Roll on Summer!

Now, I'm not one to complain, ever..well, almost never..ok, just a little and, bearing in mind the sub Arctic weather conditions being endured over most of the country I'm hesitant to moan...BUT, it's cold. Getting dressed for a day at the barn takes forever, it's fortuitous that my closet covers small..medium..large and mega. Clothes go on top of clothes, layer after woolly layer until nothing more fits and I can barely walk...but I don't complain. The same can't be said for handsome gray thoroughbred gelding Player. As the barn door opened yesterday a resounding THUD joined ageing T Bone's impassioned pleas for breakfast, followed by several hefty bangs and more notable thuds. Clearly all was not well in Players stall. A cursory glance over the door revealed a seemingly very unsettled gray horse who, usually placid and co operative was clearly hell bent on re arranging the structure of his stall walls and resolved to make life as difficult as possible for anyone who dared to venture into his space.  Fortunately uncooperative equines are no strangers to us and Player is surely not big enough to intimidate... despite his flying hooves and swishing tail and tossing gray head.  It didn't take long to establish the cause of Player's discontent....Player was COLD. After a few circuits of the stall Player was firmly tethered and standing still enough for me to notice that he was shivering miserably from the tips of his ears to the bottom of his hooves...and he had a snuggly warm blanket on ! Poor Player, it's tough being a thoroughbred in Winter. A double layer, arctic proof comforter blanket soon brought the blood temperature up and Player's disposition returned to something less like the horse from hell. It's fortunate we aren't living on the East coast, we'd be fitting his stall with central heating !!! 

Misty Moo the Jersey heifer is beginning to look very matronly. Certain parts of her anatomy are beginning to SWELL and we are becoming aware of the potential milky bar that will open when Misty's calf arrives in March. The potential surplus of rich creamy Jersey milk  has forced Greg to consider our options....ice cream, yoghurt, milk shakes....cholesterol and maybe a little wiener pig. Many years ago we were fortunate enough to taste milk fed pork and the memory still makes the taste buds tingle. As her size and shape change with her advancing pregnancy, Misty has developed a little attitude. One of our (also heavily pregnant) sheep was taking a rest in the pasture, quietly absorbing the watery sun rays that were peeping through the clouds. Sadly, the ewe was directly in the straight line path that Misty was clearly determined to take and Misty the cow wasn't about to change or deviate her route.....Misty unconcerned by her discourteous behavior  just bumped the resting sheep until she hauled her body out of Misty's way and Misty continued on her way.

Time for me to go and start layering up. Take care, keep safe and warm. M