Springing Forward

As I have said - many times - I hate falling back and love springing forward. This year however, I wondered what the heck we'd sprung into - weather was bitter cold, then warm with severe thunderstorms - even a tornado touched down nearby - then back to bitter cold. Ewwwwww!

Spring must be close though because Indy and Ami are shedding like mad. Since Indy loves to be scratched anytime, shedding season is heaven for him. I could use the shedding blade on him all day and he would be in total bliss.I actually wear out metal curries and shedding blades on this hunk. Once the little points on the blade get dull, he doesn't like it any more. I'm thinking of getting a large paddle shaped piece of wood and driving case hardened steel nails into the back so that they stick out about a quarter inch on the front. Maybe that would hold him for a while!

Actually, the real problem is Ami. Unless she is extremely itchy, she has no interest in being groomed. Her attitude in fact is something like, "Touch my body and die!" Of course, it is her body, and I do my best not to aggravate her unnecessarily, but sometimes she needs to be groomed whether she thinks so or not. It doesn't matter what grooming tool I use on her - she hates them all.

Shedding or not, it hasn't been very springlike here except for a few days here and there - and naturally, it poured rain on those few relatively warm days. We've been under a flood watch for weeks since all the rivers in the area are over flood stage. We have a little creek behind our property - called the Wyland Ditch - that empties into the Tippecanoe River. It has at times back up into our back field but nothing like this:

As you can see, the water was almost up to the cross fence. Never seen it even half that far up the field. The rain, coupled with a few above freezing days, has softened up the ground at least, and Ami is moving much better as a result. I've even taken her off bute - finally! I've never had her on such a high dose for so long.

Spring has always been my favorite season and still is, even though the First Day of Spring 2009 wasn't very impressive around here: chilly and breezy, it didn't feel like spring at all. Still, it is spring and it's gotta get warm soon. Indy and I always love springing forward much better that falling back. I know Indy loves to spring forward because he does it often - sometimes when I'm on him. And that's way better than having him fall back...

March Madness

No, I do not follow basketball. I just want it to be spring and warm! This has been one of the coldest winters this area has ever seen, and it's really taken its toll on me. Of course, the bout with shingles didn't help one bit. I've been fighting it all winter. The cold bothers the rash and my right sinus very badly, and I just seem to be more sensitive to cold generally.

Saw the opthamologist last Wednesday, and while most things look very good, there are still some virus cells in my eye. So, I have to stay on acyclovir and two kinds of eye drops for at least another six weeks - until who knows when. What a nightmare!

This winter has been kinda tough on the horses too. In early December it rained - and rained. The ground got so torn up it looked like a Moonscape. Then it froze, and the bitter cold has been almost unrelenting - certainly no breaks long enough or warm enough to allow the ground to soften up even for a while. Poor Ami has had sore fore feet the entire time. Even Indy was off for a while back in January. Come to think of it, my feet are sore too.

It was 8 degrees overnight last evening and not supposed to get over about 22 all day. Tomorrow not predicted to be much better with high about 30. Are you believing this? Could be much worse of course - just look at that's happening to the southeast and northeast today. Feet of snow and strong wind. Yep, we are doing much better than that! But still.... I mean, it is March.

It's supposed to be in the 50s by the end of the week - and it's supposed to rain the entire time, naturally. I will take warm and wet over cold and dry. Like everyone else around here, I've had it with this winter.

About the only good thing I can say about the present is that Indy and Ami can be out in the field 24/7. At least they are enjoying themselves - and, they both are sheding. There is hope!