Marching Ahead
We’ve made it to the month of March, always a milestone in our northern winters. The other day I noticed that the hour of our sunset has reached 6:00 p.m. That’s a big difference from that shortest day of sunlight in December, when darkness descends way too early in the afternoon. Winter’s days are numbered now, but we know too well from our experience just a year ago, storms with significant amounts of snow can still happen as late as May around here.
With March historically bringing storms carrying large snowfall totals, we try not to get overly excited by the warm sunlight and daytime melting that is about to occur. However, I think this year it will be especially welcome. There have been precious few days above freezing the last few months, which is great for winter sports, but it has me a little anxious about what the melt will be like for us come spring.
Last year the wetness took forever to end. I can’t find any reason to believe it will be any better this year. I had hoped to strategically pile the plowed snow to minimize melt water running where we don’t want it to go, but the amount of snow that has accumulated forced the necessity of piling it anywhere and everywhere.
For now, we still need to keep clearing our way to the wood shed and to Delilah’s kennel. I finally got the path to the wood shed shoveled on Saturday, over a week after the last big storm buried everything here under the rain and then 12 inches of snow.
In March, you never really know if the effort to clear such routes is still necessary, but if you don’t do it, and another large amount of snow falls, it ends up being a real hassle. Better safe, than sorry, I believe.
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Relative Something 
We’re starting to get uneasy thinking about all the snow, too…last summer we “fixed” all of our water concerns around the house, but will be holding our breath as the melting snow tests our efforts.
Do horses like to frolic in the mud? 😉
Liz Shatek
March 4, 2014 at 12:45 pm
I’m not sure if any of them like it, but it is not a good combination, horses and mud. Of course, it will be half mud, half manure in our paddocks after this winter.
I hope you find all your fixes work as intended! Maybe we’ll be blessed with a gentle, slow melt.
A guy can dream…
johnwhays
March 4, 2014 at 6:16 pm
You must know about the lift phenomenon, John. You know how when it stops, it seems to continue. Hence, I recognize a lot of who you were when you are buried up to your neck in snow. However, in life there is a strange paradox that we are better at coping with reality head-on than when we are sheltered from it, for it is there in our heads anyway and then we aren’t able to do anything. Just to say, you are working wonders as you were made to:-) Here, life is a little easier in theory. A big hug!
Ian Rowcliffe
March 4, 2014 at 8:19 am
Thanks, Ian. Before you know it, we’ll be needing to restrict our herd from over-indulging in fresh green grass. We face challenges in every season. Next up, mud!
johnwhays
March 4, 2014 at 6:14 pm
Re: mud and Liz’s question above: our horses enjoyed the most amazing mud baths today. They pranced and danced their Carnival fancy dress energetically zigzagging and splashing to their hearts’ content!
Ian Rowcliffe
March 4, 2014 at 6:37 pm
Oh, I would loved to have seen that! It would be nice if our horses find such pleasure in mud, whether or not it is good for them, because we will have a lot of it for a while. Eventually, we will be making some changes to mitigate the situation, hoping to reduce the areas within the paddocks that are mud and provide them with more space that is sand or gravel.
johnwhays
March 4, 2014 at 7:14 pm