Arctic Blast
It is old news. Kim Kardashian's backside Crazy early winter storm. Everyone that lives in what we consider to be "tropical" areas of the US, those that have these things called "snow days", have been lamenting the early freeze. I don't blame them though. No one in those areas is used to this weather, so it really does wreak havoc in their lives. Here? Well, the cold snap came about a month late, but also about 20 degrees colder than normal.
Honestly, I would take this weather at this time of year anytime if it meant that I got to have such warm and glorious fall weather (aside from that weird early September snowstorm) every year. October was wonderful and I am still smiling thinking about it.
Now however, winter seems to be here for the long haul. It is snowy and cold. While everyone else in the lower 48 was trying to grasp how to move on with life, I was blanketing and feeding horses in the dark in -15 degree weather. Alone. With a toddler. Because Hubs was gone on his annual hunting trip with my Dad and Uncle. That's how we roll in the winter here. Cold weather? Throw another log on the fire and continue on.
The horses did just fine. I discovered that Gentry has likely never had a blanket on before, and I had to do some (extremely easy) desensitizing work with him at first. However, he seemed to be partial to it, didn't destroy it, and after the second time of putting on his blanket, he let me do it in the field without haltering him. Good boy! As soon as the temps came above 0 degrees, the blankets were history though. The horses are wooly mammoths already and do not need blankets when it is that warm. Yes, 0 degrees is warm. I live in Montana, but I think I covered that already.
Today was glorious though. Night time temps are staying in the teens, so that means no more blankets on the horses for the extended forecast. Yay! It was sunny today in in the 20's. Junior and I got some outside time at long last and he insisted on skiing around the yard. Of course I indulged him and managed to find is baby skis in the garage for him to play with.
While Junior was showing me up with his skiing abilities (seriously, he has skied all of 20 minutes his whole life and is probably better than me), I noticed Gentry sleeping out in the pasture. I couldn't resist the urge to go out there and see if he would let me approach without getting up. Remember, Rose only finally trusted me enough to let me do this after three years of owning her.
True to form, Gentry let me approach and sit on him. So, I guess I technically rode my horse today. I am hoping to actually ride him tomorrow while Junior is at pre-school. Here's to hoping the weather remains warm and sunny!
Happy trails and swooshing tails!
•Renee•
Honestly, I would take this weather at this time of year anytime if it meant that I got to have such warm and glorious fall weather (aside from that weird early September snowstorm) every year. October was wonderful and I am still smiling thinking about it.
Now however, winter seems to be here for the long haul. It is snowy and cold. While everyone else in the lower 48 was trying to grasp how to move on with life, I was blanketing and feeding horses in the dark in -15 degree weather. Alone. With a toddler. Because Hubs was gone on his annual hunting trip with my Dad and Uncle. That's how we roll in the winter here. Cold weather? Throw another log on the fire and continue on.
The horses did just fine. I discovered that Gentry has likely never had a blanket on before, and I had to do some (extremely easy) desensitizing work with him at first. However, he seemed to be partial to it, didn't destroy it, and after the second time of putting on his blanket, he let me do it in the field without haltering him. Good boy! As soon as the temps came above 0 degrees, the blankets were history though. The horses are wooly mammoths already and do not need blankets when it is that warm. Yes, 0 degrees is warm. I live in Montana, but I think I covered that already.
Today was glorious though. Night time temps are staying in the teens, so that means no more blankets on the horses for the extended forecast. Yay! It was sunny today in in the 20's. Junior and I got some outside time at long last and he insisted on skiing around the yard. Of course I indulged him and managed to find is baby skis in the garage for him to play with.
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| Future Olympic Skier in Training |
While Junior was showing me up with his skiing abilities (seriously, he has skied all of 20 minutes his whole life and is probably better than me), I noticed Gentry sleeping out in the pasture. I couldn't resist the urge to go out there and see if he would let me approach without getting up. Remember, Rose only finally trusted me enough to let me do this after three years of owning her.
True to form, Gentry let me approach and sit on him. So, I guess I technically rode my horse today. I am hoping to actually ride him tomorrow while Junior is at pre-school. Here's to hoping the weather remains warm and sunny!
Happy trails and swooshing tails!
•Renee•
aw Gentry is such a sweetie, and your little boy is adorable on those skis! glad life is carrying on as usual despite the cold!
ReplyDeleteGentry looks so pretty resting out in his snow-covered field :)
ReplyDeleteHehe that totally counts as a ride LOL! Junior on the skis is absolutely adorable!!!!!! The snow is so pretty too. We got a dusting of snow. I was actually a little disappointed. I hope we get at least one decent snow this year. We sometimes go a whole year without snow and I've never seen more than a foot of snow in my whole life so it's sort of a novelty to me. :D I'm dealing with the cold better this year than I have in years past, but it still sucks to shiver in my own house (no central heat, only a wood stove) and to feel like the only time I'm warm is when I'm curled up in bed (and sometimes not then), but it's all good. :)
ReplyDelete