Weather

The sheep snuggled into the hay and enjoying the sunshine.

They look so little and so clean!

What a strange year we have had in regards to the weather. Of course we had "The Ice Storm" to start the year off. Then winter set in and didn't let up for what seemed like months and months. Finally a warm day here and there, then suddenly a stretch of 'spring' weather. We were all so grateful for the warmth, sunshine & beautiful green grass that I think we refused to think of it as an 'early spring'. Then suddenly Spring was gone! Five days of sub-freezing weather--nights in the teens and twenties, days in the forties---once again devastated the trees and all things that bloom. Not to mention the grass. The grass was growing like crazy and then with the hard freeze it was suddenly turning brown on the ends and stopped growing. More hay to feed. All the fruit trees, flowers and blooming shrubs were nipped off. Even the hardy iris and lilies are now drooped to the ground. The new leaf growth on the trees hangs in doleful tatters. Not much escaped damage, but only time will tell how much it will effect things.

Earlier in the week we got some much needed rain--now if it would warm up the grass should start growing. I sowed quite a bit of grass seed (a mixture of tall fescue and lespedeza) in the burn scars where we have burnt some of the brush piles. I need to do a little more seeding this weekend as well.

Today it is raining a slow steady cold rain. There is a possibility we will get snow mixed in with the rain today and tomorrow. I'm very glad lambing is finished, and feel for those who are just starting to lamb in this muckty weather. I've had a fire in the woodstove since last Friday. On the plus side this has been an 'easy' way to clean out the woodbox. I normally keep a week and half worths of wood in the woodbox in the breezeway. I rarely use much of it, since its for really 'emergencies'---like the outside wood getting wet or lets say an ice storm..... Anyhoo, come Spring, I usually end up carrying most of it back to the woodpile to clean out the box. This year, it was nice to wantonly burn the wood from the woodbox! ;-) Now I will clean out the woodbox really good, spray with bug spray and then store the fleeces in it after I skirt them.

Yesterday we had a lovely day--it warmed up into the 50s and the sun shone. The sheep were content to lie around and doze in the sun, tucked up in the hay piles. I expect tonite won't be as quiet or pleasant as their naked little bodies will force them to hang out in the barns all day, and not forage the pasture. And as usual I expect I will give in and give them some 'good hay'.

That's all for now. Sounds like a wet weekend--time to get busy rolling roving or some such thing!