Daze in May: Ahh!

 

Such a glorious week we've had and more lovely days to come.  

Blossoms aplenty along with pleasant sunny days and spring fragrances of nature have enhanced the senses in welcome ways. 

My horses are aware of what all this glory in weather patterns mean, and I'm thinking that they may also be quite aware of the calendar date. 

This may seem hard to believe, but it's absolutely true---Lily launched the "take-us-to-pasture" campaign around mid-breakfast yesterday. 

With piles of hay still uneaten in the barnyard, she saw me outside, came over to the fence, looked toward the pasture and, with her Lily longing expression, told me it was time to go eat grass instead of hay. 

What Lily didn't know was that I had decided to hold off putting the horses in pasture until the growing green grass seemed a bit out of control. 

These warm days have helped that happen (especially with the lawn and dandelions).  Plus, a brief but substantial rain shower Wednesday night added a nice touch to the growing process. 

So, I had decided that today Friday, May 8 would be the day for Lily, Lefty and CB to go to pasture. 

Unaware of my decision and unwilling to take my explanation to heart, Lily rounded up the other two horses and offered a full-fledged all-day campaign at the fence every single time she saw me walk past the barnyard. 

A well-timed chorus of whinnies of varying levels but all consistent in their persistence greeted me throughout the day. 

I held tough, though, and today, after I've posted on the blog, they are in for a surprise.  

They're eating their breakfast as I type and should be almost finished when I go outside, meet them at the gate, throw a rope over each neck and lead them one by one to pasture. 

The annual pasture campaign is over, and my daily ritual begins. 

They'll go to the pasture each morning for a while with reasonably full bellies from their flakes of hay. For a while,  they won't stay long. 

I'll lead them back to the barnyard around 11, and they'll let the morning meal digest and take their afternoon siestas until around 3:30.  Then, it's back to pasture and finally a return to the barnyard a couple of hours later. 

After they've made the gradual transition from hay to grass (usually a week or two), they'll go straight to pasture first thing in the morning each day.  

By mid summer they'll stay on pasture all day. Over the summer, I'll be rotating them between four enclosures.  

So, it's a ritual that changes a bit throughout the pasture season.  The horses will be in their own little Heaven and I'll be taking care to see that they don't eat too much rich grass too soon. 

In doing so, I'll be adding plenty of steps to the Fitbit each day, especially with upcoming hose dragging as the flower and garden areas become filled with new life.  

All good. 

Some of today's blossom photos were taken over at the Colburn compound where some beautiful varieties abound.  

Barbara's bleeding hearts are amazing, and the flower trees are spectacular. 

I love the warm weather, but its downside is that the beautiful blossoms come and go much too quickly. 

Yesterday a former student, working for Sandpoint Glass and Cabinets, came to the house to pick up some screens needing repair. 

Jim Webb graduated in the Sandpoint High Class of 1982.  I learned yesterday that he's been in the glass business for a number of years. 

We had a great time during his visit talking about class reunions. 

And, it was obvious he loved Foster.  Lots of friendly petting for the little guy, and, of course, Foster enjoyed Jim. 

It was a nice visit, and soon we'll have decent screens for the sliding glass door and some of the upstairs windows.  

We may even get some new glass in the garden window which will mean a much enhanced view of Schweitzer from our kitchen.  

Sorta like getting cataracts removed. 

My 'maters won't be living in this place much longer.  

Some will go to the garden, while others go to family and friends and a bunch will go to the food bank garden. 

It's been a great starting season for tomatoes. 

This May "daze" has been something else, all great for the mental outlook and for our diet of eye candy. 

Happy Friday.