Slight Detour: Blowing Off January

There's a blustery wind out there this morning.

I'm wondering if it's Mother Nature blowing away the last remnants of January.

If so, she's giving it some good force.

Such force that my horses did not think I had fed them this morning.

Knowing we would get some snow overnight, after the horses went to the barn yesterday, I put their hay flakes in the shelter shed out in the barnyard----just like yesterday's placement.

For some reason, they immediately found the hay in the dark yesterday morning.

This morning's spooky wind, though, apparently disordered their minds. So, they raced around the barnyard and kept coming back to the gate looking at me longingly.

I kept telling them to "go to the shed," but they just stood there, looking.

There was no way I was gonna go out there in the dark and "show" them where their hay was in the dark with all the racing and bucking and kicking.

So, I just went on about my chores. Fortunately, by the time I had finished, the three of them were grabbing bites of hay but still lunging back away from the shed.

I'm sure, with daylight, their unease will end.

Bill and I are both looking forward to the Super Bowl.

We watched the games yesterday, both with somewhat impartial perspectives because we liked all four teams.

This year's Super Bowl should have an abundance of fresh material for all the features leading up to the actual game. That will be nice.

We may pull for Los Angeles this year because of the regional connection.

Award-winning Rams receiver Cooper Kupp graduated from Eastern Washington University in Cheney, just outside of Spokane.

Overall, these last games leading up to the Super Bowl were among the most exciting we can remember in a long time. Hope the big event is the same.

During part of the football TV activity yesterday, I took off cross country with my camera. That frozen snow reaching the fence tops has opened up a wide array of walking possibilities.

So, off I went, noticing first, as I stepped over the gate leading to the hay field, that some critter with large feet---maybe a moose---had come through the field up to our waterer, which has had its top closed for the winter.

The tracks indicated that the visitor had checked around the shelter shed in the hay field and then gone on its way.

I walked through the hay field and OVER the fence into the Meserve Preserve.

Having been dealing with sore knees for several weeks and finally getting some relief, I was thrilled to walk across their field and down toward the swale which feeds into a pond.

The terrain was soft and cushiony with no pesky obstacles to navigate.

As I told Bill, the only hard part of that walk was having all that white snow blend together, making it difficult to decipher if there were any dips or hills.

But my trusty trekking pole kept me safe. No stumbling, sliding---nothing. Twas a nice and welcome winter outing.

Our overnight snow, consisting of maybe an inch, simply did a nice job of cleaning up the landscape and providing some cushion on the icy areas. So, no complaining this morning.

I have a busy week of writing ahead AND Bridie's appointment for spaying later in the week.

Bill and I are also looking forward to the Winter Olympics starting this week. Then, we figure, we can skate on in to early spring.

Glad to have January end. It's been a tough and long month. So now, we are looking forward to a fun February.

Happy Monday.