The beginning of my 4-Day School Holiday…

This morning Sylvester woke me knocking on the bedroom door at 5:00 a.m., wanting to go outside. This is a usual thing for him as I have our radio alarm clock set at 5:15 for wake up coffee time, and to put him out. Today was the first day of a 4-day school weekend, so I did not set the alarm to go off as I was hoping that maybe we could sleep in for awhile. That idea didn’t work, as Sylvester kept working with the door knob until I got up to let him out. While pushing Sylvester out the front door I saw that the entire outdoor landscape had turned white overnight. Thought to myself… it’s still February. This was quite a surprise and the reason I am making this blog posting today. I find it refreshing in July when temperatures are 105° to open these winter blogs and reminisce about winter's cool/cold crisp air. I also will share this posting with my sister in Charleston, SC who has written me that they have seen no winter in their coastal area this year. Anyway, for the past week or 10 days we have had close to spring like weather, and I was hoping this would last through this weekend's school break.
After putting the Slyguy out I went back to bed to soak and nap for awhile (so I thought). When I got back under the bed covers, Kittee asked if I was ready for coffee, as she was ready to get up and make a pot being she was to be in PDT court at 8:00. I said “Why not?, and take a good look outside while you are at it”.
So the day began at 35° and all is dashed with white.

While feeding the outside cats this morning I noticed that robins were everywhere.

and the inside cats noticed the same.


February snow... kind of messed up my plans of working in the garden this weekend. One good bit of news today is that I found allot of garlic sprouting around Rusty’s keep, so I think I will separate and transplant these sprouts into the cultivated garden beds and see what we might get once again for fresh (Mmmmmm good) garlic this season.

Have heard the old saying about the weather… wait 5 minutes and it will change. Well today that has been a matter of fact. This morning while feeding the horses and goats, it was 40°, there was icicles hanging on the gate rails, sun was shining, and it was snowing.


By 11:30 it was very bright and the temperature had reached 50°. At 11:45 it was pouring snow horizontally and the temperature was 42°.


At 1:00 p.m. we have no snow, and again covered with sunshine, (I'm ready to bring out the garden tiller) sure wish it were dry enough to work the garden today. Will probably end up just tying flies for the weekend.
I just had a knock on the front door...

...it was my upriver pal Dale Cosper just dropped by to chat for awhile. We had a nice visit; discussing politics, weather, horses, (he just bought two more young mares the past week or so), wine, women, songs, and the old bull elk that was in our backyard a month ago, etc. As Dale was leaving the clouds were beginning to thicken again, he said there was going to be more snow, and as I close this blog posting the air is full of horizontal snowfall once again.
Oh, wait... the snow is now falling heavily almost straight to the ground. The ground and the horses' backs are turning white with the air temperature now at 36°; 4:15 pm; it's still February 26th. Waiting for spring '09 to arrive.

A day in the life
around the ranch--- Dale

There’re back; the spring song birds have arrived.

This past week around the ranch we had our first breath of spring. Monday and Tuesday our daytime temperatures were in the 60’s and it felt great. Monday there were flocks of robins flying all around the area. The maples in the front yard Monday afternoon when I left to do my bus route were full of chirping robins.

Tuesday afternoon the temperature hit 65° and I found most the mares lazed out and taking a sunbathe. Derby, Nugget and Rusty were also flagged out soaking up rays, life was wonderful in horsey terms.

Tuesday afternoon before my bus route I mucked out Rusty’s keep, and had him running inside his keep, doing inside and outside turns. Together we had a good time and both of us worked up a bit of a sweat. I hope we can do this much more often as spring progresses. Yesterday I was talking with our next door neighbor and he said he was watching Rusty and I working and commented what a beautiful sight watching Rusty's moves. Wednesday our temperature was a bit cooler, but the Red Wing Blackbirds were back. I didn’t get a chance to see them but as I was talking with Derby, Nugget and the ponies after doing my p.m. bus route I heard about 4-6 Red Wings trilling to each other, and again as I walked around the front yard and headed back to the barn to talk with the rest of the herd. It felt and sounded wonderful. A touch of spring in the middle of winter.

That evening we had a beautiful not colorful sunset with the light of dusk lasting until after 6:00 p.m. Thursday our beautiful weather was broken up by rain, the day was mostly gray and wet. I knew this would blow my chance to play and work with Rusty during the weekend, but it’s February. Friday and Saturday our temperatures were back into the daytime 40’s with a fair amount of sunshine after the a.m. fog burned off, and today it has turned into February.

Other things happening around McKuster Ranch is Kittee’s wrist is healing well. It has been three weeks since her wrist plate was installed, last week she had the large cast and stitches removed and this week she has lived in a much smaller cast and is able to move her fingers.

Since Kittee has broken her wrist, we have been laying low, just taking care of and petting horses. Derby did have a hoof abscess a couple of weeks ago, so he spent the day at the vet’s office having the abscess drained, and he is doing well now.

Just a note here during the past month or so we have had moved in a new barn cat that goes by the name of Tuxedo. "Tux" seems to get along well with everyone here at the ranch, and does spend most of his time in the barn taking care of the unwanted critters that may be hanging out there.

Yesterday for the first time since Kittee broke her wrist, I brought Rosey out and Kittee gave her a through brush down. They both enjoyed that. After Rosey's brushing we gave her some grain and measured her... she is now 12.2 hands tall.

Today has been foggy and frozen and we are just staying close to the fireplace as everything outside is laced in white.

All the horses, cats, and front yard trees are laced in white today. It feels and looks like February, even though the temperatures have been in the mid-30's all day. For the benefit of my sister living in Charleston, S.C. (who tells me they have had no winter this year) I shall share with everyone these shots taken around the ranch today...

Ole One Eyed Barny

taking his bath after breakfast this a.m.

Goats and ponies finishing breakfast on this foggy morning.

An afternoon pic of everyone finishing their lunch as I type out
this blog posting

The only hint of springtime around here today was a few robins bouncing around in the rime ice.

And that's the way it is around the ranch this week.

Happy Trails,
Dale