Good Horsekeeping
It looks like Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. Other than people who enjoy outdoor winter activities that require snow, most everyone I know was hoping for him to predict an early spring.
It didn't help that we woke up to two inches of fresh snow on Ground Hog Day, even though we were only supposed to get a "light dusting." And underneath it a slight snow melt a few days earlier followed by over an inch of rain created some horrible ice. It was so bad that my partner Dennis fell three times walking from the house to the horse barn. He rarely falls as he's a natural on ice; his years of skating on two men's hockey leagues usually makes him navigate icy footing like a pro.
He called on his cell phone to warn me. Later he watched me navigate the ice. He looked on from the barn entrance as I took tiny steps and steadied myself using an old wooden flagpole.
I want spring to come badly. And I imagine most horse owners in the Midwest do, as it's been a tough winter taking care of livestock.
It's been even worse for those of us who live in southwestern Michigan and northern Indiana. We have been hit multiple times since Thanksgiving with "lake effect" snow. We have surpassed 40 inches of snow for the season. This is more than double what we had last year, and technically by the calendar we still have 46 days of winter left (spring officially starts March 20 this year). Our last big snow dropped 18 inches. Add to this days of strong winds (some areas had gusts of up to 55 mph), and several extended periods with sub-zero wind chills. I should also mention that we didn't see the sun for almost six weeks!
I have tried my best to stay positive and sane these past two months, which is challenging when besides going to work all I have done is put on my layers of clothes to go outside to do chores (only to come back in and have to take everything off), shovel snow from barn door tracks and off of our trucks, and try to keep our barn faucets and pipes from freezing. This is all in addition to doing regular chores. Because at times the weather has been so bad, or the footing outside too treacherous, the horses have had to be hand-walked inside of the barn several times a day on many days since Christmas.
At least this past week we had a couple of days of sunshine. Seeing it offers hope that better weather days are ahead.
Another hopeful sign is that two of our horses are really shedding. I pray it's a better indicator of an early spring than Punxsutawney Phil (I guess he is only right 39% of the time). Right now, my mare, Lola, is shedding gangbusters. So is our gelding, Jax. But I have had this happen before in early February—and then all of a sudden, they stop shedding.
Robins are another good sign. But it's too early for them to return. Last year, a few showed up while we still had some snow on the ground. Initially I was thrilled thinking it meant spring was around the corner. But, instead, their migrating compass was obviously misguided as better weather did not follow them.
So, all this leaves for a sign that spring is on its way is seeing the willow trees and forsythia bushes start to bud. Heads-up Mother Nature: I'm on the lookout.
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