Things began to thaw today. It’s not pretty, so I’m not posting any pictures. I also apologize for not blogging much recently. I’m working on a new video project and a script, both of which are occupying my thoughts night and day.
I took the blankets off the girls since it got up to almost 40F degrees today. It felt like a heat-wave. Looks like it’s going to stay this warm all week. Only 42 days until it’s officially Spring. March 20th can't come soon enough! I spent some time this morning looking at an email from White Flower Farms offering a fabulous selection of tomatoes that they will be planting and shipping in March and April. We ate tasty baby asparagus last night, and earlier this week, I gave in and bought some fragrant strawberries from California. The longing for the Vernal Equinox is strong around here!
Perhaps the most important sign that this dreadful winter is coming to an end is that Siete is shedding like crazy. Silk is still a fuzzball, but the little one is losing her winter coat big time. I throw balls of fur to the birds so they can start making nests. The chickadees are back in the barn already, and unfortunately, so are the catbirds. Those evil thieves steal the nests that the chickadees work so hard to build. They also dive bomb me when I come in the stalls. The horses ignore all the bird drama, but I’m considering hanging some cd’s on strings from the beams on the ceiling. The cd’s spin in the wind and catch the light and supposedly it scares the birds away. Now, if it would only chase away certain types of birds - maybe if I used cd’s that had been recorded with classical music or esoteric jazz, those crass catbirds would disappear and leave my lovely chickadees alone.
11 comments:
Today it felt like spring had come to Ohio too. Was up to 55 and felt so good but early afternoon it started to cloud over. Rain is predicted for several days but it's still supposed to be warm, in the 40's after having days in the low teens that will feel like a heat wave.
Gilly is also starting to shed some; just in spots. It will take a lot of brushing to get all the long shaggy hair off to find the beautiful dark red coat underneath just waiting to appear.
Happy Spring, it is just around the corner!!! ;-)
Victoria...the weather today was a real upper. We are now getting a lot of strong wind, but there is a lot of melting going on. Our driveway could be used as an ice skating rink and is just plain dangerous. Maybe by tomorrow more of it will be gone. There is definately a change in the air, and if your girl is shedding, that is a darn good sign.
We are melting, too here in Northwest Indiana. Our horses have not yet started shedding -- one of our goats is showing signs of it already, but I think it will be another month for us. I love the horse manure on the ice paths -- that does work....Not the type of thing Martha Stewart would recommend, but what the heck. It will wash away with the rain and fertilize the grass!!!
So glad you got a taste of spring - I know you were really needing it!
We had our second day of 70+ degrees and sunshine, which was wonderful. However, around dusk we were swarmed by mosquitoes! Yesterday it was gnats.
Amazing how fast those varmints appear with a few warm days.
In any case, the pony is shedding, Keil Bay looked like he shed out overnight, and I had to come in and change into short sleeves so I could groom. A nice change from the cold!
We were up to 50 the day before yesterday and I considered taking them off my girls, but I left them on because it was due to drop again. Now were staying in the thirties, but it's wet and bone chilling, so I've opted to keep them blanketed.They don't seem to mind. I'm constantly mopping up muddy paw prints! Thank God or someone for the Swiffer Wet!LOL
I can't imagine being dive-bombed by birds, that's really annoying.
I'm glad we're getting into the warmer temps. The gang had their blankets off and were rolling all day long. Unfortunately, after the snow melted a bit it seemed to uncover the ice hidden beneath. When the temps dropped last night it was like a skating pond taking them all in from the back pasture, thank goodness for grippers on our shoes, or we would all have looked like Bambi on ice.
I am not so sure your annoying birds are catbirds, as this species has not yet migrated north from Central America, and their nesting habitats are dense shrubs, not barns. They are native birds.
The chickadees have my sympathies; however, and are battling with (maybe?) the more aggressive European Starling. What do you think?
Or maybe brown-headed cowbirds. The Cornell AllAboutBirds website has details.
It was pretty spring-like here, too. I got to ride the mare that I decided to buy so it was a great day anyway. I've been reading your blog for awhile, but this is my first comment. Take care.
Christy Lee
*~Petals and Pine~*
We are all so glad spring is arriving soon - it's been a hard winter. Have you tried hanging the CD's yet? I was just wondering if it actually works - birds make such a mess in the barn but some of them make such wonderful sounds!
Yay! for warmer weather. Now, why did you have to go and mention all those good foods? Now i am going to have to march myself to the market for tomatoes, asparagus, and strawberries! I must be an easy mark when just the mention of those things...of course i did have some asparagus yesterday at a luncheon. It was in a crepe with sauteed vegetables and some kind of lovely cheese.
OOOh, the cd idea is good. I bet if you hung those cds we get from AOL ads that the birds would stay away. I think that some of the "hummingbirds" would be offended if you used certain cds, though.
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