Our weather has been a beautiful springy mix of clouds and sun, hovering at near perfect temperatures this past week. The only thing that could improve theses beautiful grass-greening days for us, agrarians, is a touch of moisture. An auspicious prelude to the season, despite the horror of Daylight Savings time. Whose idea was this springing forward nonsense anyhow?
Inspired by the changing seasons, a dear friend of mine started an exercise group for the local ladies. Several days a week, when my horse and I aren’t poking around the local feedlot, I meet the gals for a cardio kick-in-the-pants. Apparently, I have been kidding myself believing that opening and closing gates from horseback is a substantial workout.
Despite the aching muscles and weary lungs, the time I spend sweating with my friends is the highlight of my day. I don’t know if it is the laughter or the exercise, I feel more energetic and making good food choices is easier. On the other hand, it could be the money at stake. Quien sabe? Either way, I am grateful.
Another sign of spring, the crazy traffic on our local road. Take a look.
Traveling with children is always chaotic.
Like all tourists on rural roads, they got a little turned around. (Psst, Coop your lead rope is dragging!!).
It all works out in the end. It might have had something to do with Tank‘s expert help.
I hope this finds you all well. I’d love to know how you prepare for the changing of the season?
We are celebrating moisture in NE Missouri! As the snow melted and the rains came over the last week, our ponds have refilled, the creeks are running and the (just in case of more drought) wheat shows a touch of green. With fall calving cows, we have to get through the next several weeks of feeding hay in the mud until the glorious green emerges and the cows are back on their own. They can sense spring is coming and are anxious for spring grass.
I’ll head for a run early tomorrow, which I’ve concluded is primarily social for me, with the added benefit of keeping my jeans fitting comfortably!
Nothing beats that first hint of Spring green, it must taste like cow candy. Thanks for weighing in, keep running!
We are moving to a new home. New furniture, new washer and dryer. New. Spring at its finest … changes and chaos included.
As Kathie mentioned, here in Maine (east central Maine) we have mud, mud, mud. While you bemoan daylight savings, we sing its praises. We have been in the dark for too long. It gets dark around 3:30-45 around the winter solstice, so the extra hour of sunlight now is a joyous thing. I am not on a farm, so early morning light is less essential. Daylight savings brings an end to our yearly bouts of seasonal affective disorder : ) Love the pictures of the cattle and the treeless hills. Brings back memories of my Nebraska childhood.
I do not envy you the mud or the dark days. I hope this finds you soaking up the rays!
You just burst my bubble that opening gates and being horseback isn’t enough of a workout! haha! I am also just putting away inside work, and book work. I have gotten more done than ever before! My kids even noticed!! Looking forward to calves and outside work though!
You dang sure feel muscles you forgot you had, when you haven’t been horseback for a while. I firmly believe there are benefits to the outdoor, horseback life, but my lungs are disagreeing. I hope you Spring continues to be productive and filled with live calves!
You dang sure feel muscles you forgot you had, when you haven’t been horseback for a while. I firmly believe there are benefits to the outdoor, horseback life, but my lungs are disagreeing. I hope you Spring continues to be productive and filled with live calves!
Not much different up there than it is down here in the south: we, too, need rain badly, being in out third year of drought, with not much change in the offing. Actually, the long-range forecast has an even drier than usual summer in store for us, with significant rain only in October. 🙁
But spring has arrived, definitely.
Best regards from southernh Texas,
Pit
Best wishes for some much needed moisture (if only it was that simple).
Hi there:
Its beautiful in south Texas right now. Great sky color, wonderful temperatures and trees and plants are budding out. My garden is in the ground and looking good and I have one more hibiscus plus six geraniums I want to plant and than it will just be upkeep. Oh my the keeping in shape thing never ends, I’m trying to build up my planks while I do walking and some weight lifting in the gym..its always hard. There’s always a set of muscles you haven’t been using, that gets discovered. Happy Easter to everyone!!!
Very nice pic’s of the cattle and horsemen. Hope he got his lead ope up, LOL! We have to deal with mud here in Maine for spring. Once we get through that it is much better.
G’Day Rachel,
For once it seems our seasons are synchronising. We too are experiencing beautiful warm days as we head into Autumn (Fall) – the perfect temperature being the one you don’t notice – not too hot nor too cold. We are about to lose Daylight Saving and have our mornings returned to a more sensible pattern.
You have me worried about farm fitness though. I am about to launch into a season of field hockey after an injury enforced layoff, and was also of the opinion that chasing cows would have kept me fit. Now I am nervous………..
Thanks for another great post.
I am confidant that a gal who can successfully evade a mama Brahma will do just fine playing field hockey!
I think we have all kidded ourselves into thinking “Well, I got on a horse today, so that counts as a workout.” No worries on that one! It’s so good to hear your enjoying yourself working out 🙂
I am so ready for spring! It’s warm, windy, and wicked dry here. Cows just started with calving. Time to think about shearing sheep. And to finish processing last years fleeces and get some spinning done before it’s just too busy outside. I love spring. I just hate the part where my clock has to leap ahead! Makes it dark so much longer in the morning.
Love your traffic jam!