The Scent of Spring

February is the month of simultaneous thawing and freezing. The days are longer, the sunrays brilliantly stronger- and even with the numbing temperatures, the snow is melting. All the springs have awakened from their hibernation and water is flowing and freezing all at the same time, creating long glacial rivers of ice. After what seemed like a long slumbering, lumbering stagnation of winter, February is the month that begins the break from dormancy bringing a subtle whiff of spring. The snow on the roofs are melting off, but freezing all at the same time- a kind of stop action moving quietly unfurling energy which is happening everywhere now in the month of February.

Last week, Zoe and I went out for a nice trot. I rode OYY Salvadore ( I call him my Sally Macaroni Pony) for the first time. Zoe took OYY Finnegan. Salvadore is a small pony with the attitude of a big horse and his trot is very forward. My saddle does not fit Salvadore so I rode in Zoe's and she rode in my old dressage saddle. When we were almost back home, we switched mounts so I could try Finn. What a difference ! Finn is quietly forward and easy to just sit and trot-- while Sal is always a controllable bundle of energy. I did take my camera along but while riding/trotting swiftly along- I did not get the chance to snap any photo's. After our switch in mounts- I got my usual photo-- the ears of my mount and the back of Zoe and hers ! This was the first long trot down the road for each of the boys and they were perfect, meeting quite a bit of traffic and another horse and rider.

One of the nicer days I spent with small carpentry jobs in the barn- little things that needed repair. This is a kind of quiet, solitary "zen" task.. that whole "chop wood, carry water" meditative work. This matches my February frame of mind-- it's the essence of awakening, while seemingly doing nothing.

Zoe took Zoe's Day Dream (aka, "Reverie") out on her first highway ride. Reverie was perfect as she always is. Someone is going to just love that mare for a steady mount. Nothing fazes her - as she loves trotting out anywhere with a joyful attitude.

Our Main man- Mead's Chocolate Chip - is back in training. We are going to get him driving this spring. He's going to make an awesome driving horse. We also made the decision to offer him up for sale. Chip has accomplished greatness here on the farm with his offspring and he has certainly proven himself many times over with his many offspring. I created a special "page" on my web site for Chip.. check it out - http://www.vermontel.net/~top/chipfeaturepage.htm

I am proud of Chip's "credentials" as a stud plus he is a wonderful riding mount. He'll make a superlative stallion for another breeder or a fabulous gelding. Big, medium and small -- his offspring are all great horses, and Curly to boot !

Puppy update-- Valentine's Day, the puppies were 2 weeks old. My Number 1 son came over to help me with my wood chores- cutting and splitting (I am saving the pleasure of stacking wood for Number 3 son!) His own Number 1 son and Number 2 son came along for some "puppy training". It's so beneficial to expose the pups to handling- even better when it is kids doing it.

Patrick with a wrinkly female pup on the left. Kyle holds the only reddish male pup -

and the light colored wriggly female pup.

Their Mom holds the quiet sleepy pup.

The puppies have grown amazingly fast- they are developing an adorable little puppy "bark" and beginning to totter around on shaky legs. Their Mom- India- is an outstanding mom.

Enjoy your February awakening and rejoice in the glimmer of spring ! It is coming !!

Anti-dote for the February Blahs

There's nothing like a refreshing trot to scare away the doldrums. Sunday we saddled up our two mounts- Keri and Teasel - and went out for a ride. Keri was in a great mood... one never knows if she is going to be feeling zesty or pokey- to which I completely can relate, being a "senior" myself. We got a good forward trot for nearly the first 5 miles of the trip. When we reached what we call the mile long hill (because it's exactly one mile long and quite a hill) both horses wanted to canter. Generally we use that hill to build muscle, so we contain the horses to a trot- but today was a recreational outing so .. canter we did. The skies moved in and out of brilliant sun to squalls of spitting snow and almost hail.

As we pass by the frozen and snow covered pond, it's gorgeous and sunny. In the summer there is usually a family of Canadian geese here, making for an interesting "obstacle".

We pass by a neighbor horse and a nosey donkey and more natural "obstacles"- evidence of the intermittent gusty winds of the day.

It's starting to snow and hail on the mile hill road.

At the top of the hill, on the corner is a house which used to be a schoolhouse. This road used to be called Schoolhouse Road, but with the advent of 911-- the road name changed. As we take a left at the top of the hill, the horses knew we were headed back home so they traveled along pretty quickly and steadily. Great ride !

During the week, Zoe schooled OYY Finnegan, our medium extreme pony stallion. He was definitely having a lazy day.

You can see Zoe is wearing her Champion RAC jacket- here's a close up shot of the back of it.

I managed to get a short video of OYY Dante being schooled in the indoor and his first trot down the road. He's a handsome young man, around 14.2 hands, and he loves his work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXnMalOQDLE

And lastly- a puppy update. The pups were one week old on Saturday and have grown amazingly. India is a super mom as I knew she would be.

Enjoy your day ~

Winter Doldrums

Well, Ground Hog Day has come and gone-- I guess we're in for another 6 weeks of winter. We all are suffering from the winter doldrums here on the farm-- even the horses seem itchy for a change. For me, February has traditionally been the longest month of the year .. maybe because we feel spring around the corner but have to wait it out through cold and snow.

I study the wood pile and what's left of my hay... keeping in mind that old adage ~ Half your wood and half your hay You should have on Candlemas Day (which is Ground hog day). I am pretty sure I am all set for hay, but my wood pile is dwindling- discouragingly so. All the other wood burners I have talked with say they have also burned more wood this year than past years. Despite what I thought were excellent efforts to have a goodly amount stacked and at the ready... there is not so much left. I did get a nice log load the other day-- and have already started to burn from that ! So I spend a lot of these February days with thoughts of how to better prepare for next year's February.

Number 1 daughter (and only daughter), Zoe celebrates her birthday on the 3rd of this month. We managed a nice ride out on the day before- a gloomy Ground Hog Day. We rode Keri and Teasel- the fantastic duo-- but both horses were incredibly lazy and pokey. The snowbanks have blocked all access to our usual trails. We thought perhaps we could dig out small pathways, but the fairly regular snowfall would have made it impossible to maintain openings, so we are sticking to the highways and by-ways- trying to come up with new loops and treks.

We ride by the farm up on the hill past their leaning silo, which I
always expect one year will topple. Past the little round home we call the "Gnome house". We took a road I am not sure I have ever traveled on in all the years I have lived here. That woke the horses up a bit-- new sights ! Here's a view of Okemo off in the distance, one of Vermont's ski areas. Ski resorts are the bread and butter of Vermont's economy I guess-- so they must be pleased with our weather.

Training continues and it has been staying rather "warm" inside the indoor. OYY Dante had another ride out on the road. OYY Nimue had a few sessions with head set and has greatly improved as she gets back into her driving training. OYY The Doctor of Dreams also got in a couple of short trots down the road after his schooling in the indoor. Zoe's Day Dream, aka Reverie, had fun trotting down the road. I took Camille out for a very brisk 3 mile trot which she thoroughly enjoyed.

"Old news" -- which is new news -- January 31st my dog India, a standard poodle, delivered 4 healthy fat pups. Two females, 2 males. A perfect size litter for a first time Mom.

Dad of the pups is my yellow Lab, Nicodemus-- aka pork Chop. Here's a photo of India with her brother Dickens (the reclining black poodle) and Nicodemus as a pup. He resembles a fat toad in this photo !

Nicodemus more grownup, after a swim. He's a fine dog, as is India, so the puppies have a good start genetically.

Labrador plus Poodle = Labradoodle.... this year, the President's first choice of pets !

One nice thing about this time of year-- the days are noticeable longer- the afternoon sun a lot stronger and deeper. So if I can get through this month- short on days, but seemingly long on passing, I am sure the winter doldrums will be forgotten--- as Shelley is quoted saying-- O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind? We'll see... according to the pesky ground hog.. it's still 6 weeks away.

Enjoy the day ~