Spring Surprise

Ah springtime, when the birds are chirping, the trees are budding and the flowers are blooming. Wonderful spring like temperatures make it so very nice to be outside tending to the lawn and other chores left undone through the winter. Ah yes, spring, isn't it wonderful?

Wait just a doggone minute, what is this I see outside on this first full day of spring? I'll tell you what it is...snow and lots of it. What the heck? All the weather forecasts called for a light dusting. Um, let me clue you guys in...wrong!!

Let me tell you when I went to let the dogs out this morning, my sleepy eyes burst wide open with astonishment. Almost 6" of snow is not what I expected to see. Good thing we've learned not to put the winter gear away until the temperature goes to a steady 75 degrees or more.

Remi as usual greeted me with his rather loud bellow which translated means, "I want my breakfast NOW!" Tank followed suit with his request and the little ones put their two cents in as well. Not quite the chirping birds, but you get the picture, right?

Ok, one cup of coffee in me to help brave the cold, sub zero weather boots on my feet and enough warm clothing to get the job done. I was up to my ankles in snow on the way to the barn and when I got there, I saw a huge snow drift in front of Remi's gate and more snow inside. Uh oh, that's not good. His hay bag was covered in snow and was a challenge to get untied.

Remi, of course was focused on the task at hand and didn't make getting the hay bag untied any easier. He decided it was fun to keep nudging me with his ginormous head and although I usually find it very cute, it did somewhat lack appeal today. Frozen hands trying to untie a frozen hay bag string and an 80lb head pushing at you is not so fun.

The wind is blowing the snow around so much that I had to close his other window. That is not a good thing because Remi likes to look out his windows and there tends to be a little more stall mischief when they are closed. And, quite truthfully, we don't like them to be closed either, because we can't monitor the big guy as well from the house.

He didn't seem to mind the small layer of snow in his stall, especially as I filled his feed bucket with breakfast. When I brought his hay bag to him, he nickered at me softly which gets me every time. Ah, my boy is so thankful for his breakfast. I am happy to oblige big guy.

I made sure to stuff extra hay in his bag. I'm not crazy, I know how much that boy eats and when the weather is like this and he's stuck in the stall, he has to have more to keep him occupied and warm. Otherwise, you all know what will happen, don't you? The Remipup will start thinking about what fun he can have in the stall and then all bets are off. This type of situation brings the decisions as to what tools and materials we will need to fix the aftermath of his self induced amusement.

So it's not quite the sweet glory of the first of spring, but my boy is happy and very involved in his hay fest. Here's hoping spring weather will actually arrive tomorrow and all will be well.

Stay tuned, Stay Happy and Stay with us!