Winter makes spring that much sweeter

You might find a few small patches of snow around here (it did snow on Friday for a while), but spring is really in full swing now. There are signs of it everywhere.

For example, crocuses have bravely pushed through to find the light of day.

Cow moms are out with their calves.

Turkeys are putting on all kinds of spectacular shows.

Fields are waiting to be sown.

And all the horses ar Bear River Horse Farm are kicking up their heels! Watch this video for the evidence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVGHOQqmp0c

March is not one of my favorite months. But April? So much better. Saturday I rode Lilly and forgot my camera. So I have no photos of that. I would have liked to snap a few pictures of the two golden retrievers that came popping down the road we were on, giving Lilly a wee spook, especially when they disappeared with their owner and then came zooming back to us in a wild and unescorted sort of way. Lilly was so annoyed with them she paused and blew very loudly through her nose like an irritated bear.


On Sunday, I was back at Bill's to take advantage of the decent weather.

Bill was busy reorganizing his end-o-the-year woodpile. But Christine came over to join me and Lilly with QTee.

 Mother Nature was pretty good. She wasn't stellar. We were glad to be wearing long underwear. But the horses were great. QTee in fact, in spite of her old lady status, was ready to do some real quarterhorse zooming around the trail.

For example, although you can't tell from the photo, we are actually going up a short, steep hill here. QTee wanted to run up that hill so bad. It's the first time we've been out on the trail in a long time and getting QTee back into shape cannot be rushed. Christine wanted her to walk. QTee had other ideas. All I saw was QTee hopping up the hill in front of me like a little jackrabbit. I can just imagine QTee thinking to herself: A quaterhorse has gotta do what a quarterhorse must do!

There's the sun. Finally!

Overall, a wonderful ride. It always helps to be with two mares that will do anything you ask them to.

Who would like a bite of delicious apple for being such an excellent brumby?

Or maybe some carrot? Oh yes, I know, nature's perfect treat.


Back at home, I found these little "bird's nests" while cleaning out the garden:

You may remember these tiny mushrooms (the size of a pencil eraser, also called Splash Cups) from a post last year. I found this little collection under a pile of wet, dead leaves. Cyathus striatus work because a droplet of rain splashes into the cup and the force of the droplet, along with a teenie weenie spring mechanism at the bottom of the cup, pushes the spores (the "eggs") out of the "nest," sending them flying off to make more splash cups.

I wonder how many of these little birds nests have been squashed by my brumby's hooves. I hope not too many.

Before I sign off, I'd like to share another one of Bill's videos! This is another one he has made of Sophie, the little pony up the road he is helping to socialize.I find her to be very dear. And like all of Bill's videos, this one is very entertaining to the horse lover. Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7thNBy_veE

Good night, friends.