Tuesday, March 15, 2016

in like a lion

March did indeed come in like a lion this year.

It began with a roaring, middle-of-the-night windstorm that brought down a great many branches - but would likely have taken down entire trees had they already leafed out, so we were lucky. No injuries, no damage to buildings, no power lines down.

There was this small, localized bit of misfortune:


It's the top of a maple, that snapped and fell across the roundtop. I was able to pull it off with that line, but...


Possibly later I can buy replacement sections for the very bent frame pieces, but there's no point in moving all the hay now; it will be fed and gone soon enough. Meanwhile, I've got a tarp tied down over the many holes poked in the cover. It'll do.

~~~

We had snow for three days in the first week of March, but the sort of dusting that one can thoroughly enjoy; an end-of-season novelty, soon to be just a sparkly memory.


Of course the reality is, we've had massive snowstorms in April, and I recall once being stuck in my own driveway in May. But despite this...when the season is shifting and days are growing longer and are sometimes pleasantly warm, it is easier to perceive snow as a transient and beautifying gift. Which is why I don't think this titmouse was worried at the moment when freezing rain turned to snow yesterday:

"Snow? Let's see...a variety of seeds,
a perch all to myself,
under an overhang...
and it was 60F yesterday.
I'm good."

~~~

Scattered between all this rain and snow and wind, there have been some blue-sky-and-shirtsleeves days. Some outdoor carpentry project days.


 Some let's-muck-out-the-barn days.


And even a couple of "drag the chaise out to the Upper West Side paddock and knit for an hour after chores" days.


Yes, actual knitting.

With agreeable company.



And valuable opinions when requested.


~~~

So, here we are quite suddenly halfway into March, and it's been characteristically changeable so far.

I wonder what will happen next?



~~~~~

11 comments:

  1. It must be a delight to know that Spring is round the corner!

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  2. Ahhh ... knitting outdoors. What could be better?! Especially when it can happen in March. I love the caption under the bird. We're getting the wind today - I'm glad I don't have to drive a semi-truck or any other tall vehicle; I'm sure there will be some blown over by day's end.

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  3. It was so good to see a positive attitude this morning. And all the help you had to boot. We are having a few great days too. So enjoying them. At first I thought about all the work and then thought hey I'm able to do it what's my grip, just a little slower perhaps. Not a thing wrong with that. So I thanked God for the beautiful sunshine and a fairly healthy 68 yr. old body that still works. And started picking up sticks and moving firewood, one piece at a time of course. 8-)
    Enjoy your day.
    Hugs
    Tonia

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    1. I feel the same way, Tonia. I sometimes have to remind myself that the important thing isn't how I get things done, it's that I am able to get them done at all...And I am SO grateful for that! :)

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  4. I'm sure it must be one of Mr. Murphy's laws that the exact spot you don't want something to fall, is exactly where it does. Gotta enjoy seeing your knitting helpers though.

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  5. Ah, I'm jealous of your outdoor time in the chaise! It's true - March snow is much more transient than winter snow. However, because it hammers us here into May every year, I tend to get tired of it because it's not a novelty!!!!

    I'm so sorry about the round top, knowing how hard you worked to put it up. I hope that you can buy parts for it. What bad luck! But what a great attitude you have!

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    Replies
    1. I admit there was an "Oh noooo!" moment when I saw that maple top, but a split second later I realized how truly lucky I was that it hadn't come down on the house, or the car, or the propane tank...all of which were within 15 feet.

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  6. I love how your little goats are involved with all your activities ;) The carpenter goat is the best. I haven't been in shirt sleeves just yet, but I'm like you and look at any snow March and afterwards as a novelty. One year we were all in shorts one day in April, and the next day we had a foot of snow! That's too bad about the roof damage to your hut. A hazard of living in the woods I guess. Thankfully it didn't come down on the roof of your house. We had such a wind here yesterday too. I took the kids into the woods and the wind was just roaring through the trees ... and so cold! It was good to get back into the van to warm up.
    Wendy

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    1. LOL - that's Dara, who seems to be developing great interest in carpentry. He was the one holding down boards for me to saw when I built the latest goat bench in the barn, too :)

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  7. Your goats feel like people with so much personality, its like they should be traveling with you and Piper on your walks. lol

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    1. One of my very first goats used to come for walks with me in the mountains above Boulder, Colorado. The trouble with goat-walking is, the goat always wants to be in front, but as soon as it gets in front, it stops and blocks the path, because it wants you to be the leader!

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