seen it in weeks--but decided that without Brave Harley with her, she'd rather come home. So lucky John got in a double-header today, even though they were short. And the best news, he was coming back to the barn at 5 p.m. and it was still light out! Well, as light as the grey, snowy sky would allow.

Check out John's new mucky muddy riding footwear--who new Bog's had spur rests? Perfect for the upcoming mud season!

Saturday snow storm and Sunday maple sugaring

Snowy sunrise in the pastures

This is what we woke to Saturday morning, another 3-4 inches of snow. Just Thursday, it had been almost 70 F and here we were, with snow. That's March--fickle! It was a lovely drive out to the barn despite the lack of plowing. I think the town highway department decided it wasn't enough to warrant plowing. So they dribbled salt in the middle, creating slush-filled icy trenches and left the rest of the macadam unplowed. There was some white-knuckling up to the barn, but by the afternoon, the roads were, indeed, bare.

Sunday's plan was to get a permit to burn a brush pile in one of the pastures. We also needed to boil down gallons of sap for maple syrup. And we hoped to squeeze in a ride. To expedite things, John decided to take the sap over to the barn where he rigged up a "sap drip system" that kept a rolling boil and a continuous flow into our "evaporator" pot.  While this was going on, we had a bonfire going that needed our attention due to the constant wind. Plus we did some spring cleaning at the barn. Grain bags were baled up for our local dealer (anniversary gala with deals on grain when you bring in bags!), the loft was swept out, and lumber located for fixing more fencing. Harley, my cribber, always finds the soft, rotted boards to hook his teeth on.

Portable pickup sugar shack

Rolex Girl received a much needed bath and Ruffy got a partial dunking. Harley missed out due to the late hour and only two coolers for three horses. Once the girls were done with their visits to the spa, we put them inside for a snack then ambled down to check the fire. Now just a smoldering pile of ash and some soggy logs, we took a break and watched the season's first bluebirds hopping down from the fence for spring snacks.

Once Rolex was dry, we decided we still had enough daylight for a short ride. John wanted to try the trail beyond the ring area. We saw a red-shouldered hawk lurking by the pond, probably hoping to snack on a duckling.  Mama wood duck paddled around with two ducklings behind her, seemingly oblivious to the hawk. Once we rode by, the hawk flew up into the trees. Snow still covered the trail in the woods, especially where the hemlocks grow tightly together. At one point, Harley had to nose his way through dense hemlock saplings. Rolex wasn't having any of that--Harley disappeared on her! So we turned back, trotted back to the ring area, and both horses broke into a canter. Harley wanted to really go, but I held him back as he performed a sideways canter and tossed his head. They both felt really good, so we decided to go down the road to Orris Falls and dip their feet in the brook. Harley took a look, but went forward, Rolex too, with further urging. Not bad for horses that haven't been ridden in two weeks.

We got back to the barn as the sun was setting--7 p.m. Harley and Rolex finished their dinners and everyone got blanketed for the night. We packed up the portable sugar shack, shut the barn and headed for home to finish off the sap and have some dinner.

Tomorrow promises to be another fine warm day for riding, and maybe a bath for Mr. Muddypants!