First snow

Here's the view today from my office window. It was snowing when I left my house, but both my house and office are at higher elevations so I'm not sure if it's snowing at the barn, which is near the lake. I left the horses' turnout sheets on their stall doors just in case they go out.

They're always so funny with the first snow, snorting and snuffling around in it. Yesterday they didn't go out because it was chilly and rainy all day, so I'm sure they're anxious to escape the confines of the barn. It's supposed to get back to the 50s this weekend, which is good--I'm not too excited about getting back to blanket weather!

Sighhhhhhhhh

Wow, I am EMBARRASSED that I haven't posted since early October. Excuse: Visit to Katie in CT, parents came for a stay, and two college visiting trips (with two more to go). Funny how when you think back it never seems as though you were really as busy as you thought you were at the time. But I'm pretty sure I've only been on our home computer once in October. Seems like I get home and crash.

The thing about the college trips is that the ponies go without my tender loving care for a day. But it is good to come home and see that they survived, and that maybe, just maybe, they CAN do without me for 24 hours. The barn friends were poking fun at me because I left three notes at the barn with emergency numbers when we went to visit Katie (two days, one night). I left one on the manager's desk, one on Dude's door and one on Bestie's door. They were like, "Did you leave ENOUGH notes?? We thought we'd find them all over the barn!" A little obsessive compulsiveness, what can I say.

After each of my absences I arrived at the barn on the following day to find both horses happy, healthy and very dirty. They always look up when I arrive like "Oh, there she is!" Dude does his low nicker and Bestie does her high pitched crazed-sounding whinny. It's a nice welcome, and one that I'll never get tired of. Today it is raining and cold, in the 40s, so I doubt they got turned out. I'm just hoping this isn't the beginning of the usual dreary claustrophobia-inducing weather we see in November. I'm not ready to ride/work them inside yet!

Where did September go?

Fall always rushes along here. The leaves have been absolutely gorgeous--so if anyone reading this blog is thinking about a foliage visit to northern VT, you'd better get up here in the next week! We had rain last night, and that always seems to bring out all the colors. A couple of the local weather forecasters were saying that the stretch of sunny days in September, combined with cool nights and summer's rain, are what have made this an amazing fall for foliage. It's certainly one of the best that I can remember.

Ran over to visit the ponies this morning because we are hosting a couple of visitors from Nicaragua and I didn't think I'd have time to hit the barn this afternoon. The horses were inside because at turnout time it was pouring. There was a break in the rain while I was there, so I was able to graze them both for about 20 minutes and give them a little walk. Not sure when our guests are arriving, so I didn't want to linger too long at the barn.

When I first arrived, Bestie whinnied, and Kara commented that Bestie had been "telling them" all morning that they'd forgotten to turn her out. She is a very vocal horse. Last night I mucked her stall and then moved on to take care of Dude. Right as I was finishing up and about to leave, Bestie put her head into the hall and whinnied every time she saw me in the aisle. Her way of saying "Hey, you didn't get ME out!" Nothing gets by her. So of course I had to graze her for a few minutes. I'm a softie, I admit it.

Two new horses came in this morning while I was at the barn. New boarders. One is 31 YEARS OLD!!! And he looks pretty good! I always start to think about the "what ifs" if ours live that long. That would be 16 more years for Dude. I'd be 63. Yikes! Best not to think too long about that!