Cold Winter, Warm Sun

After a morning spent in the snowy pasture,

eating the hay that we had put there for them,

the equines were ready to come back in and hang out for the afternoon in the front pasture.

This is always the time that everyone takes a nap.

Sometimes, standing up...

But for a really deep sleep, lying down...

Napping is especially wonderful in this cold weather

when the sun shines warm in a crystal clear sky.

It's amazing how much warmth it gives even at this time of year...

especially when you consider that it was only seven degrees in the early morning hours.

Yesterday as I stood there watching Moonie nap,

I could hear a gentle snoring sound coming from his lips as they hung just above the snow.

He was deeply asleep.

Relaxed.

Safe and secure.

My heart was happy.

It wasn't long before the others followed suit.

From this angle, you can see Ollie's precious pink lips.

Kissable, don't you think?

The donkey girls, however, preferred to rest standing up.

"What? Lie down in the snow?"

"Oh, no, no, no, no.... we'd get too messy!"

No, these gals lie down inside the comfort of their house,

with the soft pine bedding as a cushion.

If you drive past the front of the farm in the evening,

most likely you will see them both lying down in their stall...

safe and sound in the comfort of their own beds.

"As it should be," smiles Chloe.

While everyone napped, Jack and I cleaned the front pasture.

Manure had frozen in the snow, so a coal shovel was the optimal tool.

I swear... for every 10 pounds of hay that goes in one end,

the other end drops 50 pounds of manure!

The front pasture was lovely with the sun sparkling on the melting snow.

I was comfortable in just a pair of snow pants and a sweater.

My, how tall I've gotten!

Even Sam enjoyed a little standing-up-nap in the warm sunshine.

It's that time of year, when it is easy to wish for warm weather.

I have to remind myself... "everything in its own time."

I long to get my hands into the soil and plant some seeds,

but it's still too early for that.

Now is the time of year when we must purposefully content ourselves with slowing down,

 resting up, and enjoying the warmth of our homes.

And so, I returned home to a cozy fire,

started a big pot of homemade spaghetti sauce with the frozen roasted tomatoes from last

summer's harvest,

and finished this pair of fingerless mitts.

Look closely, and you will see that they don't quite match.

I made a large mistake in the pattern and switched two sections around on the second mitt.

So, they will just remain perfectly imperfect... like all of us humans.

PS:

Today is a big day for Griz.

It's "Say Goodbye to Your Testicles" day.

The barn should become a much more peaceful place after this.

Don't worry, he's in good hands with Dr. Becky.