Return of The Swamp Thing

Tanner doesn't like hot weather and he gets overheated easily.  In the summer, I always take him hiking somewhere with water so that he can swim.  Swimming holes aren't available in March though, even with the early Spring we are haveing, they are still frozen or moving too fast.  So, during this crazy, beautiful, wonderful weather we're having, he has to make-do with whatever he can find...

Tessa and Emma have not really started shedding yet and they are feeling the heat as well.  It was 70 degrees and sunny this afternoon and to them, it may as well have been 110 degrees.  They hid out in the back of the barn and I had to sponge them both off to cool them down.  I am loving this weather and I wish it were normal, but it definitely isn't and it is hard on the animals. 

Emma seems particularly bothered by the heat, she doesn't seem to handle extreme temperature changes well.  I am not sure if this is common with donkeys, a by-product of her pregnancy or if she has a unique problem handling drastic changes in temperatures since she doesn't deal well with the cold either.  If this keeps up, I may actually have to get  a set of clippers and help the shedding process along.  Either that, or put in a swimming pool big enough for all of us.  I might just be able to afford the clippers and something tells me that Tanner is going to have to keep making-do with puddles.

Was it a week or a season?

What a difference a week can make.  Last Wednesday, driving home from work (I work nights and leave for home at 1:00am, it's an hours drive in good weather) was one of the absolute worst drives of my life.  I think that is saying something since I have been driving since I was 15 and I have always had to commute on bad roads.  I would hate to try to tally up the number of hours I have spent behind a wheel.  We had an ice storm last week and several times on the way home that night,  I had to come to a complete stop, only to have the car slide sideways off the road all by itself.  Luckily, the gravel on the edge stopped me each time, but it was a horrific ride.  It didn't start out that way of course or I would have stayed at work, but the ice came down so fast there was nothing to do but keep going.  As it was, I made it all but the last mile to my house.  I was finally confronted by a tiny incline that, even with 4 studded snow tires and extra weight, my little car just could not do.  I finally gave up and walked the last mile.

I normally leave Tanner at a friend's place while I am at work.  Dropping him off and picking him up mean driving several miles in the wrong direction each day. I have always felt the the extra miles are worth it in knowing that he is safe and happy rather than stuck and anxious at home.  Last week was the only time that I have never made it there to pick him up.  He was safer where he was and I don't think I would have made it there and back.

This Wednesday, it was nearly 60 degrees, sunny and beautiful.  With all of the crazy weather plaguing the world in the past year and the terrible storms that just ravaged the South, I know I am not the only one wondering what will come next.  When we do have these rare, perfect days, we need to make the most of them.  My riding buddy and I took full advantage and actually got out for a trail ride.  I rode one of her horses, Hawkeye, who is a challenge to ride and great fun.  I really enjoy riding him and we get along well.  He was in rare form since he has not been out all winter and he is a real power-house, but we worked through it and had a great ride.  I haven't been able to do as much riding as I would like since Tessa got hurt, it was nice to get out and have some fun on a horse.  Gabe goes to the trainer on April 1st, I'm looking forward to it.  I haven't been able to enjoy this kind of view enough lately...