Springy Thingys

There is so much to love, appreciate, enjoy about springtime.

And yet, there is one thing that my soul-horse, Merlin, detests about it.

But let’s start with the good.

GREEN!

Everything is turning green.

The fields, the hills, the meadows, the trees.

But not my wild asparagus patch in the middle of the field. That’s the brown feathery lump to the left in this photo.

I took a stroll down the road the other day for the first time since Fall.

This swing beckoned me.

So I swang.

Been forever since I swang in a swing like this. High, Higher, Highest. Brought back lots of swinging memories from when I was a kid. Air borne!

BLUE

The skies!
Do you see the blue in those skies? BLUE-ti-ful!

When I walked back home, I went by the Old Baptizing Sycamore Tree. The tree under which folks have been baptized in the creek for at least a 100 years.

White bark. Blue skies. Look at that deep blue sky.

And then I took a photo looking back at my Farm from the tree. Look at that interesting shadow. Question mark. Yes, I have lots of questions these days. You? Yeah, we all do.

One thing about Spring is that the hens are laying well again. Here’s a bucket of our Easter Eggs. Why an old tin bucket for an Easter Basket you ask? And is that real hay instead of colored plastic grass from the store?

Well.

You see.

My boxes of Easter decorations are in the attic.

Remember about my attic?

Sssssssssss.

So, we made do with what we could find NOT in the attic.

I always enjoy an Easter Egg Hunt. Even before I had a child, I’d dye eggs and have a hunt.

Here are a couple of favorite photos from our little hunt this year.

This is THE CLASSIC place for an Easter Egg to be hidden. Classic! In my childhood, in my adulthood, in my everything. An egg must be hidden in the greens of a blooming daffodil. It is required. Is there a place like that from your history of egg hunts? THE place?

And this was one of my favorite spots this year. My daughter did the hiding on this round. So creative! I did the finding. Almost missed it!

One thing I enjoy on other people’s farms are all the babies.

As I drive to town, I pass just born calves, goats, sheep.

It takes my breath away every time.

I love seeing them on other people’s farms.

As for me, I don’t want any babies right now on my farm. I’m good. I have my hands full.

Like, Lola. You remember my chicken Lola? I thought she was injured. But you were right. The vet came and diagnosed her with bumblefoot. He treated her and now I spray her foot several times a day with Vetericyn. She is eating and drinking, just isn’t mobile. She keeps her other foot curled up under her. 🙁

Do I want any eggs to hatch this year? Do I want chicks? No. No, I do not.

Here’s a cutie we saw down by the creek. I bet it has spring babies already.

Do you see it? I think it had made a home in those rocks. Hmm…let’s call him Rocky Raccoon.

I never know what to do with all those dyed, boiled, cracked Easter Eggs after the festivities are over. I think this year I’ll leave them out for Rocky R.

And how’s this for a change of pace?

I am outside being WILD and FERAL in this spring weather.

Mustache Cat is on the back of my loveseat looking out the window.

He is inside. I am outside. Ha!

Lately, I’ve been calling him “H.C.” “House Cat.” He has no interest in the OUT any more.

So, can any one guess what Merlin dislikes about SPRINGTIME?

Think about that for a minute while I show you my Angel Merlin getting X-rayed.

He has had an injury on his front leg. We have been watching it for a while. It seemed to get better, then it got worse. My friend, who is a horse person, thought it was a SPLINT. However, when it changed form and wasn’t healing, she wanted me to have it checked out by a Vet. That’s what the Vet is doing here, X-raying my Merlin’s leg. Merlin doesn’t love the process. He is concerned about the radiation. I told him what my dentist office always tells me. No, don’t worry. You get more radiation than that at the airport. Or when you talk on your cellphone. Merlin said he had never been to an airport and that I still refuse to allow him a cellphone.

What Merlin has in indeed a SPLINT. The doctor advised stall rest. But we don’t have any stalls. “Well, he must not be worked until this heals.” Let me see. When was Merlin last “worked”? Oh yeah. In January when we went on the Polar Ride. He has a very easy life here. Not much WORK.

I’m trying to keep him quiet and calm. And I have ordered him a SPLINT BOOT to support the leg while it heals.

But what he HATES about spring?

I must remove him and his herd from the lush, sweet, spring grass in the front pasture. He is already a bit plump. And I have two other horses that are gluttons. So we have to limit their intake. You know that amazing sweet smell the first time you mow your grass in spring? That’s from the sugars in the grass that have been hanging out all winter just getting sweeter and sweeter. Just like the rich sweet maple syrup flows, so do the sugars in grass. For horses, it can mean trouble. Their bodies can’t process all the sugar.

So Merlin and his herd stand and stare across the driveway at the sweet delicious grass that they have been ordered off of. Merlin will soon get moody and mad about the gate that separates him from the spring smorgasbord. I will have to go out and have a talk with him, reminding him of all that he has to be thankful for. Like not having to go through an airport.

And hey, he has ME, who is and always will be….his. I mean, come on, what else could he want in a soul-person?

He has his herd, who adores and follows him everywhere.

He has a warm, dry barn. It provides shade and cool in the hot summer. Warmth and dry in the winter.

Oh yeah. He also has the upper pasture with lots of yummy grass.

(by the way, this is not a recent photo. I haven’t hiked up there yet this spring!)

And come summer and the first cutting of hay, he can have his front pasture back.

So, I loved winter. It was an awe-inspiring, snowy, cold winter here.

But, welcome springtime. Time to burst open.

Until next time, Friends, savor the flavor of life!
Lots of Love, Rebekah